I've been a KUSC listener for over 50 years but since the transition to Classical California the station has become practically unlistenable. I agree with the sentiments of the 1and2 star comments. I tune in the morning... acoustic guitar. I tune in in the afternoon, acoustic guitar. I tune in in the evening - and what do I hear? You guessed it - ACOUSTIC GUITAR. On a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, I even play acoustic guitar and used to welcome Rodrigo et. al. from time to time. It makes me wonder if the programming dept. is attempting to pander to some particular untapped donor base or perhaps it's a personal preference of someone high-up. Along with their habit of playing single movements, war-horses over and over, film, game music and the random contemporary tonally banal composers it's become a Classical Light Easy Listening Station. No wonder Jim took off running. read more

Classical KUSC is now "Classical Lite," playing only snippets of works. This afternoon they played only the first movement of Dvorak serenade for winds, doing violence to Dvorak's masterpiece. Multimovement pieces - symphonies, concertos, etc. - are whole works by their composers, not independent pieces arbitrarily stuck together. In the Dvorak piece the first movement anticipates the last movement, unifying his creation. Playing only the first movement is like playing only the first 20 minutes of a 90 minute film. KUSC is doing violence to classical music and demeaning classical composers. read more

Thanks to a tip from another Yelp reviewer, I am now listening almost exclusively to WHRB which is the Harvard classical station broadcasting from Cambridge, Mass. Their programming is much more imaginative and comprehensive than KUSC (Medieval, Renaissance, and contemporary as well as traditional) although the student announcers are a bit on the bland side. Although I listen to this station on a smart speaker, it can also be accessed at WHRB.com. Highly recommended if you don't want to listen to "war horses" all day! read more

Today, Valentine's Day, was especially lovely listening to the 5 PM music, Romantic Interludes by Joshua Bell~ absolutely calming, restorative and Oh, so lovely! Thank you for this timely programming! Robin read more

I enjoy this station and "discovered" it while visiting a friend's place earlier in 2024. What makes it great, it is supported by the listeners, and hence no obnoxious commercials for ambulance chasing attorneys, rip off artist car dealerships, aggravating "personalities" with their idiotic morning shows, or a playlist that consists of the same artists every hour (see kroq, kysr, and klos for more evidence of this audio equivalent of water torture). In my experience, the hosts are brief in their descriptions and move to the next song. And the best part, no commercials! read more

Whoever decided to change Rhapsody in Blue to a modernized version has a questionable sense of musical taste. Why not at the same time change Beethoven, Mozart, or any classical composer to a reimagined composition to suit current times? How disappointing to feature this mishmash. read more

I love Kusc 91.5 FM! It's on my car radio and house stereo. It's soothing, calming and fewer commercials. Love Alan Chapman, Jennifer Hamill and all the rest!!! read more

Hello, I just want to thank for the new program in Kusc-Fm . I have been listening to Kusc-Fm on my old tiny radio for few years now and my radio has been on 24 hours seven days all the time and always I have been enjoying it except the times that very harsh and wild classic music have been played and that is the time I hate it and immediately I turn my radio off. But recently I noticed probably there has been some changes which the music has been softer and more enjoyable. Actually now I can hear more songs that they have More retime and emotion in them and soothing to my soul. Before I could hear more that kind of music that was aggravating to my nerves. I hope they will keep playing those music all the time since Bering at home you need soft music not the kind that they play for action or Violence movie. Sincerely read more

Public Radio playing Classical Music is vital to the continuance of this art form. KUSC has provided so many people with their first opportunity for exposure to a broad range of classical music genres. My only wish is that they would find a financial model which would allow them to eliminate fundraising interruptions to their music programming. Bravo KUSC! read more

12 days later They are continuing to withdraw money from my credit card even I called them and asked them to stop. When I ask them why they hurry to close the phone. Don't give them money, they won't stop taking it even if you want to cancel. read more

Please play beautiful music at other times besides pledge drives. The DJ's like to hear the sound of themselves talking. Please be quiet and play the music. Please play less modern, questionable Muzak, and play the classics that have survived hundreds of years. Advertise amateurs less, we are tuning in for the music. read more

I used to love KUSC but now can barely listen to it. They almost never play vocal music (except opera occasionally). When they do play an aria, invariably a violinist or other instrumentalist plays it -- I want to hear it sung. The repertoire has become so banal. I'd love to hear art songs, chamber music, Renaissance, and Medieval music. Unfortunately, they constantly play the same pieces -- Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Barber's Adagio for Strings, Nessun Dorma (at pledge time), and Variations on a Theme by Haydn and tons and tons of Dvorak. When it's not that it's concerto after concerto. I have switched to listening to WHRB, the Harvard station. They play classical music from 10:00 a.m. until around 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time. It's student run and, although the student announcers sometimes don't pronounce the composers' names correctly, they play a wonderful mix of intelligent music from Medival to 21st Century. I don't know if Jim Svejda left voluntarily, but he and Rich Caparella were/are the only bright lights at KUSC. read more

As a classical musician I am very disappointed with programming at KUSC and their frequently not announcing the piece and name of performer. I rarely hear any of the great performers from the past on this station. Instead, what they prefer to play are pieces that are beautifully recorded acoustically but nothing greater than that. I have emailed the programming dept. regarding my suggestions for more interesting programming but have never received a response. I feel this station is totally disconnected with the audience. They don't seem to care. Jim Sjeveda's was a bright spot, but that has been removed. read more

This station is a favorite. It seems to know my mood. Perfect for "in quarantine" sleep disruption. I listen at any hour on my iPad to KUSC 91.5's website ( kusc.org ). (Thanks Tess M. for your input on including the web address). The station has an excellent playlist reference guide for those "what was that?" moments. The moderators have interesting introductions and add to the enjoyment of segments. I didn't know that host Rich Capparella has a rock band Otherwise Normal. Thanks again Tess M. for the info. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3zWkb-PgIk They have a charming Mother's Day musical gift which I pass along here. Enjoy! https://www.kusc.org/culture/staff-blog/anne-akiko-meyers-estonian-lullaby/ The piece is by Arvo Pärt. The musical artist is Anne Akiko Meyers. Skazka Studios, animation. read more

I am a professional classical musician, and I have been a KUSC listener for many years. Iam also a pipe organ builder in the LA area. I refuse to support KUSC anymore for two main reasons. They have instituted a complete moratorium on most organ music. The KING OF INSTRUMENTS according to Mr. Mozart. The last three airings of the finale movement of the famous Third symphony of Camille-Saen sans, called THE ORGAN SYMPHONY, they stopped it RIGHT AFTER THE SUB DOMINANT CHORD LEADING INTO THE MAIN THEME OF THE PIECE!!! Essentially cutting out the brilliant organ solo section. Also, KUSC will play many of JS Bach's organ preludes and fugues, but ONLY orchestrations.....never even mentioning that they are organ pieces. Played by ONE ORGANIST. Their mis-pronunciation of basic Latin and Italian words borders on the musically criminal. SCARLADDI instead of SCARLATTI, for example. I know they can do better if they wouldn't hire on-air personnel from Cowboy radio stations. read more

KUSC is a regional treasure that we in the Coachella Valley are very fortunate to receive via KPSC 88.5. I can hardly even imagine life without this station anymore; I have it on constantly. I feel badly for anyone who can't appreciate classical music - and believe that nearly any of them, if they listened for a day, would finally realize what they've been missing. Even if they only liked or loved 20% of it, that 20% would probably blow them away. Anyone can find all the free classical they want on YouTube, but what you get on KUSC is an ongoing musical education and the companionship of hosts who love it as much as you do. All of them are wonderful, but when Jim Svejda comes on each weeknight at 7:00 I always get this floating feeling... they have some interesting weekend programs too. I laughed when I saw one reviewer's complaint that they play movie music, because one of the things I like best about this station is that they avoid that kind of snobbishness. They recognize that some of the most beautiful music that's been written over the last 100 years has been for films. Listen long enough and this WILL happen to you eventually: you hear something absolutely enchanting or soul-lifting and wonder "what is THAT?" - then find out it's from a film. Maybe even one you've seen, but you were too caught up in the story or visual spectacle at the time to take in how wondrous the score was. As is sometimes mentioned, we DO have living composers as great as any who lived in earlier centuries - and some, perhaps even most of them, are writing movie scores - many of which I find far more appealing/beautiful than some of the most highly regarded operas. It's ridiculous to display contempt for film scores (stories set to music) whilst practically worshipping operas (stories set to music). read more

I've listened to KUSC for many years and am sad to see it go downhill. They have fired their best announcer, Jim Svejda. For the morning slot, they have hired a person who may not be a total airhead in real life, but certainly pretends to be one on the air. They have taken to playing pieces without telling you what they are or who the performers are, so you have no way of following up. The repertoire is often movie scores -- dull, cliched, and predictable. All of this could be quickly fixed if they found a manager who actually likes classical music. read more

Ten years ago, KUSC would've received 5 stars. Today it's four, but clearly declining. Movie music? Really? Since when does the theme from Harry Potter get the same billing as the Intermezzo from Cavallaria? True, there are still moments of greatness, notably during Jim Sjevda's show, but that's not often. Thank goodness for Duff Murphy. Also, why do they allow a host to continue to work daily despite an audible whistle caused by a fixable tooth or denture problem? If LA were San Francisco, with its excellent classical radio choices, KUSC would be in trouble. Actually it is! read more

Great music but the DJ won't stop cutting in and commenting on everything! Just let a piece play so we can enjoy it!!! read more

Have been a Fan of Classical Music for many years! they play the best selections! Kusc-Fm should be played in schools all over America (etc) or at least lunch time - I bet kids would LOVE this! read more

I am from Huntington Beach for years and years. I listened to Rich on KMozart, yep I am that old. The day kmozart disappeared I discovered KUSC. And found Rich again. Never been happier. I am now stuck on the east coast just south of Princeton. iPhone, iPad, tablet pad in my car..... Yep, it makes me feel like home. Thanks guys, to everyone, not just Rich read more

Classical KUSC - Radio Stations Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Currently KUSC is having their week-long bi-year fund raising. I was prepared to support $180 in 12 payments as last year but I decided not to do it because I just discovered from my credit card that was used to donate. KUSC charged a 13th donation on my card this month without letting me about it. Frankly this is disgusting. By doing so, KUSC loses its credibility and my trust. Not good! read more

My wife enjoys listening to KUSC, while traveling by car. However, KUSC deliberately makes it difficult to renew memberships at the basic or senior level, i.e., $40 or $25 levels. Multiple attempts to find those renewal pages ALWAYS bring you to contribution pages, with much higher dollar amounts as the minimum amounts, listed. If I didn't know better, I would be a conspiracy theorist, who sees this web page setup as an obfuscation effort to generate higher donation amounts. KUSC, I expected better of you. SHAME on whoever set this up. Compounding the issue, any email links bring you to a google search page! Again another attempt to frustrate seniors, who wish to renew. Solution, in big bold letters, put RENEW MEMBERSHIPS on each web page, with the appropriate dollar amounts. In the absence of this type of fix, I am a conspiracy theorist. read more

There's no sweeter way to wake in the morning than to a symphony of horns, strings, woodwinds, percussion, and sometimes cannons. Tchaikovsky's majestic 1812 Overture almost had me sitting bolt upright and saluting. Only if these darn blankets weren't so heavy and smotheringly warm. In my opinion, the Morning Show with the soothing voice of Dennis Bartel (5-9 am) is a breath of fresh air given the sorry state of radio these days. Returning back to classics can never be wrong. Purely instrumental bliss, minimal talking except for announcing songs played and the Great Composer Quiz: fascinating little-known facts about a composer in question. 'Pencils down,' he declares before he tells the correct answer. I cannot tell you how much this tinny orchestral music piping through my late-80s Sony Dream Machine clock radio pacifies my ears and warms my heart at the chilly hour of dawn. The beautiful wordless compositions allow my brain to awaken in the most serene way possible, like gently fading from black and revealing a colorized image. In my case, a chunky stuccoed ceiling and blueish light peeping in through my blinds. Just perfect. Debussy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcpamvLB2JU read more

Classical KUSC - Radio Stations Near Me - Los Angeles, California

About a year ago the CD player in my car stopped working. I've hardly missed it. Frustrated at first, I scanned through the radio stations, before landing on some classical music. It was KUSC. More than a year later, the needle hasn't budged. I love KUSC. It never fails to cheer me up, and even energize me on hot days, bad days, or times when I simply need a major dose of culture amid the never ending sea of guitar dudes, yoga heads and shallow hipsters that Los Angeles can often seem to be. The music is sophisticated, beautiful, smart and timeless. The hosts are wonderful: intelligent, witty and informative. I suppose one hears "classical radio station" and thinks "stuffy," but it's not at all. KUSC manages to be smart, classy and true to its mission, but still fun and current. I especially love Sunday night's "From the Top," an amazing program of young classical musicians and special guests. To the reviewer who complained of KUSC being boring and lacking "music that young people with disposable income want to hear," I have this to say: You are the reason people need culture, sophistication, and beauty. It's people like you who create a need for non-conformity, eccentricities and not mindlessly gravitating to what the soulless corporations tell us to like. So, though I know it's not your intent, in a strange way, you are keeping KUSC alive. I thank you. Figuratively, KUSC rocks! Literally, they don't. And I'm glad. read more

Whether I feel like hearing the kind of music that makes me want to skip around or the kind that helps me concentrate, I turn on KUSC radio in the car and let the flow of melodies encircle my auditory senses. What I like about KUSC radio is that their playlist provides the right mix for all kinds of audiences - from playful and joking pieces that have the power to gain kids' attention (and, hopefully, steer them towards music appreciation and, eventually, critical thinking) to sinister/ evil and provoking melodies (no violins were harmed during recordings, I hope), to relaxing/ dreamy sounds (which are perfect after a long day at work) and, of course to serious classical masterpieces - KUSC does a wonderful job of unfolding the full array of classical music for a wide variety of listeners. I smile a lot when I listen to KUSC - the music abducts my imagination and helps me to escape into the world of beauty and inspiration. read more

KUSC is pretty much the only FM Classical radio station in Socal. The station is powerful enough to hear far away from LA. Surprisingly, despite the fact that it's USC's station, they refrain from talking much about the school and instead discuss the music: the history is often fascinating! They don't abuse their position, and that's really appreciated. The great thing about KUSC is that they don't spam the same popular pieces over and over (like Mozart, Ride of the Valkyries, 1812 Overture, and so on) unlike what certain hip-hop stations do with their music (looking, no, glaring at you, 102.7 KIIS and 104.3 myFM). They'll play everything from symphonies to operas to some good old Gregorian chants, and it's all fantastic! read more

Well, It's been a long time that I've enjoyed the music on this station. Today I joined as a member. Only 6 % of people who listen to this station are members. Several of my patients are professional musicians. And they do require a lot of stamina for playing and holding the same position of their bodies. Think of it. They play possibly in pain; and yet produce beautiful music for the rest of us. I'm grateful for anything that helps us stay happy and healthy. May you feel the music. Stay positive and listen. read more

KUSC, Here is a letter to you. Why are you so boring? Don't you realize that you are a college station and colleges have students that couldn't care less about classical music. Why can't you be up with the times, change your format and play music that young people with disposable income want to hear? Hire students that will play the music that appeals to them instead of what you play. You are totally irrevelant to the current SC community. Please wake up and change will you? read more

Love listening to KUSC for all my classical music needs. I always listen to the station when needing to fantasize about what if!

I discovered KUSC back in 2009, and you have no idea what this radiostation means to me. KUSC is broadcasted live in California specifically for Orange County 91.5 FM. I enjoy the programs they have on the radio show but I will rank them. 10 is The Morning Show, Saturday show and the weekend with Dennis Bartel 6-9 AM, 7-8 AM and 1-4 P.M. Dennis is a great host, with his neat weather reports on the Morning Show so I highly recommend it for EVERYONE. 9 is Thornton Center Stage Sundays 9 P.M. Alan Chapman is the host of the only school that is broadcasting live. From 1948-present the Thornton School of Music is the show with a radio broadcast. 8 is SoCal Sunday Night a show recorded by the Pacific Symphony in Concert or Los Angeles Philharmonic. Neat. 7 is KUSC at the Beach. Rich Capperala is an AMAZING host so highly recommend this program. 6 is Arts Alive. 5 is A Musical Offering with Alan Chapman 4 is California classical All Night and Opera Show with Duff Murphy 3 is Modern Times and Soul Music 2 is the Record Shelf with Jim Svedja! Best show ever on Sundays from 10-11 P.M. 1 is my most listened to show known as Jim Svedja's Evening Program from 7-midnight Mondays-Fridays. There you have it. Help keep the radiostatiom by calling 1-800-421-1717 during the KUSC Membership Drive! read more

And then there was only one... Well, with K-MZT kaput, not that I miss it all - Rachmaninoff and Ravel seemed about as 'modern' as the programming got over there (don't get me wrong though, I love those guys - I just need more variety), K-USC is the only game in town for us: the few, the proud - the serious music audience. K-USC plays some really interesting repertoire at times but you have to be willing to stay up into the wee hours of night to hear the the odd bit of Lutoslawski, Alkan, Pettersson, Schmidt, Schnittke, Nielsen, and so on. During the greater part of the day it's usually the same old stuff - Invitation to the Dance (seriously, they must play that piece at least ten times a day), Hungarian Rhapsody after Hungarian Rhapsody (or Dance for that matter), and all sorts of 'early music' dreck. I tells 'ya, it can get pretty damn boring at K-USC. Their pledge drives are also annoying. Not that I mind supporting my local classical music radio station, not at all. But for Christ's sake! They're always playing the same crap at those pledge drives and peddling said crap as incentives to join - '100 Most Relaxing Classical Melodies,' The Top 50 Arias to Clip Your Toenails By,' 'Mozart's Greatest Hits to Listen to While You Scream at Your Mother Over the Cell Phone Because She Lost Your Favorite Pair of Super Mario Bros. Socks at the Local Laundromat,' and other such nonsense. Come on K-USC! You know, there are actually some of us who actually love this music, who are devoted to it, and would like to get a REAL incentive to support your station. How about collaborating with the L.A. Philharmonic and release an exclusive set of some of their greatest concerts? Maybe give us that new Shostakovich symphonies set that Supraphon recently released? Hey, I hear that Sony is re-releasing their gigantic Stravinsky box set again! How about offering one of those, eh? Just anything but that entry level, pander-to-people-who-think-classical-music-is nothing-but-innocent-fluff-to-daydream-by crap that you guys always seem to offer. Still, K-USC can be pretty damn good too. You got your Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, a weekly Saturday listening ritual for yours truly; Jim Svejda's evening programs and 'The Record Shelf' are wonderful and enlightening (he can be too much of an Anglo-phile for my tastes though); L.A. Philharmonic broadcasts - not bad at all, I must say. Well, I wish I could give this station five stars but as I said, I've got my gripes. But I'm thankful for having at least this! I just hope somebody at K-USC hears me because I do believe there's a great deal of room for improvement. read more

First off, terry h down there, I hope you're kidding. To set the record straight, USC has a "student" station (KSCR, broadcast right from campus, available to listen online [google it] or 1560am), which plays rock and indie shit. KUSC, on the other hand, is a classical station, and has been since 1973. As for the actual station itself, there are some things I really enjoy, and others I could do without. I love all the hosts, and, of course, Jim Svejda is always an entertaining listen. He's also one of the hardest voices to imitate. If you've never heard him, just think some sort of bastardized british accent with some 19th century thrown in good measure, and he ends EVERY sentence/phrase/word sounding like some small animal has climbed under his desk, grabbed hold of his balls and won't let go. It's like some sort of squeaking habit or affect that has taken on a life of its own over the years. Truly phenomenal, especially considering that, from what I've heard, he was born in central CA somewhere and is all American - which is to say, I have no clue where he got his hilarious and awesome accent. The dude is in love with the sound of his own voice, and so am I! The music is also pretty good. As others have noted, live Met broadcasts are great fun. Thornton Center Stage is also interesting, and I've found that, particularly during non-peak listening times, they will play some more adventurous music. During rush hour, however, expect lots of Vivaldi and Mozart. You will also hear cheeseball string arrangements of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring a fair amount, and other equally head-scratching choices. I guess they have to cater to a pretty wide audience as they are the only classical station in LA. When I'm sick of my CD's, KUSC and NPR are my next choices. It's also so incredibly easy to stream (they have 4 formats in 2 bitrates each), there's no reason not to listen to some high quality classical music whenever the inspiration strikes. read more

We have moved to Lake Elsinore this summer, and I have been surprised and pleased that KUSC comes in louder and clearer than from our old home in Orange County! Must be the clean air!! read more

Liszt, Chopin, Ravel, Mozart, et al... this is what I tune into when I'm reading and relaxing. I'm the only person I know who listens to classical music, and often I feel especially nerdy and on the outs, but was I violinist during most of my school years, and it's ingrained in my brain. I honestly don't know how people can NOT enjoy classical. Not all classical is fantastic of course, but no other music can move me as deeply (except two or three Nil Lara tracks), make me so ... verklempt. A third of my iPod is loaded with classical, but I still tune into KUSC for the variety. Plus it's the only classical on the dial anymore. The only drawback is they play opera, which I loathe. Opera was the television of the 18th century. Bleah!! When that happens I turn it off. read more

A PERSONAL perspective ~ I LOVE the classics and KUSC is my oasis! My business hours keep my actual listening time to 'limited' at best, but in my home KUSC is ON almost 24-7 and on three receivers ~ with one exception. All week I look forward my weekends WITH my classics, however, Saturday morning "Opera" is almost a total loss with voices screeching off the map and selections that make a chalkboard happy for the company. For me, this means a station change to KPCC or, I simply turn my receivers OFF until the afternoon. I suspect MOST people listening to the FM band don't even LIKE classical music and never tune to KUSC, but a new passing listener presented with 'that' ~ what's to like and how many NEW listeners will be actually WANT to hear more? I realize there are legions of people who "love their opera" and I do too, but the selections presented by 'Duff Murphy' (I know he means well) simply repel me. How about "Opera At Night" on any other evening of the week, but NOT Saturday mornings! I understand, this programming faction deserves it's place on KPCC, but the "prime-time" Saturday morning slot should NOT be it. I want to hear my ARRAY of classics and not someone pushed off a cliff ~ wailing to the bitter end. My second objection is "REDUNDANT MUSIC" ~ where the SAME three opening bars are repeated OVER and OVER again with the slightest addition (and subtraction) of just a few notes ~ only to repeat again, again and again? Why not Stab my chest and make me bleed as I shave instead? How utterly BORING and ~ who picks these selections for KUSC? True listeners know the obscure and painful 'classics' I write about! Can you please spare me and us? Sometimes I wish KUSC had a "hot-line" directly to the live person "at the controls" just to make sure they are awake and listening to what they are actually broadcasting AND to assure that the CD is not skipping? Those few things said, I LOVE KUSC! I won't add my name because two people may show up with torches. read more

I was living in LA for 6 months back in 2015. Back in Phoenix now. Drove for Uber for 4 of those months. Driving in LA is an absolute circus but KUSC got me through it. I come back for visits and listen when I can. Learned a great deal about Classical music and the composers during that time. My Uber passengers enjoyed it as well. Wish we could get the signal here in Phoenix Arizona and be able to listen to great music. Keep doing what you are doing. Excellent. read more

This new middle of the night, middle of the road, uninvolved new format is less than satisfactory. But when the announcer says "Pavane for a Dead Princess" by Ravel, I think she should know not to mix her "metaphores" -- either all english, ie, Stately slow dance....Or use Ravel's title "Pavane pour une princess defunct" Which he stated had nothing whatever to do with a DEAD PRINCESS. "I wrote the piece and then used that title BECAUSE I LIKED THE SOUND OF THE WORDS -- CES'T TOUT" read more

Every classical music lover has his own preferences, so this is of necessity a very personal view. KUSC broadcasts much great music. However from 6AM through 7PM one is apt to hear the same pieces broadcast 2-3 times in the same week. Also, KUSC seems to have confused film music with classical music often mixing the two genres as if film music were one type of classical music. If you don't mind this, then enjoy it. I prefer to experience the Holy Art of classical music elsewhere. read more

Good the pledge drive is over for now. Things are back to normal. The digital title display is functioning again. But I wish they wouldn't mix classics (pure art) with film music (pure commerce). read more