The Make Music New York festival brings free music to the streets and we’re inviting you to participate. Meet Jeff Spurgeon and Naomi Lewin by one of the public pianos by the New York Public Library and help us make some music. Bring your sheet music, bring a song or just bring your lunch. We’ll meet at the piano by the New York Public Library, located at Fifth Ave. and 41st Street on Tuesday at 12 noon.

What do the Jackson Heights Post Office in Queens, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights and the South Beach Boardwalk on Staten Island all have in common?

The Smurfs, a popular cartoon series that aired on NBC on Saturday mornings between 1981 and 1989, was well known beyond its memorable blue characters for its use of Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony.

Jeff Spurgeon hosted a special preview performance and chat of the New York Philharmonic's production of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen in The Greene Space on Sunday, June 12. Watch Alan Opie sing the role of the Forester below and check out other highlights from the show on YouTube.

When radio programmers discuss "urban music" formats, 14th-century Gregorian chant is generally not what immediately springs to mind. Don’t tell that to New York Polyphony, a group that prides itself on a hip, urban vibe. See them perform in two videos.

The music of composer Bernard Herrmann gave emotional depth to tragic characters, psychotic murderers and space aliens. In commemoration of his 100th birthday, we trace the milestones in his wide-ranging career.

Animated depictions of Strauss's Die Fleidermaus have focused on the tension and drama inherent in the music, using it for conflicts between characters and battle scenes.

Join WQXR and WNYC hosts, producers, and fellow fans for a live chat. As you watch the broadcast, chat here about the shows, the outfits and the awkward acceptance speeches. Log on here at 7:30 pm.

The New York Philharmonic's announcement on Tuesday that it is cancelling its annual round of free concerts in city parks this summer has been met with mixed reviews from fans, writers and affiliated business owners. What do you think? Take our poll.

Philippe Quint stars as a Russian violinist who moves to New York in the new indie film, "Downtown Express." He joins us to share one of the film's musical selections in the WQXR Café. Watch the video here.

The cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble and several hundred New York City school kids kicked off the SummerStage 2011 season with a musical theater event called "Night at the Caravanserai: Tales of Wonder" on Tuesday night.

A growing chorus of industry experts and influential musicians is speaking up about the current travails of New York City Opera.

Now in its 60th year, the Marlboro Music School and Festival has nurtured some of the leading names in chamber music. On Mondays at 9 pm, WQXR brings you a sampling of festival highlights.

Stephen Foster wrote Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair for his wife, but the song has taken on a life of its own. The first line "I Dream of Jeanie" inspired the popular 1960's television series and several cartoons have parodied the song.

Whether you prefer filet mignon, miso-glazed salmon or an old-fashioned hot dog, the city's summer concert venues and intrepid caterers offer a wealth of park-ready gourmet meals. And the picnic provisions vary as much as the music itself.

New York City Opera confirmed today that 11 employees are being laid off as the company faces a $5 million dollar debt. Meanwhile, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, an orchestra founded in 2004 by Alondra de la Parra, says it will suspend its operations.

Antonio Vivaldi is slated to be the subject of two separate film biographies due in 2011 and 2012. But it remains to be seen if either can match the multi-Oscar success of "Amadeus."

Why settle for a violin soloist when you can have a duo? That, at least, is the theory behind the partnership of Angela and Jennifer Chun. The sister duo recently stopped by WQXR to play live. See what happened in this video.

Even with an impressive concert lineup, a vacation centered around a summer music festival can be a little boring if there’s nothing else of interest nearby. As orchestras and opera companies start their summer seasons, here’s a handy guide for where to go to experience great music based on alternate leisure pursuits.