Terrance McKnight

Terrance McKnight is a commentator, curator, writer, author, and pianist recognized for his contributions to American classical music broadcasting. McKnight serves as the weekday evening host for WQXR, New York's all-classical music station. He studied piano performance at Morehouse College, where he sang in the bass section of the glee club, and earned a graduate degree in piano pedagogy at Georgia State University. After working with Performance Today on NPR in Washington, D.C., McKnight launched his own radio show at Georgia Public Broadcasting, where he remained for seven years. He later hosted WNYC's evening music show and transitioned to WQXR following its acquisition from The New York Times.

At WQXR, McKnight has focused on making classical music accessible to a broad audience. His series "All Ears with Terrance McKnight" received an ASCAP Deems Taylor Radio Broadcast Award. He has written, produced, and hosted a series of hour-long audio documentaries and has programmed music and audio for Museum of Modern Art exhibitions featuring artists such as Jacob Lawrence, Francis Picabia, Robert Rauschenberg, and Charles White. McKnight was named one of Musical America's Top 30 Professionals of the Year, reflecting his influence in the classical music industry.

McKnight's podcast series, "Every Voice with Terrance McKnight," examines representations of Blackness in opera. The 16-episode series highlights marginalized voices, histories, and perspectives within the Western classical music tradition. In its debut season, McKnight explored operas by Mozart and Verdi, including "The Magic Flute," "Otello," "Aida," and "Abduction from the Seraglio," addressing issues of racial representation and stereotypes in classical music. "Handel: Made in America," a project he co-created and performed in, premiered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

As a curator and presenter, McKnight has collaborated with organizations such as Carnegie Hall, Studio Museum of Harlem, Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum, The Apollo Theater, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He has hosted concerts for The Orchestra of St. Luke's, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic's Young People's Concerts, and the American Pianists Association Competition. McKnight serves as artistic advisor for the Harlem Chamber Players and the Hermitage, and sits on the board of MacDowell. He is the author of "Concert Black," a book from Abrams Publishing that explores the Black experience in classical music.