Studs Terkel interviews composer Ned Rorem. They discuss Rorem's childhood, music, poetry, languages, and religion.

Studs interviews Ned Rorem about his work and book "An Absolute Gift." Rorem discusses his work and how his Quaker background has influenced his work. He reflects on poets and other composers. Rorem shares the people and events that have influenced him and the arts. The musical recordings are not included in this edited version of the original.

Joel Sachs discusses Russian avant-garde music and Soviet Union artists.

Discussing the book "The New Grove Dictionary of American Music". They talk about American music and musicians of all kinds and from different periods. Includes Charles Ive's song "At the River" sung by Cleo Laine in the middle of the program.

Susan Salm discusses her career as a cellist, the cello, and classical music. Includes an earlier interview with a younger Susan Salm and her mother. Includes an announcer's comments from the BBC at the end of the program.

Studs interview with Andres Segovia about his life in Grenada and how he came to play the guitar as an orchestra instrument. Segovia speaks to the history of the guitar and other instruments as classical musical instruments. They discuss Segovia's choice of instrument, how he gives back to his genre, how he stays vibrant at his age, and how he and his audiences relate. Segovia explains his desires for the guitar in the philharmonic world. Studs notes how Segovia has had to teach composers how to write for guitars.

Studs interviews Jabbo Smith and presents some of his musical performances. The musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording. Smith shares the story of his childhood in the Jenkins Orphanage and how he came to learn music there. He discusses the songs he wrote and people he played with throughout his career and how he came out of retirement in Holland on the trombone.

Studs interviews Leonard Sorkin about his career as a violinist. They discuss his training, which began in early childhood and who he studied under. Sorkin plays a few short tunes to demonstrate his art, and one was his childhood favorite of "Allegro" by Joseph Fiocco. Sorkin names Jascha Heifetz as one who he admired all his life and shares the sounds and names of others who have influenced him. He explains to Studs how the Fine Arts Quartet members change to adapt to new players but the quartet sound remains the same.

Studs interviews Alan Stone, Steven Larson, and Judith Erickson about the opera, "Regina," playing at the Chicago Opera Theater. They describe the variety of music and dances in the opera. Stone, Larson, and Erickson name the cast and their roles and describe the characters. Each share how they came to be in theater. Stone explains how the company started. Larson describes the orchestra and the chorus. Erickson reads some of the lyrics of the aria, "The Best Thing of All," at the end of act one. Stone, Larson, and Erickson read various lines from the opera.