Schedule
HostsWays to Give
HomePlaylistSchedule
HostsEventsOn DemandOur StoryOur TeamWays to Give Become a Sponsor
How to ListenVisit Help CenterContact Us

Find Us on Social Media:

Logo image

Find Us on Social Media:

Download Our Mobile App:

google play icon

About

HomePlaylistSchedule
HostsOn DemandOur StoryOur Team

Community

EventsWays to Give Become a SponsorPressDiversity StatementCareersAnnual EEO ReportDigital Accessibility

Help

How to ListenVisit Help CenterContact Us

©2025 Classical California

Sweepstakes RulesFCC ComplianceLocal Public FilesCPB ComplianceAnnual EEO ReportPrivacy PolicyCode of Integrity

articles / Amplify

Announcing Season 4 of Amplify

AmplifyLara DownesInterviewsVideo
Content image

The main theme of the show this season is our relationship to history, especially the parts of it that have been forgotten and hidden. Black artists are finding a footing to step forward into innovation and redefinition on the path created by our cultural lineage. There's an urgency to this journey, and it's energizing, galvanizing. For example, I speak with singer-songwriter Brittney Spencer about the cultural and social implications of bringing together diverse audiences by reflecting the history of Black artists in country music, newly amplified and highlighted via Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter (where Brittney makes a guest appearance). And as star mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves champions historically important Black composers in her mentorship of the next generation, she is changing the future of the operatic field in real time. I’m also really excited about reuniting with some artists who were my earliest guests on the show, way back in 2020 in pandemic-era zoom format. Soprano Julia Bullock returns this season, from the Met Opera where she is starring in John Adams’ El Niño. And we have a lot to catch up on, including a Grammy nomination and a baby! This show has been a real-time documentation of what feels like a transformative American era, and I’m so pleased to share these meaningful conversations with our viewers in California and around the world!

Watch the Latest Season of "Amplify" on our YouTube Channel

AmplifyLara DownesInterviewsVideo
Written by:
Lara Downes
Lara Downes
Published on 05.02.2024
Loading...

MORE LIKE THIS

Amplify: Lara Downes and Jon Batiste

Amplify: Lara Downes and Jon Batiste

Amplify with Lara Downes and Jon Batiste

12/05/2024
Amplify: Conductor Jonathon Heyward

Amplify: Conductor Jonathon Heyward

Lara Downes speaks with conductor Jonathon Heyward for the latest edition of "Amplify".

08/30/2024
Amplify: Countertenor John Holiday

Amplify: Countertenor John Holiday

Lara Downes speaks with countertenor John Holiday for the latest edition of "Amplify"

06/27/2024
Amplify: Singer-Songwriter Brittney Spencer

Amplify: Singer-Songwriter Brittney Spencer

Lara Downes talks with singer-songwriter Brittney Spencer for Amplify.

06/17/2024
Amplify Season 4: Lara Downes Talks With Brian Stokes Mitchell

Amplify Season 4: Lara Downes Talks With Brian Stokes Mitchell

Classical California resident artist Lara Downes sits talks with actor and singer Brian Stokes Mitchell. She refers to Stokes, as he likes to be called, one of her heroes since the first time she saw him starring in the original production of Ragtime on Broadway in the late '90s.

05/02/2024
Announcing the LA Phil’s 2019-2020 Season

Announcing the LA Phil’s 2019-2020 Season

The LA Phil's 101st season in 2019-20 deepens its commitment to diversity, with half of its commissions by women and 27% by non-white composers. The season features a gala, new concertos, and a festival.

04/01/2019