In Wednesday’s (7/11) MusicalAmerica.com (subscription required), Susan Elliott reports that Christopher O’Riley’s contract as host of NPR’s From the Top has not been renewed. “ ‘I was informed by incoming From the Top Executive Director, Gretchen Nielsen, a little over a month ago that this upcoming season would be my last as Host of From the Top,’ writes O’Riley on Facebook. Nielson has been on the job four months.… O’Riley has been in the job since the show’s earliest days, in 1995…. Nielsen’s comments: ‘We are grateful for his commitment to showcasing outstanding young musicians, and for the impact he’s made on America’s musical landscape. We wish him all the best in his future projects.’ The first guest host, on September 9, will be pianist Peter Dugan, an alumnus who first appeared on the show in April 2007 and who has since enjoyed a productive career in the field, as have many of O’Riley’s protégés. Asked for further comment, From the Top responded with a press release indicating that it would be using guest hosts going forward. O’Riley, a noted pianist known for his personable and musical interactions with his young guests, is currently appearing in off-Broadway’s Symphonie Fantastique.”
Posted July 12, 2018
