You can enjoy our new weekly feature: Saturday Morning Car Tunes on the radio Saturdays at 8:15am and 3:15pm. Solomon Reynolds tosses you inside the orchestra pit for a deep dive into classical music and orchestral instruments. Why does the viola play second fiddle to the violin? Where are some surprising places to hear the bassoon? What even is a clarinet? This fun and funky feature is approximately 5 minutes and perfect for families en route to Saturday activities.
You can find links to previous episodes below.
September 9th: The Clarinet
Whether it’s taking a starring role in the slurpy introduction to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, flowing gracefully in a concerto by Mozart, or imitating a cat or donkey, the clarinet is one of the most versatile of instruments. Solomon shows some of the many different sounds and personalities clarinets can have in their musical toolbox.
September 16th: The Cello
Cello? It’s a bass! It can go low and it can go high, as shown by Bach, Saint-Saëns, Elgar, and AC/DC. Tune in this Saturday to hear the latest episode of Car Tunes.
September 23rd: The Guitar
From the time of its “really old uncle” the lute, all the way through its electrified descendants, the Guitar can play both melody and accompaniment on its six strings. We’ll take a tour of how it’s changed over its four-hundred (or so) year history, with stops in Italy, Spain, Brazil, and Mexico!
September 30th: The Flute
Peace. Calm. The early morning. Debussy, John Williams, Michael Jackson, and Lizzo introduce us to the world’s first musical instrument. Whether it’s made out of an animal horn, wood, silver or gold, a flute becomes more than just a hollow tube when air is blown across it in the right way!
October 7th: The Harp
From Henriette Renié through the Legend of Zelda and all the way to the movies of today, the harp has remained full of grace and beauty.
October 14th: The Bassoon
The Bassoon: it’s like a balloon with s’s. David Bowie, the Rite of Spring, and Hogwarts wouldn’t be the same without it.
October 21st: The Viola
Voila! The viola isn’t playing second fiddle to anyone. In fact, it’s the instrument of choice for Mozart, Beethoven, and The Velvet Underground.
October 28th: The Organ
This week, we’re pulling out all the stops—literally. As a special Halloween edition, this episode focuses on the spookiest of instruments: the organ! Bach, Widor, and Saint-Saëns came all dressed up to the party… with a special guest appearance from the Phantom of the Opera.
November 4th: The Oboe
Get those oboes off the table! Orchestral tuning hinges on the oboe’s clear and bright tone, which is maybe why Rossini, Berlioz, Cher, and Sufjan Stevens liked it.
More about Solomon:
A native of Houston, TX, Samoan American tenor Solomon Reynolds has equal passions for classical music and indie pop. Solomon is a three-time Encouragement Award recipient of the Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition in the Houston, Utah, and Los Angeles Districts. He recently performed as Perchik in the First Nat’l Tour of Fiddler on the Roof, directed by Tony-Award winning director Bartlett Sher. In addition to stage roles, Solomon is also an active singer-songwriter under his artist name, Solly.
Read more about all the new shows and features coming this fall here.
