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A native of Herndon, Virginia, Steve came to Rochester to earn his Ph.D. in Musicology at the Eastman School of Music. He has loved classical music and public media since his youth, and has worked for years to make classical music more accessible on social media.

Brenda Tremblay has served as weekday morning host on WXXI Classical since 2009.

Born in South Africa, James Aldrich-Moodie spent some of his childhood in Geneva, NY, and fondly remembers attending concerts at Eastman and with the RPO. He studied piano and flute, but remains strictly an amateur. A passionate lover of classical music, especially opera and vocal music, James hosted a radio show on WYBC as an undergraduate. Later, he wrote a dissertation about transformations in the worlds of opera and literature, and the connections between the two.

John Andres was born and raised in Rochester, New York. While in High School, John got his start as a morning P.A. announcer for East High School and in the school’s TV station. He graduated from Brockport College (Now Brockport University) and took classes at the University of Rochester and R.I.T. For twenty years, John taught 5th and 6th grade classes in the Rochester area.

A Strong Memorial baby and Greece Arcadia grad, Julia Figueras was the Music Director and mid-day host for WXXI Classical until June 30, 2023 when she retired after more than 26 years of service. She also hosted and produced the award-winning monthly interview/performance show, Backstage Pass.

Lara Downes is among the foremost American pianists of her generation, a trailblazer both on and off the stage, whose musical roadmap seeks inspiration from the legacies of history, family and collective memory. As a chart-topping recording artist, a powerfully charismatic performer, a curator and tastemaker, Downes is recognized as a cultural visionary on the national arts scene.

Suzanne Bona is the host and executive producer of Sunday Baroque, a syndicated weekly radio show of Baroque and early music. She originated the program in 1987 on WSHU Public Radio in her hometown of Fairfield, CT. Sunday Baroque has been distributed nationally since 1998, and is currently heard by more than a half million listeners every week on approximately 300 public radio stations and networks across the U.S., and globally at SundayBaroque.org