Taped in Ocean City, NPR’s “From the Top” Airs on WRTI

OCEAN CITY – Nearly 500 people attended the taping last summer of National Public Radio’s “From The Top” program at the Music Pier, featuring a sterling group of young musicians from across the United States, the Ocean City Pops orchestra, and Maestro William Scheible.
But this month, an estimated 700,000 music lovers are tuning in to nearly 250 radio stations throughout the nation and hearing the show that originated in Ocean City.
On Sun., Nov. 20, at 2 p.m., listeners in the Cape May-Atlantic City region can enjoy “From The Top” over Temple University radio station WRTI at 91.3 on the FM dial. The station can also be heard on other frequencies throughout the tri-state region, including 90.1 in Philadelphia and the suburbs.
In addition, on Sat., Nov. 19, WRTI classical music host Jill Pasternak and her popular “Crossover” program will feature Scheible, Pops pianist Jeffrey Uhlig, and two local students who performed at the Music Pier during the taping of “From The Top.”
Hosted by pianist Christopher O’Riley, the program spotlights talented boys and girls between eight and 18 years of age. Scheible–celebrating his 25th year as artistic director and conductor of the Pops orchestra–was instrumental in getting “From The Top” to come to Ocean City.
A generous gift from local resident Flora Baker to the Friends of the Ocean City Pops, Inc., provided the necessary funds to make it happen.
Two Delaware Valley students are among the “From The Top” performers. Amy Semes, 16, of Broomall, PA, leads off the program with the first movement of Henryk Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 1.
One of Scheible’s students, 18-year-old trumpeter Jacob Hernandez, of Philadelphia, joins his teacher in a performance of the allegro from Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets in C.
The other young artists on the program are Kevin Sun, 18, of Carmichael, CA, playing an overture by Johann Sebastian Bach on piano; South Bend, IN, cellist Austin Huntington, 17, playing a movement from a Beethoven sonata with O’Riley as accompanist; and the award-winning Polaris Quartet performing Dvorak’s Piano Quintet in A Major, again with O’Riley on piano.
The Ohio-based Polaris ensemble includes violinists Jenny Lee, 17; Billy Fang, 18; violist Demi Fang, 15; and cellist Josh Halpern, 17.