Behind the scenes of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra broadcasts

Stewart Copeland of The Police Performs with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, November 7, 2021, in Atlanta. (Photo by Robb Cohen/Invision/AP)

Kevin Dietsch / Kevin Dietsch

If you have ever attended an Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert and noticed microphones hanging above the front of the stage, you should know that they are strategically placed to get the best sound from the orchestra for recording the performances that air on WABE.

“City Lights” is celebrating 50 years of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra broadcasts on WABE, and two musicians who worked behind the scenes to record and produce those programs, Dr. Tommy Joe Anderson and Fyodor Cherniavsky, recently joined Lois Reitzes to discuss their work.

Cherniavsky, a former conductor and musician, and Anderson, a pianist and composer, both brought rich musical expertise to the role.