What is Radio Radiance?

YPC’s Radio Radiance™ is a commissioning program created by YPC Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez to expand the influence of YPC's Transient Glory® series by combining live performance, recording, broadcast, and digital media to attract new listeners to new and innovative choral music.

In 2009, YPC recorded four pieces of music commissioned from Eve Beglarian (Liement me deport), Gabriela Lena Frank (Picaflor Esmeralda), Robert Kapilow with sound artist Fred Newman (Crosstown’ M42), and Meredith Monk (Things Heavens and Hell) at WNYC’s Jerome L. Greene Performance Center, with WNYC’s John Schaefer hosting and interviewing the composers. American Public Media (APM) created podcasts of each of the performances with composer interviews.  The four podcasts were aired on APM’s nationally broadcast “Performance Today” series hosted by Fred Child and are available for listening on the APM website, as well as on the YPC website, along with listener guides.

In conjunction with the broadcasts, YPC collaborates with children’s choruses around the country, who study, perform and air the music on their own local radio stations to extend the impact of the program beyond broadcast. 

In 2011 YPC commissioned Radio Radiance™ compositions from Paquito D’Rivera (Tembandumba), Michael Gordon (Exalted), Michael Harrison (Hijaz), and Terry O’Riley (Another Secret eQuation), which were recorded live in concert and aired on WNYC and PRX (Public Radio Exchange).   Local children’s choirs in Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Miami, FL; Seattle, WA; Halstead, KS; and Ithaca, NY later studied, performed and broadcast the music on their local radio stations.

New Radio Radiance™ commissions and outreach activities are now under way with compositions from Tom Cabaniss (The Celestial Fire), Susie Ibarra (The City), Kevin James (Colors), and Toby Twining (WICBM).

YPC’s Radio Radiance has been supported since its inception by the National Endowment for the Arts.