APM Presents - Classical Specials
Milestones: Kind of Blue
2026 is a milestone in American music: It is the birth centenary of one of America’s most prolific and revolutionary composers, Miles Davis.
Born on May 26th 1926, Davis was a changeling who soon outgrew the very music he helped define: Bebop Jazz. In March of 1959, Davis stepped into the Columbia Studios in New York to begin work on “Kind Of Blue.” It has been called one of the most influential albums due to its impact on different genres such as Classical.
With an outstanding band that included John Coltrane and Bill Evans, they would carve a deceptively simple concept into one of the most pivotal music events of the 20th century.
Kind of Blue will be presented with commentary on individual tracks and facts about the life of Miles Davis.
One hour
Broadcast Window: May 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
Proud to Be
Pride Month is a wonderful time to celebrate our unique identities and to reflect on how pride and authenticity show up in our lives. We asked classical musicians in the LGBTQIA community about their thoughts on Pride. The answers we got were incredibly diverse and thought-provoking. This one-hour special brings all of those thoughts to you punctuated with music performed, conducted or composed by these featured artists.
Encore from 2025
One hour
Broadcast Window: June 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
I am the Migration
The American rail system is a metaphor for how culture has changed over the centuries. Movement is freeing, because you escape certain oppressions, but it also leaves holes in your personal memory that you have a hard time overcoming. For violinist and composer Curtis Stewart, creation is a way of overcoming.
To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Stewart looked to his own family's American story and used it as inspiration for his new set of 24 American Caprices.
Stewart is the host for I Am The Migration, where he interviews his father about how the movement of their family has shaped a sense of identity and reinvention.
One hour
Broadcast Window: June 1, 2026 - July 31, 2026
Sing Democracy
Sing Democracy 250 will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 with a powerful message of hope for democracy through music that honestly represents American history, reflects America’s diversity, and calls all Americans to fulfill their obligations to America—to build together that more perfect union!
One hour
Broadcast Window: July 1, 2026 - August 31, 2026
Music for the Days of Awe: An Observance of the Jewish High Holidays
At this time of year, Jews around the world gather together to celebrate new beginnings. Host Mindy Ratner guides us in a musical observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, known in Hebrew as Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe. Listen now to Music for the Days of Awe: An Observance of the Jewish High Holidays. Encore from 2023
One hour
Broadcast Window: September 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026
Sarojini
Experience a groundbreaking fusion where classical music traditions of South India and the West meet. featuring composer Shruthi Rajasekar. Hailed as "the most exciting piece of new music for choir and orchestra" by Canadian critic Natasha Gauthier, Sarojini (pronounced sa-RO-ji-ni) brings world-renowned Indian musicians Nirmala Rajasekar and Thanjavur K. Murgaboopathi, the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, and Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra together in a thrilling soundscape that tells the story of India's fight for independence from the British Empire.
One hour
Broadcast Window: September 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026
Underground Noise
Picture a mushroom. What color is it? What kind of a texture does it have? Do you know how it smells and tastes?
How about what it sounds like? Strange as that question may be, there are many creative answers to it. Underground Noise invites you to the soundscape of the fungal world. From jaunty tunes about cooking mushrooms, to atmospheric strains from actual fungi, join host Mya Temanson for a special that might just shift the way you see — and hear — the world.
One hour
Broadcast Window: September 1, 2026 - November 30, 2026