America 250

As America marks its 250th birthday this weekend, celebrate the people, places, and stories that have shaped the nation through music.From Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land to Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story, hear works that reflect the many voices of the American experience.Join us for America 250: The American Experience, tonight at 8 on WSHU, 91.1, 107.5, and our music stream.

Why does Nina Simone's music still resonate so deeply today? Pianist Lara Downes and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Salamishah Tillet explore the life, legacy, and enduring power of one of her most iconic songs.

Meet pianist Andrew Armstrong, artistic director of New Canaan Chamber Music and a performer who has built an international career while creating memorable musical experiences right here in our region. You'll also hear from violist Greg Williams, who credits his own musical journey to getting an early start in a Long Island public school.It's a reminder that extraordinary artistry often begins close to home.Hear America 250: The American Experience, tonight at 8 on WSHU, 91.1, 107.5, and our music stream.

For some musicians, the promise of America meant more than opportunity - it meant safety.This World Refugee Awareness Month, America 250: The American Experience celebrates composer Franz Waxman and pianist Vladimir Horowitz, two artists who found refuge in the United States and whose music became part of America's cultural story.Join us tonight at 8 for America 250: The American Experience on WSHU, 91.1, 107.5 and our music stream.

Neither Erich Korngold nor Béla Bartók planned to leave home forever. As war spread across Europe, both found refuge in the United States. This week on America 250, hear how two displaced artists helped enrich America's musical life while preserving the traditions they brought with them.Listen tonight at 8pm on WSHU, 91.1, 107.5 and our music stream.

To understand America, sometimes it helps to look beyond the biggest cities. This week on America 250: The American Experience, we travel to Milwaukee, Houston, and Indianapolis, where orchestras became part of the cultural fabric of their communities and helped create a sense of place. Join us tonight at 8 on WSHU, 91.1, 107.5, and our music stream.

Pianist Lara Downes is traveling the country collecting conversations with scholars, searching for our history through songs. 'Amazing Grace' has remained a source of comfort, inspiration and redemption.

It used to be that Americans who were serious about studying music traveled to Europe. Now, the United States is home to some of the world’s premier musical training grounds. Hear young musicians studying in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and more on this week’s episode of America 250: The American Experience. Listen on 91.1, 107.5, and our music stream.

Tonight on America 250: The American Experience, we head into wide open spaces. Follow the current of The Mississippi River, look out across the vast, sunlit edges of the Grand Canyon Suite, and feel the quiet promise of Appalachian Spring.

A new exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian showcases the work of the late minimalist artist Truman Lowe.