Music for Life

Hosted by Ryan Malone

Music for Life is a music-appreciation and music-history based program that explores the purpose and value of music to humanity’s enrichment. Hosted by Ryan Malone, it features interviews with artists performing at the Armstrong Auditorium sponsored by the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation.

#111: Dublin Irish Dance Spotlight and Interview

Aired Monday, February 12, 2018   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   53 minutes

#110: Moscow Festival Ballet Spotlight

Aired Monday, January 22, 2018   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   56 minutes

In this episode, we explore the Moscow Festival Ballet and its “best of Russian ballet” gala program they are bringing to Armstrong Auditorium.

#109: Romeo And Juliet ... And Tchaikovsky

Aired Monday, January 15, 2018   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   52 minutes

#108: Night Flight Spotlight and Interview

Aired Monday, January 8, 2018   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   54 minutes

In this episode, we interview a founding member of the Brooklyn Rider string quartet, in the lead-up to its collaboration at Armstrong Auditorium with banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck — in a program titled “Night Flight Over Water.”

#107: Banjo Rider

Aired Monday, December 18, 2017   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   55 minutes

In this episode, we explore the fresh string quartet known as Brooklyn Rider and the banjo virtuoso and renowned composer Bela Fleck.

#106: Best of Backstage Banter

Aired Monday, December 4, 2017   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   56 minutes

In this episode, we explore some of the great interview moments from the first season of our program, including talks with Gerard Schwarz, Eric Whitacre, Sara Sant’Ambrogio and many more — plus a few musical examples of pieces written to showcase the highest level of performance achievement.

#105: Csárdás and Chen

Aired Monday, November 20, 2017   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   51 minutes

In this episode, we explore the famous Csárdás folk style, and we speak to violinist Ray Chen in the leadup to his performance at Armstrong Auditorium.

#104: Suite Spanish Sounds

Aired Monday, November 13, 2017   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   56 minutes

In this episode, we explore Spanish composers like Manuel de Falla and his Popular Spanish Suite for violin.

#103: Sonata for a Hippogriff

Aired Monday, November 6, 2017   ·   04:00 PM CST   ·   56 minutes

In this episode, we explore the composer Camille Saint-Saëns and his first violin sonata in D minor — considered so difficult in places, only a mythical creature would likely be able to play it.

#102: Brussels Sprouts Composers

Aired Monday, October 30, 2017   ·   04:00 PM CDT   ·   52 minutes

In this episode, we explore Belgian composers, including Eugène Ysaÿe and his fourth solo violin sonata, as well as violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler — to whom the sonata was dedicated.