Future of Internet Radio in Jeopardy

Recently the Copyright Royalty Board announced new royalty rates for streaming sound recordings of music over the Internet. The new rates are much higher than before and threaten to shut many webcasters down as soon as May 15th when the rates go into effect. And they will have a negative impact on WDAV. Late last week legislation was introduced in Congress that will address the problem of these new, higher rates. Find out more about the issue, how it impacts WDAV (and you if you listen to Internet radio), and what you can do at WDAV’s blog, Classical Musings.

Weekly Arts Feature -- CSO Classics Finale

The Symphony concludes its 75th anniversary season with Wagner Outside The Ring. George Hanson conducts an all-Wagner program of arias and orchestral excerpts. Special guest will be Dutch tenor Albert Bonnema, an acclaimed Wagnerian interpreter. Jennifer Foster visits with him Thursday morning at 9:30 am (with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11:30 am).

Remembering Rostropovich: A Performance Today Special

Early Friday, April 27th, one of the world's great musicians and humanitarians, Mstislav Rostropovich, died of cancer in Moscow. Rostropovich was among the great cellists of all time, and also a passionate spokesman for political and artistic freedom. The great composer will be honored with performances, stories and remembrances in a special one-hour memorial program hosted by Fred Child. WDAV will air this tribute, Sunday, May 6th at 4:00 pm.

Tributes to the great artist can be found at wdav.org. Visit the Blog, to read reminiscences by WDAV staff and share your own thoughts and memories.

Coming Up this Week

There a lot going on this weekend around the region:

May 3 -- Smokey Joe's Cafe opens at Theatre Charlotte
May 4 -- Salisbury Symphony Pops Concert
May 4 & 5 -- CSO Classics Season Finale
May 5 -- Concord's Spring into Arts Festival

and much more. Keep in touch with all that's happening by visiting the WDAV events calendar.

M is for the Mother's Day Special We're Airing

Tune in Sunday, May 13th at 9:30pm for a salute to moms everywhere. WDAV will air Mother's Day Memories with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The program will feature music classical favorites like Dvorak's Songs My Mother Taught Me as well as Broadway ballads and inspirational readings.