Best WSHU Public Radio Podcasts (2024)

1
Bridgeport residents fight for a say in their community’s environment 8:54

3d ago8:54

8:54

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s former reporter Jaden Edison to discuss his article, “Bridgeport apartment complex residents fight for health, and a say,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
CT cannabis equity program hits road bumps 14:27

10d ago14:27

14:27

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Mark Pazniokas to discuss his article, “CT confronts controversy over cannabis cash and social equity,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 124: Byron Schenkman 28:30

16d ago28:30

28:30

Byron Schenkman is an American harpsichordist, pianist, and music scholar who specializes in baroque and early music. Along with violinist Ingrid Matthews, Byron Schenkman cofounded Seattle Baroque, which the two musicians directed until 2013. Suzanne spoke with Byron Schenkman -- who has performed on dozens of recordings -- about their current pro…

1
Emails reveal affordable housing rift in Lamont administration 9:48

21d ago9:48

9:48

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Ginny Monk to discuss her article, “CT DOH official opposed ‘fair share’ housing policy, emails show,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Two years after fatal Watertown fire, questions still remain 9:37

28d ago9:37

9:37

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Ginny Monk to discuss her article written with Dave Altimari, “A fatal fire, an illegal apartment and a closed investigation,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
CT schools brace for the end of pandemic funding 8:16

1M ago8:16

8:16

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Jessika Harkay to discuss her article, “End of pandemic funding could spell disaster for some CT schools,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 123: Ian Watson 22:49

1M ago22:49

22:49

In 1982, a group of Early Music fans founded the Connecticut Early Music Society to present an annual festival of concerts every June. They feature a repertory of European music written before about 1800 and they focus on historically-informed performance practices, including the use of period instruments. Ian Watson is Artistic Director of the CT …

1
CT’s youth mental health system needs work. But where does the state start? 14:28

1M ago14:28

14:28

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Jaden Edison to discuss his article written with Ginny Monk, “For some CT kids, the mental health care system is struggling,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 122: Wil B 22:40

1M ago22:40

22:40

Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste met as talented teenage music students in Florida, playing violin and viola respectively. They clicked as friends, and after pursuing their university training in music, the two classically trained instrumentalists formed their hip hop duo, Black Violin. Their performances are energetic, surprising, and captivati…

1
Explaining the arrest of Kosta Diamantis, former CT deputy budget director 10:25

2M ago10:25

10:25

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Dave Altimeri to discuss his article, “Behind Kosta Diamantis’ arrest: Money woes, unfettered power,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Parents of CT students with disabilities struggle to meet with school leaders 11:23

2M ago11:23

11:23

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Jessika Harkay to discuss her article, “For CT parents, special ed meetings with schools are ‘a battlefield,’” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
How safe is CT for transgender youth? 9:06

2M ago9:06

9:06

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Ally LeMaster to discuss her article written with Luke Feeney, “CT: ‘Safe haven’ for transgender youth? For some, not safe enough,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Transportation is a major roadblock for CT residents who need addiction treatment 9:24

2M ago9:24

9:24

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Andrew Brown to discuss his article, “The problem with accessing opioid treatment in parts of CT: Getting there,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Officials blame CT roads for more pedestrians killed by vehicles 14:26

3M ago14:26

14:26

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Tom Condon to discuss his article, “No walk in the park: Road design a threat to walkers and bikers,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Why do CT cities and towns use 'red flag' law differently? 12:34

3M ago12:34

12:34

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Dave Altimari to discuss his article written with José Luis Martínez, “CT ‘red flag’ law is being applied unevenly, analysis shows,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Should CT keep its ‘certificate of need’ law for hospital sales? 7:58

3M ago7:58

7:58

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Jenna Carlesso to discuss her article written with Katy Golvala, “Fix or nix? CT’s ‘certificate of need’ law under scrutiny,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 121: Tom Huizenga 31:20

3M ago31:20

31:20

If you are a fan of NPR's Tiny Desk concerts, you're in luck! Tom Huizenga is a long time NPR producer, editor and reporter whose work you've probably heard. Suzanne interviewed Tom about some of his favorite Tiny Desk performances and NPR interviews, and he shared stories about what it was like to meet some of his personal musical idols.…

1
New Haven is considering a new approach to prevent wage theft 9:00

3M ago9:00

9:00

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s José Luis Martínez to discuss his article, “A plan to fight wage theft is taking shape in New Haven,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
What can CT do to curb opioid overdoses for former and current inmates? 8:54

3M ago8:54

8:54

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Katy Golvala to discuss her article written with Jaden Edison, “Many struggle with addiction during, after incarceration. Will CT use opioid settlement funds to help?,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 120: Simone Dinnerstein 2024 20:32

3M ago20:32

20:32

Grammy-nominated pianist Simone Dinnerstein has a wide variety of musical passions, but music by Johann Sebastian Bach is an important part of her foundation. She believes Bach's music has it all – intelligence and heart – and her expertise inspired The New York Times to describe her as "an utterly distinctive voice in the forest of Bach interpreta…

1
CT lawmakers look for ways to increase transparency in elder care sector 9:33

4M ago9:33

9:33

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Dave Altimari to discuss his article written with Jenna Carlesso, “Lawmakers push for more transparency in nursing home spending,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 119: Morgan Sullivan 29:16

4M ago29:16

29:16

Morgan Sullivan came to singing later than many other professional singers do. Nevertheless she has achieved success as a freelance musician who has performed with numerous top tier ensembles, including Bach Collegium Japan, Folger Consort, and American Baroque Orchestra among many others. She has also recorded music by Brahms and Schutz with Yale …

1
CT has more than 4,000 dams. Is it time to get rid of some? 11:56

4M ago11:56

11:56

WSHU’s Molly Ingram spoke with CT Mirror’s Jan Ellen Spiegel to discuss her article, “Thousands of dams in CT pose risks and challenges,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Molly Ingram

1
CT municipalities got almost $10 million from opioid settlements. What are they spending it on? 8:30

4M ago8:30

8:30

WSHU’s Molly Ingram spoke with CT Mirror’s Andrew Brown to discuss his article, “Many CT towns, cities still deciding how to spend opioid funds,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 118: Frederick Ballentine 29:16

4M ago29:16

29:16

Frederick Ballentine is an American tenor whose awards include a Grammy for his recording of George Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS. The opera star exudes a sense of ease, confidence, and fun when it comes to his career as an in-demand collaborator on everything from classic operas, to cutting-edge contemporary works. Frederick Ballentine spoke with Suza…

1
Paganism in CT isn't just a religion — it’s a community 8:48

4M ago8:48

8:48

WSHU’s Molly Ingram spoke with CT Mirror’s Shahrzad Rasekh to discuss her article, “Pagans in Connecticut: Stepping out of the (broom) closet,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Molly Ingram

1
New CT kindergarten law has left parents, school districts scrambling 8:38

5M ago8:38

8:38

WSHU’s Ebong Udoma spoke with CT Mirror’s Jessika Harkay to discuss her article, “New CT law on kindergarten age cutoff causing confusion,” as part of the collaborative podcast Long Story Short.By Ebong Udoma, Molly Ingram

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 117: Shawn Okpebholo 27:00

5M ago27:00

27:00

Award-winning musician Shawn Okpebholo earned his degrees at the prestigious University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. But he credits his start in music to The Salvation Army church, where he received free music lessons as a child, and to his mother's tenacious support. The breadth of Dr. Okpebholo's work is extraordinary: chamber wor…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 116: BLKBOK 25:15

6M ago25:15

25:15

From the time he was just a small child, Charles Wilson III – aka BLKBOK – showed extraordinary musical talent. The budding piano virtuoso's family nurtured his interests, which blossomed to include many genres of music: classical, hip-hop, rap, and much more. BLKBOK chose his name, in part, as a way to honor his admiration for Johann Sebastian Bac…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 115: Jessie Montgomery 30:00

6M ago30:00

30:00

"Being an artist is living a life of service." The words of Jessie Montgomery, who has earned acclaim, awards, and praise for her growing body of work as a composer, violinist, teacher, and activist. The musician credits her many teachers and mentors – and her parents – for opening up worlds to her. Jessie Montgomery shared stories about her experi…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 114: Kellen Gray 33:00

7M ago33:00

33:00

Scotland-based American conductor Kellen Gray is Assistant Conductor of the English National Opera and Assistant Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He's attuned to the orchestral repertory, including Bela Bartok, Antonin Dvorak, Aaron Copland, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. He's also passionate about championing African-diasporic comp…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 113: Brandon Patrick George 2023 27:06

7M ago27:06

27:06

Grammy-nominated flutist Brandon Patrick George is a member of Imani Winds and has appeared as a soloist with soloist with the Atlanta, Baltimore, and Albany symphonies, American Composers Orchestra, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, among others. He's also on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. Suzanne spoke with Brandon Patrick George ab…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 112: Melvin Chen 36:30

7M ago36:30

36:30

As a music lover, you may be familiar with Melvin Chen for his recordings of piano music by Dmitri Shostakovich or Ludwig van Beethoven. He put his double degrees from The Juilliard School to work as Professor in the Practice of Piano at Yale School of Music and is Director of Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, which is Yale's Summer School of Music. …

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 111: Mahan Esfahani 34:30

8M ago34:30

34:30

Acclaimed harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani - the first and only harpsichordist to be named a BBC New Generation Artist, and the youngest ever recipient of the Wigmore Medal – is an outspoken and passionate advocate for his instrument. Although the harpsichord is most closely associated with baroque music, Mahan Esfanai’s repertory is large and diverse…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 110: Loki Karuna 27:00

8M ago27:00

27:00

Loki Karuna (formerly Garrett McQueen) began his life in music as a bassoonist, earning degrees in music and performing in orchestras. His passion for music and justice propelled his career as a musician, leading him to become a radio and podcast producer, and an activist. An eloquent storyteller, Loki Karuna spoke with Suzanne about his weekly pod…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 109: Trio Sefardi 16:52

8M ago16:52

16:52

Howard Bass, Tina Chancey, and Susan Gaeta are the members of Trio Sefardi, a group they formed in 2010 to perform traditional songs of the Sephardim – the descendants of Jews exiled from Spain in 1492. They draw on their individual experience and expertise in many different genres of music, including jazz, folk, and early music, and they mine the …

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 108: Tammy McCann 29:30

9M ago29:30

29:30

Tammy McCann loves music. She lives and breathes her craft, and starts each day acknowledging and celebrating Music's importance in her life. She talked with Suzanne about her life as a professional jazz singer, her start as an opera singer, and how playing the double bass is the instrument she feels she was meant to play.…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 107: Kelly Hall-Tompkins 29:30

11M ago29:30

29:30

Kelly Hall-Tompkins is a dynamo – full of energy, positivity, passion, and initiative. The talented violinist is an award-winning and acclaimed musician with an international career, as well as an entrepreneur, humanitarian, and social justice advocate who founded MUSIC KITCHEN – FOOD FOR THE SOUL. She brings together other professional musicians t…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 106: Elijah McCormack 20:58

12M ago20:58

20:58

Award-winning and critically-acclaimed singer Elijah McCormack's repertory includes baroque music, contemporary music, and everything in between. He is a male soprano who grew up in a family in which music was and is an important priority – they all sing in the church choir, and his late father played viola in a local professional orchestra. (Growi…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 105: Lauren Rico 27:15

12M ago27:15

27:15

Lauren Rico is a veteran classical music broadcaster who keeps countless listeners across the United States company with her friendly, down-to-earth approach. In 2016 she started sharing her passion for classical music with a different audience: readers of romance novels. Beginning with her self-published erotic thriller, REVERIE – in which she set…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 104: Andrew Ousley - Death of Classical 23:25

1y ago23:25

23:25

For as long as I can remember, naysayers have been predicting the "death of classical music." Audiences are aging, and ticket sales are often a struggle for classical music concerts, and some people are concerned that the art form will "die" as a result. Andrew Ousley leaned into that fear when he established his concert series, THE DEATH OF CLASSI…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 103: Yanet Campbell Secades 24:40

1y ago24:40

24:40

Violinist Yanet Campbell Secades is featured on the 2023 recording BREAKING BARRIERS with Carlos Bastidas leading Ontario Pops Orchestra. The Camagüey, Cuba native is one of three up-and-coming young women instrumentalists performing as soloists in concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi. Yanet Campbell Secades joined Suzanne to chat…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 102: Alison DeSimone 24:40

1y ago24:40

24:40

Alison DeSimone is a musicologist – someone who is a scholar of music and its relationship with a wide variety of other disciplines. She is an Associate Professor of Musicology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City – and she specializes in music of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Alison DeSimone joined Suzanne to talk about what a musicologis…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 101: James O'Donnell 33:39

1y ago33:39

33:39

James O'Donnell is a Professor in the Practice of Organ at Yale University's Institute of Sacred Music and the Yale School of Music, where he teaches graduate-level organ majors and other students in sacred music. He also directs a newly-established professional liturgical vocal ensemble at Yale. James O'Donnell brings to New Haven his exceptional …

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 100: Karlos Rodriguez 22:00

1+ y ago22:00

22:00

There's a particular type of collaboration that exists in a chamber music ensemble. The award-winning Catalyst Quartet's collaborative efforts involved choosing projects and conducting scholarly research that will have maximum impact in their mission to achieve unity and celebrate composers of color whose works have been overlooked by the tradition…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 99: Clayton Stephenson 37:46

1+ y ago37:46

37:46

The talented young pianist Clayton Stephenson's story is more than just an inspiring example of the power of music. It is also a story of tenacity and resourcefulness, and the importance of teachers and mentors. The New York City native loves to immerse himself in the work of the countless musicians he admires. Clayton Stephenson is currently enrol…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 98: Holly Mulcahy 28:18

1+ y ago28:18

28:18

Violinist Holly Mulcahy is concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony, and has previously held that position in other symphonic orchestras across the country. She is also a busy soloist and chamber musician who regularly performs at a maximum security prison. Holly Mulcahy is the founder and leader of an organization that strives to " … help people in n…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 97: Rochelle Sennet 22:35

1+ y ago22:35

22:35

Dr. Rochelle Sennet is a versatile musician, with a wide repertory. The prize-winning pianist has recorded (so far) two albums called BACH TO BLACK in which she combines works by Johann Sebastian Bach with works by Black composers including Samuel Coleridge Taylor, Frederick Tillis, and R. Nathaniel Dett, Florence Price, and many others. Dr. Sennet…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 96: Randall Scotting 18:48

1+ y ago18:48

18:48

Randall Scotting's 2022 debut recording THE CROWN is a tribute to famed 17th century Italian castrato singer, Senesino. Scotting collaborated with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by Laurence Cummings, and their collection of these Heroic Arias is receiving critical acclaim. The countertenor spoke with Suzanne about how he found…

1
Sunday Baroque Conversations 95: Rachel Barton Pine 32:27

1+ y ago32:27

32:27

Since her 1984 debut with the Chicago Symphony at age 10, American violinist Rachel Barton Pine has been a trailblazer. Her musical tastes are broad and inclusive – from the baroque era, through all the major classical and romantic works, to contemporary commissions, and heavy metal – and she's a seasoned soloist and chamber musician. Rachel spoke …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

WSHU Public Radio Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide