WRTI

Tony Bennett was born a century ago, on Aug. 3, 1926. His singular career, spanning more than 70 years, set the gold standard for vocalists engaging with the Great American Songbook, and it revealed more than a casual foothold in jazz.

We'll celebrate this incomparable singer in our jazz broadcast leading up to his centennial — beginning with Bob Craig on the Sunday Jazz Brunch and Big Band Jazz, and continuing with Nicole Sweeney on Monday’s edition of Evening Jazz. Tune in: 90.1 FM / wrti.org / WRTI app.

A toast to Tony Bennett at 100 WRTI will celebrate Tony Bennett's centennial on the air. Tune in to the Sunday Jazz Brunch, Big Band Jazz and Monday's Evening Jazz — and hear some Bennett banter between hosts Bob Craig and Nicole Sweeney.

Donn T is making her filmmaking debut with The Philadelphia Sensei: Lovett Hines. Its world premiere will be on Aug. 9 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, as part of this year’s BlackStar Film Festival.

Tune in to The Bridge this Friday at 10 p.m. with J. Michael Harrison. Donn T and Lovett Hines will join him live to discuss the film, their friendship, and the significance of Mr. Hines’ career as an educator.

Donn T honors a legend with 'The Philadelphia Sensei: Lovett Hines' Join J. Michael Harrison on The Bridge this Friday as he welcomes filmmaker Donn T, music educator Lovett Hines, and students participating in the Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency.

Join us Sunday, July 26 at 1 p.m. on WRTI 90.1 FM to hear The Philadelphians in a fantastic program featuring Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, that swings from heartbreak to pure joy; Britten's Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Henry Purcell, which became famous with narration as The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra; and Haydn's lively Cello Concerto No. 2 with Principal Cello Hai-Ye Ni taking center stage.

Crowd-favorite Xian Zhang conducts. Your host is Melinda Whiting.

Xian Zhang leads Tchaikovsky, Britten, and Hai-Ye Ni in Haydn Join us on Sunday, July 26 at 1 p.m. on WRTI 90.1 and Monday, July 27 at 7 p.m. on WRTI HD-2 as The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert brings you Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, and Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2.

Welcome to Philly, LeBron 👑 You like jazz and Beethoven before tip-off? So does WRTI. Here's your new pregame playlist, all Philly-made.

Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto. Marian Anderson's voice. Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder." Shirley Scott on the organ, and more. This city's classical and jazz traditions run just as deep as its 76ers. Consider this your musical welcome mat. 🎻🎺

LeBron James Philadelphia 76ers

Welcome to Philly, LeBron James! Here's your new pre-game playlist LeBron James, the new star addition to the Sixers roster, favors classical music and "old-school jazz" in his pre-game warmup. So we thought we'd help out with a musical introduction to the City of Brotherly Love.

Celebrate a century of John Coltrane at a special event on Thursday, July 23 – the official launch of Coltrane 100: Philly.

Join civic and cultural leaders, the Coltrane family, artists, and community partners at 10:30 a.m. at The Yard on John Coltrane Street, 1515-17 N. 33rd Street in North Philadelphia for this event, which features announcements about the year-long celebration and a community reception.

It's free and open to the public, with an optional RSVP via the link below. We hope to see you there!

Coltrane 100: Philly Official Centennial Launch Celebration Official launch of Philadelphia's celebration of John Coltrane's centennial. Free and open to all!

Silent Night Sing-In & Swing-In 2026 is Friday, December 11. Save the date! We have made this year’s event even bigger and better. In addition to the traditional group singing of "Silent Night" that we do together each year with John Conahan, we are adding a swing jazz party immediately following with Josh Lee and The Extended Family.

This will all happen on the same night under the vaulted glass ceiling of The Kimmel Center from 5–7 p.m. So bring your singing voice, and then get ready to dance and listen to some of Philly’s best big band sounds. More details about this free community event will follow in September, but mark your calendars now for December 11. It’s going to be an amazing night!

Ensemble Arts Philly

Silent Night Sing-In & Swing-In is Friday, December 11, 2026. Join us for a free event at the Kimmel Center on Friday, Dec. 11, 2026 to sing the beloved carol "Silent Night" and then dance to big band sounds.

Join us on Sunday, July 19 at 1 p.m. on WRTI 90.1 and Monday, July 20 at 7 p.m. on WRTI HD-2 to hear The Philadelphia Orchestra led by Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

Philadelphia favorite Hilary Hahn plays Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto in D major. The program also includes Shostakovich's Symphony No. 6 in B minor, and Tchaikovsky's Capriccio italien. Your host is Melinda Whiting. Tune in!

Santtu-Matias Rouvali leads a Russian program with Hilary Hahn Join us on Sunday, July 19 at 1 p.m. on WRTI 90.1 and Monday, July 20 at 7 p.m. on WRTI HD-2 as The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert brings you Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Prokofiev, featuring soloist Hilary Hahn, and led by Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

🎨 Jazz album covers didn't just package the music—they shaped how we saw it before we ever heard a note. Prestige Records' iconic LP sleeves helped define the visual identity of modern jazz. In a new conversation, WRTI's Josh Jackson speaks with Mark Havens and Chris Entwisle, authors of WAIL: The Visual Language of Prestige Records, about the designers, photographers, and artists whose work transformed album covers into enduring works of art.

Tonight (Friday), you can hear the music of Prestige Records featured on Josh's show: The Friday Night Mixtape, 6-10 p.m. on WRTI.

A new art book parses "The Visual Language of Prestige Records" Chris Entwistle and Mark Havens, designers based in Philadelphia, teamed up to create a lavish book about the midcentury aesthetic of Prestige Records. They talk about it, and share choice images, in this Q&A with Josh Jackson.

Meet Julian Lee: award-winning vibraphonist, jazz musician, and student at the Shipley School! Passionate about jazz, Julian is an active member of several prestigious ensembles, including the Helen K. Schwartz Advanced Study Ensemble at Settlement Music School, the Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra, and the Mosaic Jazz Collective.

Don’t miss his inspiring story and advice for aspiring musicians—read the full interview now in our Young Artist Spotlight!

PYO Music Institute Settlement Music School

WRTI Young Artist Spotlight: Vibraphonist Julian Lee Meet 15-year-old vibraphonist Julian Lee, a rising sophmore at the Shipley School, and a member of the Helen K. Schwartz Advanced Study Ensemble at Settlement Music School, the Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra, and the Mosaic Jazz Collective.

Have you taken our 2026 survey yet? The survey closes Tuesday, July 14 at midnight. Thanks in advance for your helpful feedback!

Media & Technology Survey Media & Technology Survey.