With more feature programmes, more live music and a lead role in this year’s RTÉ Big Music Week, the new season on lyric fm has a world of treats in store for listeners.
Sunday With Gay Byrne
You can be sure that Autumn has arrived when Gay Byrne returns on October 2nd with the very best in traditional jazz, Big Band and swing, plus great competitions and CD giveaways. There'll be the usual chat from Gay as he weaves his way through some of his often humorous weekly happenings, observations, musings and musical anecdotes.
Classical Kids
Sunday mornings start early when you're young. From Sunday 2nd October, the early risers in your house can wake up to a programme of the world's best classical music, made just for them! RTÉjr Radio's Classical Kids is visiting RTÉ lyric fm for eight weeks. Presented by Ian McGlynn, Classical Kids is a fun introduction to composers, musicians and instruments for younger listeners and maybe some grown ups too! So, whether you're hankering after Harry Potter, buzzing over Flight of the Bumblebee or raving about Rhapsody in Blue, this is the show for you. We'll be visiting deep oceans, dangerous jungles and even outer space and we hope you can join us on this aural adventure. Presenter Ian McGylnn was previously a singer and actor; Ian travelled the world with Riverdance and co-founded Bare Space Theatre Company.
Guinness Cork Jazz Weekend Special
It's that time of the year when the Jazz Alley team head south west for the 33rd Guinness Cork Jazz Festival from 28 to 31 October. Expect lots of great live jazz in studio and interviews with all of the big names at this year's festival, including Kyle Eastwood.
Stan Kenton Centenary Celebration, 14th December
Pianist, composer and arranger Stan Kenton was born 100 years ago this week. His jazz orchestra was highly innovative, influential and often controversial and this evening Donald Helme explores Kenton's music in detail.
Paul Herriott In Tempo
On Friday 21st October Paul Herriott will present his mid-morning programme live from the RTÉ studios in Belfast, where he'll be joined by special guests and a number of the artists who will be appearing during the 2011 Belfast Festival at Queens.
Liz Nolan's Lunchtime Classics
On Thursday 1st September Liz Nolan launches the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland 2012 Season with members past and present in studio. The audition applications for 2012 will be opened following the launch on the show.
Liz will also broadcast live from The National Ploughing Chamionships in Athy, in September.
The Friday Concert
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra returns to the National Concert Hall for the start of its 2011-2012 Season on Friday 9th September. The orchestra will perform every Friday night on a continuous run until November 11th, and Eamonn Lawlor will be joined by a rich variety of conductors and soloists. The composers will range from those as familiar as Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Mahler to the much less familiar Scriabin, Hindemith and Zemlinsky. Take a front row seat with presenter Eamonn Lawlor as he brings these world class concerts to you in the comfort of your own home.
Other dates to remember
Saturday 1st October
Virgina by Saverio Mercadante
Saturday 8th October
The Golden Ticket by Peter Ash and Donald Sturrock based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by
Roald Dahl
Saturday 15th October
Hubièka (The Kiss) by Bedøich Smetana
Saturday 22nd October
Maria by Roman Statkowski (Live)
Saturday 29th October
La Cour de Célimène by Ambroise Thomas
Saturday 5th November
Gianni di Parigi by Gaetano Donizetti (Live and in the presence of the President of Ireland.)
Opera Night Saturdays at 7pm
Autumn on Opera Night offers a celebration of the Wexford Festival Opera. We begin on the 1st of October with a sequence of the three operas from the 2010 festival and continue with live broadcasts from this year's festival.
Jazz Alley
There's plenty for jazz lovers this Autumn and Winter on RTÉ lyric fm as Donald Helme presents a number of Jazz Alley specials to celebrate the finest artists, both old and new.
Miles Davis' 20th Anniversary
Wednesday the 28th of September marks the 20th anniversary of Miles Davis' passing. Donald Helme explores some of Davis' masterworks and includes a contribution from legendary Columbia Records producer George Avakian.
Wynton Marsalis @ 50
Trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Centre, Wynton Marsalis turned 50 on the 18th of October. Donald Helme takes a look back at Marsalis' extraordinary recording output over the last 30 years.
Louis Armstrong Christmas Special, 28th Decemeber
Continuing Jazz Alley's series marking Louis Armstrong's 40th anniversary, Donald Helme presents a special programme on Armstrong's life off the road. Armstrong documented every aspect of his life, often recording his own reminiscences, family get-togethers and practice sessions with his trumpet in his office at home in Corona, Queens. Jazz Alley was given special access to these rare home recordings. by the Armstrong estate.
Grace Notes
Ellen Cranitch continues to bring us the latest from the world of traditional music; the players, the influences and the new directions.
Highlights this Autumn include a long hard look at a sometimes much maligned instrument, the accordion, plus there's another instalment of 'The Song of the Chanter', where renowned singers discuss and sing their favourite songs. Amongst those that we'll hear will be Andy Irvine, Niamh Ni Charra and Alyth McCormack.
Marty in the Morning
As the mornings get darker and more blustery, Marty Whelan will entice you out of bed with his usual mixture of great music, news, weather, travel updates and performances by some of the world's greatest performers. Marty will also broadcast live from the Ploughing Chamionships in Athy this year.
Breakfast in Blacklion, 7th October
Marty will broadcast live from Neven Maguire's MacNean House and Restaurant, nestled in the foothills of the Cuilcagh Mountains, Blacklion, Co Cavan. Marty will be joined by local musicians, food producers, the kitchen staff from Blacklion and assorted local guests, plus Neven will let us in on the secrets of running a multi award-winning restaurant.
The John Kelly Ensemble
The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks sees the release of a powerful new work from America's greatest living composer, Steve Reich. In today's programme John Kelly talks to Steve Reich and to David Harrington of Kronos Quartet, for whom the piece was written. We then hear, in full, this latest masterpiece from Reich, WTC 9/11.
Opera Night Saturdays at 7pm
Autumn on Opera Night offers a celebration of the Wexford Festival Opera. We begin on the 1st of October with a sequence of the three operas from the 2010 festival and continue with live broadcasts from this year's festival.
My Tunes
Aedín Gormley continues the latest series of My Tunes in which she invites guests to select, listen to and discuss music that holds a special meaning for them. Already in this series, Aedín's guests have included opera singer and teacher Dr. Veronica Dunne, Dublin-born fashion designer Peter O'Brien, Director of the Irish College in Paris, Sheila Pratschke and the most performed living composer in the world today, Karl Jenkins. Upcoming programmes to look forward to include Natalie Clein on Friday 2nd September and American composer Marvin Hamlisch (September 9th), who has won virtually every major award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards.