February 24th, 2010  Classical Discoveries
3-hour Special Honors Hovhaness 99th

WPRB radio show 'Classical Discoveries', hosted by Marvin Rosen, will be honoring the upcoming birthday of Alan Hovhaness on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 starting at 5:30am. March 8th would have been the composer's 99th birthday.

Mr. Rosen's long-standing connection with the composer began as a student in the 1980s when he first contacted the composer. In the 1990s, he recorded what is still the most extensive recording project of Hovhaness' solo piano works undertaken by a single pianist — some 25 works comprising two full CDs issued by Koch International. Rosen also wrote his doctoral dissertation on a number of Hovhaness piano sonatas.

For this three-hour birthday commemoration Rosen will draw upon his extensive knowledge of Hovhaness recordings, bringing listeners both world premiere broadcasts of recent releases as well as rarely heard older recordings. His Classical Discoveries program has frequently aired the music of Alan Hovhaness over the years.

Left: Alan Hovhaness and Rosen
photographed at the composer's
80th birthday celebrations
in New York, 1981.
Photo courtesy of Marvin Rosen