WNCW to rebroadcast orchestral work in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday

Press release here:

SPINDALE (Jan. 14, 2010) – Twenty-seven years ago, a nationally-acclaimed student orchestra and a baseball Hall of Famer came together to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Monday evening, the results of that collaboration will be rebroadcast across the airwaves for the first time.

WNCW Spindale and WSIF Wilkesboro will present a special rebroadcast of the historic, Jan. 15, 1983, premiere performance of Joseph Schwantner’s “New Morning for the World (Daybreak of Freedom),” a work for orchestra and narrator performed by The Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra and featuring narration by the late Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame first baseman, Willie Stargell.

The rebroadcast of “New Morning for the World” can be heard on Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. on WNCW Spindale 88.7 FM, WSIF Wilkesboro 90.9 FM and online at WNCW.org. WNCW can also be heard in Boone at 92.9 FM, in Charlotte at 100.3 FM and in Greenville, S.C., at 97.3 FM. The National Public Radio affiliate is a broadcast service of Isothermal Community College in Spindale.

“Schwantner’s ‘New Morning for the World’ is considered by many to be one of the most remarkable and profound orchestral works of the late 20th century,” said WNCW General Manager Dana Whitehair, who has a long history with the work. “I actually listened to the live broadcast of the ’83 world premiere on NPR’s Music From Washington. I’m not at all ashamed to say that Schwantner’s music and the message within Dr. King’s
words – not to mention Willie Stargell’s narration – moved me to tears. It still does, in fact. This piece of music is that powerful and deserves to be heard. I’m extremely proud that WNCW was granted permission to rebroadcast the 1983 performance.”

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The broadcast is the result of a year-long effort by WNCW to contact the “principal players” in the 1983 performance to receive their approval.

On the 'Net:
http://www.wncw.org 
http://www.wncw.org/listenlive.html 
http://www.williestargellfoundation.org/bio.php 
http://www.esm.rochester.edu/ 
http://www.schwantner.net/bio.htm