The new, one-hour weekly show begins on Saturday 10 December
6pm (GMT) / 10am (PT)
Composer, pianist and producer Alexis Ffrench is to host Apple Music Radio’s first classical music show. The popular musician and classical soul-pioneer will guide listeners along exhilarating and often unexpected pathways of music.
“Growing up I heard Mozart in Stevie Wonder, Beethoven in Wu-Tang Clan and Bach in Bob Marley” says Ffrench. “I’ve always seen music as being connected by one wondrous arch. In Classical Connections Radio, I want to join the dots and present classical in the way I believe it’s meant to be presented – as beautiful music to be enjoyed without barriers.”
Classical Connections Radio features the best new releases, interviews with the most exciting classical artists and a few surprises, too. In his “Sampology” feature, Alexis unlocks the classical roots of a recent chart hit, while we get to hear his incredible improvisational skills in “60 Second Sonata” as Alexis spontaneously crafts a piece of music at the piano, inspired by a listener. In “Journeys”, Alexis finds the influences in his own work through the composers and artists who have formed his musical DNA over the years and in “Songs to Live By” he highlights five tracks to accompany favourite pastimes, moods or activity.
In the augural episode, we hear music ranging from Bach, Debussy, Piazzolla and Max Richter to the Beatles and Ariana Grande (with classical twists). In Sampology, the chosen track is British rapper Little Simz’ Introvert which Alexis connects with Ravel’s Boléro, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4.
If Classical Connections Radio is about gathering different musical strands, it’s also about bringing together a musical community. “Classical music is not about dates or understanding different periods” Alexis says. “It’s people, it’s emotions and it’s love. That’s why it’s so dear to me and that’s why this show is for everyone.”
The one-hour, weekly show launches on Saturday 10 December at 10am PT/6 pm UK on Apple Music 1 immediately after Elton John’s show Rocket Hour. Listen live, or anytime on-demand with an Apple Music subscription at http://apple.co/_ClassicalConnections.
About Apple Music Radio
The award-winning Apple Music radio features exclusive original shows from the world’s top music hosts and artists across three distinct global stations: Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country. Featuring the best in-depth artist interviews, more global exclusives and premieres than anywhere else, and unique programming, Apple Music radio produces culture-moving, news-making moments and has developed an inherent camaraderie with the artist community. Fans can enjoy Apple Music radio wherever they listen to Apple Music, including iPhone, iPad, iPod, CarPlay, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Mac, HomePod, on popular smart TVs, smart speakers, Android and Windows devices, and more — as well as online at music.apple.com. They can also ask Siri to play “Apple Music 1,” “Apple Music Hits,” or “Apple Music Country.”
About Alexis Ffrench
Classical-soul pioneer, composer, producer and pianist Alexis Ffrench ranks among the Top 10 most streamed classical artists, globally. His remarkable music has amassed more than half a billion streams and both albums ‘Evolution’ and ‘Dreamland’ reached No. 1 in the Classical Music Charts. Alexis has headlined London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, collaborated with top fashion houses Miyake and Hugo Boss, played Latitude Festival, worked with pop superstar Paloma Faith, composed several major film scores and shares the same management team as Little Mix & Niall Horan. ‘Truth’, Alexis’ latest album, features his sumptuous piano & orchestra sound, alongside rare collaborations including the searingly soulful One Look with his friend Leona Lewis. Truth encapsulates Alexis’ ability to cross musical boundaries, effortlessly, with vivid, lyrical, life-affirming elegies that capture Alexis’ hopes for the future and his belief that change is already upon us.
This December, Alexis releases festive EP ‘Christmas’, recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, including stunning arrangements of traditional Christmas tracks, alongside original single The Christmas Tree.