In partnership with the Gateways Music Festival and WXXI Classical in Rochester, New York, the WFMT Radio Network is proud to present a new season of Gateways Radio, featuring music by a diverse collection of Black composers and artists who performed as part of the Gateways Music Festival.
Gateways Radio features exceptional compositions and exquisite performances, celebrating the Gateways Music Festival’s mission of connecting and supporting classical musicians of African descent and serving as a source of inspiration, enlightenment, and engagement for communities—especially communities underrepresented in classical music.
The first season of Gateways Radio, released in 2023, showed the diversity of artistic practice and excellence among musicians from the African diaspora. Host and producer Loki Karuna continues that exploration in this new season, with performances from Festival ensembles including the Gateways Brass Collective, Gateways Chamber Players, and Gateways Music Festival Orchestra, and other prominent ensembles and artists such as Imani Winds and the Catalyst Quartet.
About the Host
Loki Karuna (formerly Garrett McQueen) is the host and producer of widely syndicated radio programs including The Sound of 13, The Sounds of Kwanzaa, and now, Gateways Radio. He has been a member of several professional orchestras, most recently the Knoxville Symphony, and holds a Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance from the University of Memphis, and a Master of Music in Bassoon Performance from the University of Southern California. He serves on the board of the American Composers Forum and maintains leadership and advisory positions with the Black Opera Alliance, the Gateways Music Festival, and the Lakes Area Music Festival. Away from the airwaves, Loki offers music and racial equity presentations with past collaborators including the Sphinx Organization, the Kennedy Center, the Apollo Theater, the Minnesota Music Teachers Association, and countless schools, colleges, and universities.
About Gateways Music Festival
Gateways was founded in 1993 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina by noted classical concert pianist and educator Armenta Hummings Dumisani. The festival relocated to Rochester, New York in 1995 when Dumisani became an Associate Professor at the Eastman School of Music. During the festival, musicians of the Gateways Orchestra, players from major symphony orchestras, faculty from pre-eminent music schools and conservatories, and freelance artists, participate in seven days of performances and events including chamber music recitals, full orchestral concerts, a film series, professional development activities, open rehearsals, lectures, and panels. In addition to inspiring musicians and audiences, Gateways affirms the important role people of African descent have played in classical music for centuries.
