Virtuoso Voices(tm)

Series produced by Listener Directed Productions, Inc.

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Virtuoso Voices is a collection of timely and topical sound bites from classical music's leading performers. Each sound bite (or clip) will bring your listeners an insider's perspective to the classical music they enjoy on your station. Virtuoso Voices offers classical music announcers an additional way to enhance their breaks by using the voice of the artist whose recording they're about to play on their shift.

Virtuoso Voices is an interview clip service for classical music stations, presenting today's most influential classical music performers, conductors and composers talking in 20 to 35 second clips.

These topical and evergreen sound bites will enable announcers to bring an additional insider's perspective to the music they play on their shifts.

For example, an announcer playing Joshua Bell's recent recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto could introduce it by using a clip of Mr. Bell talking about how he tries to bring a fresh sound to this very familiar work. After the clip, the announcer returns and segues into playing the recording.

The Virtuoso Voices service provides you a Suggested Host Intro to effectively set up each clip, and includes a brief Outro to help you segue to the music. Your announcers can use this copy verbatim, or as inspiration to write their own version.

Virtuoso Voices clips are versatile. In addition to music intros, you can also use them to enhance forward promotion, create compelling billboards and create content for your website.

Virtuoso Voices provides stations with a new strategy for presenting classical music on the radio by directly involving the performer in the introduction of the music. These topical and evergreen clips enable announcers to bring an additional insider's perspective to the music they introduce and play on their shifts.

Program content is taken from interviews with internationally recognized classical music performers, such as Gil Shaham, Yo-Yo Ma, Marin Alsop, Lorin Maazel, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn and Michael Tilson Thomas.

As of January 2010, we are offering our Virtuoso Voices Performer Clips to all stations for free. We offer three types of distribution.

-- Downloaded off our ftp site: no charge

-- Downloaded from PRX: (triple PRX points) – requires PRX station membership

-- 10 months a year, receive a CD: $100 flat fee to cover postage and handling for the year.

For more information and to see additional ways to use these clips, please visit our website, www.virtuosovoices.org.

Signing up is easy and free. To receive a short subscription form, please send an email to info (at) listenerdirect.org or call (703) 751-0342.

Virtuoso Voices™ Fundraising Service

Virtuoso Voices(tm) is also Public Radio's primary source for classical music fundraising messages.

Twice a year, we provide your station with three types of fundraising messages, with options enabling you to customize each spot to the specific sound and fundraising terminology of your station. These messages, from performers like Anne-Sophie Mutter, Sarah Chang and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, follow Public Radio's Best Practices for fundraising.

These produced fundraising messages are distributed in February and September in advance of when most stations fundraise, including the nationally coordinated drives. Stations may request custom fundraising scripts read by the performers we interview. We fill these requests whenever possible and in the order in which they are received.

Our Virtuoso Voices fundraising material is offered as a separate subscription, with fees based on market size (as determined by Arbitron) – and cover a portion of the production expenses for Virtuoso Voices.

This service includes a (minimum) of 40 fundraising messages – a combination of Custom Station Spots, Straight Read Spots, Produced Funders and Unhosted Produced Funders

-- $500 for stations with a market ranking of 1 to 50;
-- $325 for stations ranked between 51-150;
-- $150 for stations with an Arbitron market ranking of 151 and above.

Please visit the fundraising page of our website for further examples and further information. www.virtuosovoices.org/fundraising.

VIRTUOSO VOICES

"Classical Music's Virtuosos Want a Word with Your Listeners."

Virtuoso Voices is a trademark of Listener Directed Productions, Inc. Hide full description

Virtuoso Voices is an interview clip service for classical music stations, presenting today's most influential classical music performers, conductors and composers talking in 20 to 35 second clips. These topical and evergreen sound bites will enable announcers to bring an additional insider's perspective to the music they play on their shifts. For example, an announcer playing Joshua Bell's recent recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto could introduce it by using a clip of Mr. Bell talking about how he tries to bring a fresh sound to this very familiar work. After the clip, the announcer returns and segues into playing the recording. The Virtuoso Voices service provides you a Suggested Host Intro to effectively set up each clip, and includes a brief Outro to help you segue... Show full description


Additional Files

642 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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When describing Beethoven's astonishing accomplishments as a composer, it's hard to know where to start. Pianist and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy ...

Bought by WETS


  • Added: Sep 30, 2008
  • Length: :26
  • Purchases: 1
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Composer Jennifer Higdon's career path does not line up with that old saying, "those who can't do... teach." She's one of the busiest, most perfor...

Bought by BYUradio/KUMT/KBYU-FM


  • Added: Sep 30, 2008
  • Length: :26
  • Purchases: 1
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When composer Jennifer Higdon accepts a commission from a performer to write a new piece, she takes a few steps before writing the very first note....

  • Added: Sep 30, 2008
  • Length: :29
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"Blue Cathedral," written by Jennifer Higdon is one of the most performed contemporary orchestral works in the U-S. She composed it with her broth...

Bought by BYUradio/KUMT/KBYU-FM


  • Added: Sep 30, 2008
  • Length: :25
  • Purchases: 1
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Every performer has their calling card or label for their style of playing. Some are known for raising the roof with virtuoso flash and fireworks;...

  • Added: Sep 30, 2008
  • Length: :24
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(Stephen Hough Received a 2008 Gramophone Award.) The pianist as composer and arranger is a tradition that goes back to Franz Liszt. They often s...

  • Added: Sep 26, 2008
  • Length: :23
Caption: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Credit: Grant Leighton
Schubert's Rondo for Violin and Piano is further proof that when it comes to writing a melody, Franz Schubert was in a small league of his own. Th...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :27
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By all accounts, composer Francis Poulenc was just a normal, average guy. No crazier than the next person. But his music could not be more schizop...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :20
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If you've ever seen violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg play, you know she works hard for the music. And it's that same work ethic that helps her c...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :25
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For some musicians, giving concerts, teaching and making recordings is a full time job. Cellist Steven Isserlis wants more. Use this 23 second cl...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :23
Caption: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Credit: Grant Leighton
Violinist Nadja-Salerno-Sonnenberg has had a long term relationship with Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 7. There have been some ups and downs, and ...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :26
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We've pretty much moved beyond the outdated perception of classical music and musicians not having a sense of humor. Among the passions of cellist...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :18
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The story behind the Bach Cello Suites has always been shrouded in mystery. Why did he write them? Are they practice exercises, or were they inte...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :20
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When conductor Myung-Whun Chung teaches conducting students how to approach and interpret French music, his lesson consists of three words: "live i...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :27
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It took a nudge from his father to finally get Steven Isserlis to record the Bach Cello Suites. He was in his late 40's. For Steven Isserlis, the...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :18
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Who knows musicians best? Their accompanist is always a likely source for a good story (or some juicy dirt). They see and hear everything - back ...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :24
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Dvorak's formal musical education included the standard lessons and training, and his skills are clearly evident. But Conductor Myung-Whun Chung s...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :23
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How do you get your day started? A strong cup of coffee, maybe a good jog? A perfect, sugary doughnut? Morning Edition? Pianist Anne-Marie McDe...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :20
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There are several different, highly varied schools of thought when it comes to playing Bach. Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott prefers the Fred Astaire...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :22
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If you've ever seen a conductor lead an orchestra, you know it's a very physical profession. Conductor Myung-Whun Chung was surprised to learn whi...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2008
  • Length: :15