Classical KUSC

I downloaded the KUSC app when they began to promote the Classical Holiday Music Playlist in 2019 and I just loved it! I enjoyed it again in 2020, I wish it was a perpetual playlist! The Classical California Movie Music Playlist they created this year for Oscar season has been equally as great, though I do wish they would include more actual movie music scores than soundtracks of classical music used for the movies. Current movie music composers such as Danny Elfman, Thomas, David and Randy Newman and Hans Zimmer have as much music to draw from as the well known and beloved John Williams, and newer composer Michael Giacchino has more movie music to utilize than just the score from ‘Up’ which has been in heavy rotation. And how about the great Max Steiner?! I’d love to see the movie music playlist expanded next year to share actual scored movie music than to hear the same classical music played in the regular rotation. Don’t get me wrong, I love hearing Beethoven and Mozart but it’s time to include ORIGINAL movie scores as classical music. If KUSC can play Gershwin (which was a marriage of Jazz with a classical music orchestra) then including more music by ALL the movie music composers would be a great step in a great direction, especially when movie music might be the first entry to classical music for young folks. Let’s foster classical music in the young!

I have been listening to your wonderful station music beginning with my preteen years. My angel of a mother saved up Blue Chip stamps, we glued them into the books, then over time went to the Blue Chip stamp store. It was our special project, just the two of us. She asked me to pick out anything I wanted. My choice was a transistor eight radio using 9 Volt batteries. I tuned around to the various stations and stopped at 91.5, KUSC, and never moved the dial again. Your wonderful playlist gave me endless pleasure and enjoyment, getting through the difficult times and challenges. There was no music of any kind in our home whatsoever. Nothing. your station placed me into a wonderful world, and there my journey of classical knowledge began. This has continued now for over six decades. Thank you for providing and sharing an outstanding service to the community and now to the world. You are the best, first and last! Mary Lou, Escondido, California

I love living in a time when I can listen to my favorite radio station from growing up in SoCal in the sixties in much of the world. While programming has evolved over the past half century, I appreciate that unlike other “classical radio stations” online KUSC is still run like a real radio station with curated playlist and programming - curated by actual musicians and musicologists, not by algorithms developed to curate whatever is popular this week or even just thrown together at random. The app has typically worked well over the years and I appreciate the ability to select from many (semi)fixed playlists in addition to just running the live stream. The sleep timer is also an unusual and very nice feature, I just wish it was technically feasible to be able to set it up to either fade away instead of cutting off, or to play until the end of the current track. That said, the app is not as stable as it was in earlier versions. It now has a tendency to stop playing when I set the phone down and it goes to lock screen. In terms of programming, I prefer programming that emphasizes complete pieces, not just isolated movements from pieces. KUSC does pretty well at this but not as well as in the past. I guess they may be pandering to people with short attention spans.

I like classical music, and KUSC is the only classical station in L. A. I have been listening to and supporting the station for over 40 years. Recent changes in the station have forced me to become critical for the first time: playing excerpts from symphonies and concertos instead of playing the entire piece. Ex: They play the second movement of The New World Symphony instead of all of The New World Symphony. Every 3-4 pieces of music are played without telling the audience the name of the piece, or the composer until it is over. They have “listener requests” in the morning, early and late afternoon- usually with a description of why the listener likes that music. I don’t want to hear what listener request or what they like about the music. I just want to turn on the radio and hear classical music - like I have for decades. They have added another feature - have the audience vote for their 250 favorite pieces of music. The station invites listeners to vote at least twice an hour all day long. After hearing the request to vote 9-10 times in a day it becomes very annoying - day after day! Just play classical music!

I’ve been a loyal listener and supporter for decades, but you really stepped up during the pandemic. As an older person with some health issues, I took seriously all the advice about limiting in- person social contact, etc. Having beautiful music and my familiar hosts to keep me company was a godsend. It also helped to keep in perspective that much of this gorgeous music was written during times when epidemics were common and medical care was iffy, at best. The composers and musicians were able to transcend whatever miseries they had to deal with and created works of lasting inspiration. If they could survive and create, I could survive and appreciate and feel connect throughout your broadcast area and back through the centuries. Well done, you all!

I’ve been listening to KUSC for close to 40 years; it’s the best classical music station in the country. I love KUSC, and I want it to be around forever, which is why I am a monthly supporter and have been for many years. However, recent changes to programming have been a little disappointing: too much talking between pieces, too much promotion of their own content, too much ‘clipping’ bits from larger pieces and symphonies. This breaks up the music listening time with too much talking in between. I understand keeping up with the times, but what I loved about KUSC and classical music in general is that it stands out it’s own; there is no need for it to conform to what’s trendy in the outside radio world. People who love classical music love classical music, and typically don’t tune in for much else. That said, I love KUSC. Yes, I bristle at recent changes, but the station is a staple in my household, and I hope to support for many years to come. Long Live KUSC.

Since the 1950s as a teenager I listened to the lovable KFAC until sadly it was sold and it disappeared into just a happy memory. By then I had moved on to San Jose State College and I listened to the classical station owned by the Oakland Tribune - and I went into mourning when it was also sold. Thankfully the genre has been taken over by many local universities - and now I became a faithful listener to KUSC even though I now live in Colorado. Along with Colorado Public Radio, KUSC had a special spot on my iPad and iPhone. I especially love the special holiday Christmas music each year and I hope you will continue to keep this tradition alive. Thank you!

The KUSC app is simple and makes a great way to jump right into the music. It’s nice to have access to the special playlists as well. It has one odd quirk that occurs randomly: when starting it sometimes fails to connect; the spinning progress indicator spins for several seconds then stops, and the pause button returns to play. The problem is, then, it seems no other audio streaming app (for example TuneIn Radio app) can connect to any audio steam; that app will always report a network error. To recover from that I have to restart the iPhone. I know this is a random and quirky issue, which I hope the app team can look in to. But it doesn’t keep me from using the app, and I recommend it to any KUSC and classical music listener

I’ve been a devoted listener and member for 38 years since moving to LA from NYC. I love the station but have to remove a star. From my perspective, the music selections have deteriorated, particularly in the morning. Jennifer Miller talks constantly in between selections. So much so that I feel like I’m listening to commercials. She interrupts my morning reading over breakfast and is very intrusive. I understand that you are trying to appeal to a wide range of listeners but there is so much mediocre movie music playing now that I turn off the station often. I have heard this criticism from other devoted listeners. We all have an investment in your wonderful station so I hope that you will take some of my thoughts to heart. Thanks!

Your station was one of the first things to which our son introduced us. At the time, we had two sons in LA and we would visit when we could. It was great to come back home to Lubbock, Texas and find your station on the internet. Before retiring it was almost impossible to have time for listening since I was a high school orchestra teacher, a long-time member of the Lubbock Symphony, and a church choir director. Now that I am retired and only doing a church choir, I play it constantly during the workday. I love the selections played and look forward to many more years ahead! Thanks from the Wild West … keep it coming!

I have loved and listened to KUSC since I was a child and as an adult I have had the joy of learning just how good their selection truly is. KUSC is on the radio in Los Angeles but I think it’s one of the best classical stations anywhere. I spend a lot of time traveling and no matter where I am, this is what I listen to. Highly recommended to any lover of classical music or anyone who wants to learn more about classical music. It’s not just oldies too! At night they often play the works of contemporary composers and always are sure to give context for composers you may not know especially well.

I am grateful for the skills and dedication of the KUSC team in sending their rich selections of ancient and current classical music across California and around the world. It is my “Go to” source for beautiful and interesting music. I find each person who presents the KUSC music encourages us to connect with some deeper understanding of its history and context. When I hear Mozart in the Morning or A Joyful Noise or The Opera Show or the past programs of the LA Phil and other CA creative musicians I am grateful to you. Happy to be a contributing friend of this important station. Phil in Claremont CA or New England.

I have all my radios including my car radio tune to KUSC. I have been enjoying the station for well over 10 years now. I am not a fan of opera or the very modern Orchestra arrangements. I do enjoy all the old traditional classical Music and I enjoy and very much appreciate all the information that is given about the peace that is being played. Your variety of programming themes also make listening that much more interesting and enjoyable. So … thank you and keep up the good work you are doing to bring this great music to our grateful ears!!

I’m thrilled to have KUSC now available in my pocket! I recently moved from LA to North Carolina and I told my husband that I wasn’t going to have my KUSC anymore! To which he replied, “Oh, there will be other classical radio stations out there.” And there is. And I gave it a chance. But it just isn’t the same!!! I found the app through the Classical KUSC website and I’m so grateful for it! Now I can take a part of my hometown with me and listen to the best classical station anywhere I go with my favorite, Alan Chapman hosting! Thank you KUSC and listeners to keep this station accessible and thriving!

My husband and I have been listening to KUSC for 30 years, and back in the day, I was a volunteer floor manager during the pledge drives. We love the music and the announcers. But the streaming seems faulty. I’ll turn it on in the morning, and usually within a few minutes the streaming breaks up. I restart it, and it breaks up again. So I often have to give up and use Pandora or some other streaming service. We have fiber optic cable, with 1 gig capacity, and our internet is high speed, so that doesn’t seem to be the problem. KUSC is the only streaming server that we have this problem with. I do hope that can be improved because we love the station!

I found and fell in love with this station a few years ago. It’s wonderful , I could never get into the sync with my local classical station and KUSC helped my development of classical music appreciation. The app plays music well and I have little issue with that. The problem for me is it occasionally doesn’t update the composer or piece information on iPhone app, and frequently doesn’t on AppleTV app. It would also be nice if appleTV app let you change the stream to listen to their “California Ultimate Playlist” or their “Holiday music” channels like the iPhone app.

As a film composer who didn’t grow up with classical music and wants to know as much as possible, this has been the best way to be exposed to every era of orchestral music. A lot of classical channels only play the older music, not modern or film composers. KUSC is the most friendly and accessible, yet knowledgeable classical channel I know, what I would use to expose younger people to classical music. And they played a request of mine! Great staff, great programs, great music. Sense of humor sometimes a bit cringey 🙄 but otherwise loads of fun 😌 Shmuli

Let the dulcet tones of Rich Capparela wash over you in heavenly bliss as he plays his record collection for you. You sip hot chocolate in a cushy chair next to a fire, idly petting his sleeping dog, Rich asks if you'd like to hear an old tune. "Sure, I'd love to" you might say, as he stands with a wry smile and says "I know just the one". As the piano picks up you hear a loud sound, slowly you realize the chair is the seat of your 2010 Ford Focus, the dog is your steering wheel, and the warm fire is the red traffic light ahead of you. Welcome to the second hour of our classical road rage melody.

I listened to KUSC for 30 years, until left Southern California, which I will miss profoundly for the rest of my life. At least I don’t have to miss KUSC since I can listen to this app. They have wonderful selections and great presenters. I prefer their selections to my own playlists, because I get fresh selections and surprises, and I rarely hear anything I don’t like. I could also always count on KUSC to bring me great film music over the years, perhaps because they’re based in LA. So I love the dedicated movie music stream when I’m in that mood. Thanks so much. Love you guys.

I farm organic lemons on the central coast, I work most of the day and then come back in the evening to shut off the irrigation so I have drive time to get my KUSC playlist inspirations for my tractor runs. I’ll tell you, a day on that old beast and I want to die. Listening to the gems I find on KUSC gets me through. And I have to say, I absolutely love Brisa, she makes me smile and appreciate being alive. No small feat that. And finally, kudos to me… I heard Bach’s little fugue, and remembered Jerry Garcia playing that at an Oakland show 35 years ago. Thank you, KUSC.

I tune in to KISC to get away from the noise of the other radio stations and their loud commercials. The music that is played helps me calm down from a hectic day at work or to keep me company on my way TO work in the early AM hours. There are some good stories about how the music came to be, and the composers themselves that I find interesting. Plus finding out the names of some of the music that I’ve heard a lot growing up but never knew what their titles were. I enjoy the music KUSC plays immensely.

We moved from Southern California to Northern Florida to help take care of my father-in-law- who is on his journey with dementia. Our area does not not have a classical music channel. I am so thankful that we found KUSC. When we fist moved here we would take KUSC with us in the car on our way to my farther-in-laws doctor’s appointments. We enjoy listening to the great music during our dinner hour. It creates a sense of relaxation during our meal. Thank you for offering such a great gift of music to the airwaves. - From N Florida

I get “A Classical California Christmas” here in Maryland because I’ve been a fan and supporter if KUSC for probably 50 years, and I LOVE choral music! This is the only place I can find it, even though WBJC here in Baltimore is another listener-supported station that only plays classics all day and night. (I support them, too.) Despite making repeated requests, they are very short on choral music, for which I look to KUSC especially at Christmas! I am so glad it goes on past Christmas, too!

My son graduated from USC in 2010. So I’ve had a connection to the U for years. I’m in SAGE, an organization for retired professionals. We propose and teach classes to each other throughout the year. A few weeks ago we concluded our course on film composers. And then of course I spotted your always timely programming streaming Film Scores. I miss this year your March Madness, the perennial tribute to the man who continues to bestride the classical music world, 250 years after his birth. One year I manned the phones downtown. Thanks for being one of SoCal’s treasures. David McClave

I live near DC and WETA, but listen to KUSC on their app (iOS and Apple TV). One, their great selection of music. It’s not so top 40 classical like some stations. The other, no news. I get enough of that from other sources. It’s not what I want to hear on classical radio. Thank you for that! It’s awesome sitting here by the campfire while camping in Western Maryland, listening to KUSC. The app is great, looks attractive up on the TV, and gives the info about most of the selections. That helps me add tunes to my iTunes playlists when I hear one I like.

We have listened every day since picking from a number of classical stations listed by IHeart App. On our smart TV. Without commercials and a comprehensive play list that honors and plays the basics of a good and melody oriented list of favorites, it is all we could have hoped for. While it plays some contemporary music, mostly cinema screen songs and wonderfully orchestrated baroque masterpieces, it ignores the rather dissonant stuff that other pseudo intellectual stations feature.

I cannot say how much I love listening to classical music at the end of the day! It’s the best to get into the car, listen to the silence and then turning on KUSC, loud! Everything disappears from the stress of the day, I’m soothed while driving and traffic does not affect me. My mind is clear and at ease thanks to KUSC. I feel in a complete different world!! Most of all, it helps all 3 of my kids fall asleep!! Toddler, Pre-teen and teen...They love it and are following in my steps... the world has enough chaos and KUSC is the saving balance I need! Thank you!

Several years ago, my father died shortly before Christmas; with the funeral several days before Christmas; but the burial scheduled for the day after Christmas—necessitating a long lonely stay in a hotel room 2,000 miles from home. Christmas Eve was made brighter thanks to being able to listen to carols via your web service. (I even put a couple strings of lights up, gave gifts to the hotel staff—and made a Christmas tree using a giftwrap tube, packing tape, and an armload of towels.

I have listened to kusc for twenty years. I adore the programming! The holiday program brings such peace and joy to my Season. I have moved from Southern California to North Carolina, then South Carolina and finally Ameila Island, Florida, throughout my travels I have listened to kusc. I have fond memories of listening to your beautiful pieces late at night, always on Christmas Eve. What a joyous way to bring in the Holiday! Thank you! I also enjoy A Joyful Noise on Sunday mornings. I find the program to be a beautiful beginning to a peaceful day.

Having numerous choices of music to listen I listen to music KUSC brings me the most peace. I’m very happy that I found this station and I listen to it every day going to work and coming back. I enjoy my 20 minutes of calm it does a lot for me. I come into my home with the spirit of peace I’m so happy to also hear Christmas songs and that you don’t run away from the name of Jesus. I appreciate that. I thank you for your programming and I do support. Thank you.

Why wouldn't you want to listen to some bumpin' classical music? Timeless jams curated by the hosts who have surprisingly humorous jabs that elicit even more emotional pleasure on top of the relaxing, beautiful music you're already listening to from the best composers of all time. Sick of ads? Good, you won't have to worry about them here. Seriously, get this app and you'll never find a better station. I've lived in many places aside from LA and THIS, flippin' KUSC is what all stations should strive to be like. Thank you, KUSC.

This is where my channel is tuned; it brings such joy, peace and calm into my life. As I drive I listen to the magnificent selections and the notes rise on high as prayers offered to Our Lord. The commentary’s are so enlightening and educational; I marvel at the wonderful pronunciation used in names of every nationality. This marvelous station gets 5 out of 5 stars and then some. Thank you so much for this gift of music, it is as though I were at a concert each time the pieces are performed. Sincerely, Pagan Bryant

As a long time listener, I have a request: When your DJs post announce their selection , it would be much appreciated if they announced in the following order: 1) Composer’s Name 2) Title of the work 3) Soloist(s) 4) Music Director 5) Performing ensemble I am often listening late at night with my radio turned down low, so I often miss the information completely. Programming: the playlist is very conservative. XM Radio is much more interesting and diverse. There’s been a lot of great music written in the 20th and 21st Centuries beyond Gershwin and Copland and Stravinsky. As for the Baroque, I’ve heard enough Telemann to tell you he was a hack - he was not without talent, but mostly he cranked out musical sausage. Rameau and D Scarlatti could write reams of music around Georg. And Haydn - as long as we’re at it - wrote little of interest until he left the employment of the Esterhazys. Happy New Year!

I feel lucky. I come to the world of classical music courtesy of my parents. At birth. My father was an opera singer so classical music was the first music I knew. My nighttime lullaby was the Meditation from Thais. He has passed away but I cannot hear the Meditation without thinking of him and thanking him. I listen to KUSC every single day. It not only brings back memories but creates new ones; teaching me something everyday. I could fill pages with this review but you’ve probably got the point: a lifeline.

I wish I had something nice to say about the start. My mother played clarinet. I found her old horn in the closet and later became Outstanding Musician of the year. But, the climb to the top was blood sucking hard with a lifeless climax. I played most of the winds and was featured in every band in my high school. The Lord is my greatest love. He taught me Faith. He gave me Beethoven, Bach, Debussy......KUSC, a life long non sequitur study and performance of Classical Music serendipitously transfigured in my heart of hearts through the deepest root I have.

I was in Southern California last Thanksgiving, visiting my daughter in college. While driving her car around the area, I tuned her radio until I heard classical music. KUSC became my car music for the rest of the trip! I love the announcers, and their calm, quiet voices. I love the selections that they bring to us. And when I found out that i could simply download their app on my phone, now I listen from Indiana. What a great treasure to find from CA!

KUSC accompanies me all the time while I drive since more than two years ago. As a new immigrant, I very appreciate the moments the music relieve any stress, sadness, and uncertainty. I note down any music impressing me and play on the smart speaker. Sometimes the classical music lead me through the way to God’s call. I see the peace, joy and hope. I am glad I have been the member for two years! KUSC keep it on and thank you!

This is my local public radio classical music radio station. It is also the ONLY classical music station in the nation’s second-largest radio market. Fortunately, having this monopoly has not induced KUSC to slack off and it offers a nice and varied selection of great music hosted by knowledgeable and unobtrusive presenters. I listen at home using the app and a Bluetooth speaker. It is the first button on my car radio and, using my iPad , I take the station with me wherever I go.

I have been a supporter of KUSC for far more than a decade. It is a soothing companion while walking, and doing projects that require brain concentration vs brain distraction. And now with their specialized live streams, it has become a lot more customized to one’s needs and moods at the moment. The commentaries, stories and background provided by hosts gives great context to both old and new classical music. Great work KUSC 👍

Thank you for giving us a source of wonderful music. A huge help in calming down in holiday traffic! I love having two tracks of different music to choose from, and now a third over the holidays. My one request is that the helpful titles on the right side of the screen keep pace with the music being played. They often fall behind by two three works. Thank you.

The first time I heard KUSC was when it started broadcasting in the Palm Springs area in the 1980s and immediately got to hear classical music I’d never heard before that was so beautiful, I became a member and, with a couple of gaps, have been a member ever since. I am still hearing music I’d never heard before from composers I was totally unfamiliar with. Thank you to all the staff at the station who have enriched my life, and that of my late husband, for so many years.

I live in an area where there is only 1 classical music radio station. And they play the same music with very little variation. So when I found KUSC it was so very delightful and enlightening to hear, especially when I am driving. I installed the AP, and the rest is history 🎶😉🎶 I live on the east coast so I am noticing an occasional short glitch, thinking the satellite is making a small adjustment. THANKS KUSC, your menu is refreshing!

I loved the past programming for years….back to late 1960s when it was great new folk-rock-trendy music! Got up early just to listen to the Saturday morning program as a teenager. Loved it again when classical and other genres were shared with knowledge and education with Bonnie Grice. The programming did get a bit rigid for quite a few years, but now: Now, there is a fabulous selection of music and programming and ideas with all the current DJs ! Again, it feels like you have expanded with sounds and music and current artists and composers of classical artists. There are so many wonderful new artists snd composers! Cheers! I love where USC, the programmers and the music is every part of the day when I get a chance to listen.

It's very sleek, easy to use, and nice to have whenever I'm not in my car and want to listen to some wonderful classical music! I like that it shows the track listing of the songs so that I can look back and see if I should buy the music. I also enjoy seeing the biographies of the composers and the sideshow of pictures from the Los Angeles area are a very nice touch! Highly recommended for classical music lovers!

We love KUSC and have been members for well over two decades. It's our go radio station for music. The wide selection of classical music means that we will always hear something we enjoy. All of the presenters are personable and knowledgeable. Lately I have been using the app while driving. The sound quality is sharper than over the air. Thanks for making it available.

During 2017 my wife was looking for a ‘do-able’ trip from NYC during her recovery from a serious diagnosis . We chose Southern California rented the required car and tooled around seeking classical music as the backdrop. The plan was to go to the satellite radio included in the rental , as we expected little . Never happened. We never switched the dial away from KUSC as we just enjoyed the programming so so much . When home we then shortly later bought a new Sonos receiver and programmed KUSC and have been enjoying it ever since We then became members and wish that you keep this fabulous accessible yet often challenging programming . KUSC is the right balance in our lives Thank you for being there.

Classical KUSC is top-notch for its programming and professionalism in presenting classicsl music to the world. So proud it’s in my home state of California! And I listen to it night and day. The app is so elegant with its beautiful rotating photos of Los Angeles and its real-time playlist that lists the musical selection, composer, and artist performing the piece. And now there are 6 playlist streams to choose from. Please support KUSC and public radio if you love the classics !

My mother, a professional violinist introduced me to this station more than 50 years ago. I listened to it off and on back then, but in recent years it has become my lifeblood. I particularly love the ability that this app gives me to switch from the main lineup of songs to movie soundtracks etc. Thank you, KUSC, for making my life more beautiful!

This app has music in its completeness, like i think they will only play an excerpt of a certain musical piece, they play the full one. I like listening to lengthy compositions on radio and i don’t get bored no matter how long the composition. Great commentary from presenters too , just the right amount of everything in ratios, music, commentary and also different eras like baroque or classical era varities play on this app Loving it

I have been a fan of KUSC since first learning of it in my Pacific Symphony program notes. What a gang of talent you have on air! Programming is near perfect and like so much that there is an opportunity to learn more about composers and their “back stories “! You always have something to suit the time of day or night and I love the request features. Thanks for the years of entertainment! Sharon Pfister