KUSC to collaborate with Los Angeles Master Chorale


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KUSC, USC’s classical music station, will collaborate with the Los Angeles Master Chorale to broadcast the choir’s concerts and performances this winter.

Sweet sounds · Conductor Grant Gershon, a USC alumnus, directs the Los Angeles Master Chorale in Walt Disney Concert Hall. - Photo courtesy of Libby Huebner

The Los Angeles Master Chorale is the resident choir at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and is directed by USC alumnus Grant Gershon. This sort of broadcast collaboration between the choir and KUSC has taken place in the past and both parties said they are eager to restart the practice.

“We are very happy to resume this partnership and put these concerts on for a wider audience. KUSC is a very distinguished and highly regarded station,” said Terry Knowles, executive director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

The partnership will take the form of two radio shows that will begin on Dec. 19. Each broadcast will occur every Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will be hosted and produced by KUSC music personality Alan Chapman. The broadcast series is being funded by the Los Angeles County Arts Committee.

KUSC will air the concerts when that the choir performed at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

The main goal of the series is to provide more access to these exclusive concerts, beyond the audience that attends at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

“We are the most listened-to public radio station in the U.S. and because of our Internet stream we have fans in Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and even Singapore,” said Gail Eichenthal, the program director of KUSC, who spearheaded the collaboration between the station and LAMC.

KUSC’s strong listenership of more than 700,000 will provide maximum exposure to LAMC, Eichenthal said.

The funding for KUSC comes from its fan base, with donations from 400,000 listeners making up about 70 percent of the station’s budget. Most of these donations come from listeners in Southern California, she said.

Eichenthal said KUSC is looking forward to including more Hanukkah and Christmas programming as the holidays approach.

Eichenthal said the balance of music played on KUSC is constantly being assessed and revised. The station tries to include every type of classical music.

“We try to attract a broader, younger audience, keep the programming fresh and stimulating — but still satisfy — people’s desire for the great classics of the last 500 years,” she said.