Beginning in 2026, you’ll hear some new programs on NWPB Classical. Now That’s What I Call 21st Century will be hosted by NWPB’s Jedd Greenhalgh, and dive into the gentler music written after the year 2000, complimenting the more traditional works you know and hear every day.
Phineas Pope: What kinds of music can listeners expect on this new program? Are there going to be themes?
Jedd Greenhalgh: Yes, absolutely. The category is concert music that's been composed on or after the year 2000, and selections are made from that subset of music with accessibility in mind. As far as themes, there will be a new theme for each hour long episode that airs.
Those themes are going to have a pretty wide range. Sometimes you'll get an hour of music for the cello from all around the world. Another episode may be music of all kinds from one specific country. There may be some episodes that have been planned around a prominent performer who's known for commissioning 21st century works. And every once in a while, you'll get an episode that offers a deeper dive into a single, longer work.
When you tune in, you'll hear a very wide spectrum of 21st century music, and it's going to switch up quite a bit week to week, just to make sure that things stay interesting.
Pope: Tell us how this program came to be. What inspired you to focus on this particular area?
Greenhalgh: As a musician, I have always gravitated to the music that's created in the present day. And that's out of an excitement for the development of how that music is going to be preserved and discussed later. It fascinates me to develop an understanding of that which is new, and then watch as historians begin to collect what's going on and decide the way that we're going to understand it. What are we going to call the music that's behaved a certain way unique to the last 10 years? The unfolding of the answers to questions like that excites me deeply. And in setting up the programming for this show, I'm allowed the opportunity to help contribute to what music of the day is being spotlighted.
Pope: I'm not sure if our listeners are aware, but your musical background is really diverse: from composing, to classical violin and highly produced pop. How do you suspect listeners will get to know you a little more through this new program?
Greenhalgh: It's true. As a musician, I've certainly been to many different types of venues, and I've engaged in a lot of different music creation. In addition to the pop and classical worlds, I've also studied electronic classical music beyond the master's level. And I also have a lot of experience in fiddle, folk and believe it or not, United States country music.
I think that in listening to this program, you'll find that I take interest in moments of music that sit with a person over time — the moments of magic that sparkle and leave a strong memory. I find that those moments can transcend pretty much any sort of genre. I've seen, studied and even created some of those moments throughout my career. And this show is a collection of music written for the concert hall that I've identified to hold that cathartic sparkle.
Pope: When it comes to new concert music, sometimes it can be tricky to navigate. How do you plan to be the guide for listeners along some of the more prickly corners of new music?
Greenhalgh: For the listener who finds themselves concerned when they hear “new” or “21st century” when describing music, I want to encourage you to rest assured in your approach to Now That’s What I Call 21st Century.
When I program and write these episodes, I have the audience of the classical service of Northwest Public Broadcasting specifically in mind. Not only do I bring a mind that's well studied in the world of new music, but I also bring a perspective that is wise to what the classical music audience here in the Pacific Northwest enjoys hearing on the airwaves.
Will I program a 30 minute piece of experimental atonal electroacoustic music? No. Will I program excerpts of a 2015 piano concerto written with baroque, romantic and impressionistic styles in mind? Yes, very much so. And for anything that may begin to cross over into that challenging place for the listener, you can trust that the music will be thoroughly explained and I may even come in and out as you listen to spotlight what it is exactly that makes that music tick.
Pope: What are you most excited for with this new program?
Greenhalgh: I'm most excited to be part of a space in public broadcasting for classical musicians who create music today.
This program is going to be a place where concert music misfits can fit right in, so to speak. And as somewhat of a classical music misfit myself, I feel great personal and professional satisfaction with the creation of this platform.
Now That’s What I Call 21st Century airs Fridays at 2pm starting January 9, 2026 on NWPB Classical.
Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity.
