The Best Classical Music Radio Stations

Looking for the best classical music radio stations? Look no further! In this blog post, we’ll share our top picks for the best classical music radio stations around the world.

WQXR 105.9 FM

WQXR 105.9 FM is one of the most popular classical music radio stations in the United States. It is owned by Classical WETA and is located in Washington, D.C. WQXR 105.9 FM offers a wide range of programming, from classical music to opera to talk radio.

Location: New York, NY

WQXR 105.9 FM is a radio station in New York City focused on playing classical music. It is owned by Entercom and broadcasts from the Empire State Building.

Programs:

WQXR 105.9 FM is the best classical music radio station in New York City. They offer a wide variety of programs that are sure to appeal to any classical music lover. Some of their most popular programs include:

-The Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast: The Metropolitan Opera broadcasts live on WQXR every Saturday afternoon from 1-4pm ET. This popular program features live coverage of the Metropolitan Opera’s performance, as well as commentary from host Peter Allen and other opera experts.

-The New York Philharmonic This Week: The New York Philharmonic This Week is a weekly radio show that features live recordings of the orchestra’s concerts, interviews with musicians, and commentary from host Michael Barone. The show airs on WQXR every Sunday morning from 9-10am ET.

-Live From Here with Chris Thile: Live From Here with Chris Thile is a weekly variety show that features live musical performances, comedy, and interviews with special guests. The show airs on WQXR every Saturday afternoon from 4-6pm ET.

The New York Philharmonic This Week

The New York Philharmonic This Week is a weekly radio show featuring performances from the New York Philharmonic. It airs on WQXR in New York City and is syndicated to classical music radio stations around the United States.

The Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcasts

The Metropolitan Opera began live radio broadcasts in 1931, and is the longest-running classical music radio program in America. The weekly broadcasts feature live performances from the Metropolitan Opera stage, as well as interviews with singers, conductors and other notable guests.

Live in HD Broadcasts

Classical music radio stations offer something special: the opportunity to hear live concerts and operas, often in high definition, without having to leave home. Here are some of the best classical music radio stations that offer live broadcasts.

WCRB: Located in Boston, WCRB is one of the most popular classical music radio stations in the United States. The station offers live broadcasts of concerts and operas from around the world, as well as a wide variety of programming on other topics related to classical music.

KPCC: Located in Pasadena, California, KPCC is a public radio station that is part of National Public Radio (NPR). The station offers live broadcasts of concerts and operas from across the country, as well as a wide variety of programming on other topics related to classical music.

WQXR: Located in New York City, WQXR is one of the most popular classical music radio stations in the world. The station offers live broadcasts of concerts and operas from across the globe, as well as a wide variety of programming on other topics related to classical music.

WFMT 98.7 FM

First, a little bit about the station. WFMT is a classical music radio station in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by the Window to the World Communications, Inc. The station has been on the air since October 1, 1951. It broadcasts on 98.7 FM HD1, and is available online and on the TuneIn Radio app.

Location: Chicago, IL

Although WFMT 98.7 FM is headquartered in Chicago, IL, its signal can be picked up in many areas across the Midwest and even into parts of Canada. WFMT broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and features a wide variety of programming, including classical music, opera, jazz, and folk music. In addition to music programming, WFMT also airs news and public affairs shows, as well as dramas and comedies.

WFMT is one of the most popular classical music radio stations in the country and has won numerous awards over the years, including the Peabody Award and the National Medal of Arts. If you’re a fan of classical music, or if you’re simply looking for an enjoyable radio station to listen to, be sure to tune in to WFMT 98.7 FM.

Programs:

WFMT offers a wide variety of musical programs that reflect the diversity of classical music. These include local, national, and international concerts, opera, and dance performances; interviews with politicians, authors, and other newsmakers; features on current events and the arts; and broadcasts of educational radio programs for children.

The Midnight Special

The Midnight Special is one of the most popular classical music radio stations in the United States. It is broadcast on more than 100 radio stations across the country and is heard by millions of listeners every week.

The Midnight Special features a wide variety of classical music, from well-known pieces to lesser-known works. It also includes interviews with guest musicians, and occasional live performances.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the most renowned orchestras in the world. With a rich history dating back to 1891, the orchestra has performed under some of the most celebrated conductors of all time including Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, and Leonard Bernstein. The orchestra has also been awarded numerous Grammy Awards and is considered one of the “Big Five” orchestras in the United States. If you’re looking for the best classical music radio station in Chicago, look no further than the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The New York Philharmonic

The New York Philharmonic, founded in 1842 and now in its 176th season, is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, and one of the oldest in the world. The Philharmonic’s concert stage is in David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

The New York Philharmonic has been committed to commissioning and performing new works by living composers throughout its history. In recent seasons, it has performed world, U.S., and New York premieres by John Adams, Jörg Widmann, Christopher Rouse, Nico Muhly, Julia Wolfe, Jennifer Higdon, Anders Hillborg, Erie Mills, John Corigliano, Anthony Davis, Samuel Adamson, minoru miki , Unsuk Chin , Anna Clyne , and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich . The Orchestra dedicates more than 20 performances each season to contemporary music through theContact! new-music series; Project mentor composers; ASIMOV commissions of works by emerging composers; and digital initiatives including the NY PHIL BIENNIAL .

WCLV 104.9 FM

WCLV 104.9 FM is a radio station that broadcasts classical music. It is located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The station is owned by ideastream. WCLV’s studios are located in Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland, while its transmitter is located in Warrensville Heights.

Location: Cleveland, OH

WCLV 104.9 FM is a classical music radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. The station is owned and operated by Ideastream.

WCLV’s main classical music competitors are WKSU 89.7 FM, which is licensed to Kent, and WRR 101.1 FM, which is licensed to Dallas.

Programs:

WCLV 104.9 FM is a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio, featuring classical music. The station’s slogan is “The Best Classical Music Radio Stations”. WCLV is part of the Ideastream public broadcasting organization.

WCLV airs a wide variety of programming, including news, weather, sports, traffic, and financial reports. The station also features a variety of music programs, including classical music, opera, jazz, and pop music. WCLV is one of the few radio stations in the United States that airs a 24-hour classical music format.

The station’s transmitter is located in Shaker Heights, Ohio. WCLV’s programming is also heard on HD Radio stations WWWM 105.7-HD2 and WKSU 89.7-HD3, and on ideastream’s website.

The Cleveland Orchestra

The Cleveland Orchestra, based in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the “Big Five”. Founded in 1918 by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall. As of 2017, the incumbent music director is Franz Welser-Möst.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the “Big Five” American orchestras, along with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra. It was founded in 1900 by Fritzsche as the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company.

The radio station WRTI (90.1 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia and surrounding communities in Pennsylvania. WRTI’s programming consists of classical and jazz music, with a focus on new releases and contemporary artists.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is a world-renowned American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. The BSO is one of the “Big Five” major American orchestras, along with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The orchestra was founded in 1881 by Henry Lee Higginson and its first conductor was George Henschel. The BSO gave its first performance in 1882 and has been in regular concert season ever since. Leonard Bernstein served as music director from 1958 until 1969. In recent years, Andris Nelsons has served as music director since 2014.

The BSO performs most of its concerts at Symphony Hall in Boston’s Copley Square and also maintains a summer residency at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.

KUSC 91.5 FM

KUSC 91.5 FM is a listener-supported, non-commercial radio station broadcasting to Southern California. The station offers a wide range of classical music programming, 24 hours a day. KUSC is one of the most popular classical music radio stations in the United States.

Location: Los Angeles, CA

KUSC 91.5 FM is a classical music radio station located in Los Angeles, CA. The station is owned by the University of Southern California and is a member of National Public Radio. KUSC offers live streaming of its classical music programming on its website and via mobile apps.

Programs:

KUSC offers a range of programming, from locally hosted shows to nationally syndicated programs. You can find a full list of our programs here. If you’re new to classical music, we recommend starting with our New to Classical music series, which offers recommended recordings and playlists for different moods and occasions.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic

The Los Angeles Philharmonic is one of the world’s leading orchestras. It performs more than 120 concerts each year and its recordings are heard on radio stations around the world. The Los Angeles Philharmonic has been led by some of the most celebrated conductors in history, including Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Carlo Maria Giulini, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and André Previn.

The Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl is one of the most iconic music venues in Los Angeles, and has been home to some of the most legendary performances in classical music history. The venue first opened its doors in 1922, and since then, has hosted countless world-renowned orchestras, soloists, and conductors. If you’re looking for the best classical music radio station in Los Angeles, look no further than the Hollywood Bowl!

The San Francisco Symphony

The San Francisco Symphony (SFS), founded in 1911, is an American orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has been resident at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in the city’s Hayes Valley neighborhood. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the orchestra’s organization. Since 1995, Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) has been the orchestra’s music director, and since 2020 Edo de Waart is its principal guest conductor.

The orchestra made several recordings for film during its formative years. In Hollywood, it played on several film scores, including Birth of a Nation (1915), Grand Hotel (1932), King Kong (1933), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949),and Vertigo (1958). The first live album was issued in 1953 on DGG; from that point until 1987, when Decca released a set to mark the orchestra’s 75th anniversary, all but one of SFS’s commercially issued recordings were made for RCA Victor/BMG and later Sony Classical—many under Thomas’ direction. The most recent recording by this partnership is John Adams’ Naive and Sentimental Music (2007); among other titles are three Grammy-winning albums featuring soprano Renée Fleming: Poèmes (1999); Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky & Romeo and Juliet Suites Nos. 2 & 3(2005); and Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances & Vocalise(2009).