Performance Today Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Wheeling Resident Takes On This Week's Piano Puzzler

This week’s contestant for the Performance Today Piano Puzzler hails from Wheeling, West Virginia.

Every week Bruce Adolphe re-writes a familiar tune in the style of a classical composer and a contestant tries to name the hidden tune, and name the composer whose style Bruce is mimicking.

Walt Warren from Wheeling is this week’s contestant. He joined the school band in 6th grade as a trumpet player. In high school he fell in love with classical music.

He’s currently very involved in community theatre in the Wheeling area, and served several times as music director, actor, and musical performer in plays. He’s also an instructor at Towngate Theatre in Wheeling, teaching music and acting classes for children.

Warren is a member and supporter of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. “I listen daily to Performance Today on WVNP Wheeling–part of the W.Va. Public Broadcasting network of stations.”

“It was great fun playing the Puzzler with Fred Child and Bruce Adolphe” Warren said. “Although my performance in guessing the tune and composer’s style left quite a bit to be desired, I still had a blast”.

Listen to the entire Piano Puzzler segment here:

WVPB Radio Host to Step Down from “Classical Music with Jim Lange”

West Virginia Public Broadcasting host Jim Lange is stepping down from his full-time job as host of “Classical Music with Jim Lange” at the end of this month.

Lange will remain at WVPB part-time and will continue to produce his popular music show “Eclectopia.” He says he is cutting back on his work schedule for personal reasons.

Lange has been at the station for nearly two decades, starting out as a part-time weekend announcer.

“I felt like I brought a down-to-earth and fun approach to serious music,” Lange said.

WVPB Director of Radio Kristi George says one of Lange’s best attributes is his quirky sense-of-humor. “We look forward to sharing more of Jim’s creativity in the future,” she said.

Lange says he greatly appreciates the kind comments from listeners over the years and maintains, “You’ll still hear me, but not as frequently.

To adjust for the loss of “Classical Music with Jim Lange,” WVPB will make some adjustments to the radio schedule. The popular international news program “BBC Newshour” will air 9-10 a.m. weekdays. “Newshour” is BBC World Service’s flagship international news and current affairs radio program, with news bulletins, international interviews and in-depth reports of world news.

Performance Today will shift an hour later, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at noon. Classical music will continue until 3 p.m. weekdays.

Matt Jackfert Discusses His Future Music Career After Performance Today Premiere

All of us here at West Virginia Public Broadcasting are very proud of our in house composer and afternoon news host Matt Jackfert. On Performance Today Friday morning, Matt’s worked titled “Vandalia” will make its broadcast premiere.

The performance by the West Virginia Youth Symphony Orchestra was recorded at the State Opera House in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, which is the sister city of Charleston, West Virginia. Matt talked with West Virginia Morning host Beth Vorhees about his work.

Composer Matt Jackfert’s work “Vandalia” will be featured on Performance Today Friday morning. The program begins at 9:00. Matt’s segment appears during the classical music shows second hour and will begin at 10:06.

WVPB Host and Composer Matt Jackfert on Performance Today

An original composition by WVPB host Matt Jackfert is being featured Friday on the public radio program Performance Today.

Listen Here

The national broadcast is part of their Summer Road Trip. The featured piece is called “Vandalia,” which is titled after the proposed name for the state of West Virginia as well as the festival that takes place in Charleston every year.

In 2012, the West Virginia Youth Symphony Orchestra commissioned and later performed “Vandalia” during its tour of Europe. The featured performance took place in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, which is the sister city of Charleston, WV. That day, the WVYSO students played with passion and precision for a sold-out crowd at the State Opera House in Banska Bystrica.

Matt Jackfert composes music for WVPB in addition to his own commissions. Jackfert has written the themes to West Virginia Morning, The Legislature Today, Viewpoint, and has scored the film Jay: A Rockefeller’s Journey.

This year Jackfert has been played by the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, has received the West Virginia Music Teacher’s Association Commissioned Composer Award, and was a finalist for the ASCAP Morton Gould Awards.

You can find more of his music at http://jackfert.com