Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio 
 Spring 1999 

         Seeking musical diversity, being out where the listeners are, and using modern technologies such as the internet—these could be key elements of a strategy for classical public radio stations that are looking for a head start into the 21st century. The 37th Annual AMPPR Conference was a showcase of many different approaches to classical radio in the United States. At the same time, everybody is in the same boat, facing a new era that demands flexibility and, possibly, a new definition of classical music. 
         Things are shifting—this became evident on a sad note right at the beginning of the conference. The flutist and TV host Eugenia Zukerman, who had been the designated keynote speaker, could not attend for health reasons. Her absence, however, had a symbolic value for the host of the first session. New York-based radio consultant Robert Goldfarb looked into the traditional role of a keynote speaker, which in his opinion is a role of authority. As an alternative method of problem solving, Goldfarb suggested teamwork among colleagues who are assumed to have equal competence and relevance. 
          For practical application of a team effort, Goldfarb had his audience build a fictitious public classical radio station. The goal of the exercise was to find guidelines to make the station as successful as possible. Several ideas were brought in: offering a 24-hour-a-day classical program versus a one-stop-shop approach with mixed elements such as music and talk; personality-dominated shows versus content-oriented programs; and programs directed at experts versus programs targeted at newcomers. The main conclusion of the first session may be that there is no right or wrong, except that the thought process must remain active. Goldfarb encouraged all broadcasters to participate in the discussion on the AMPPR listserv (see page 10). 
        Individuality is a strong asset, as a session entitled “Personality Radio—How Much of Yourself Do You Put on the Air?” suggested.  It began with 12 on-air examples of well-known American hosts, from the distinctive character of Karl Haas (“Adventures in Good Music”), who appears like a father figure to most listeners younger than 70, to cookie-munching Bonnie Grice (formerly KUSC), who emphasizes a casual approach to anchoring. Participants of the session discussed the challenges of laughing on air, the need to give talents time to grow, and the necessity to honor individual traits without going overboard.  Conclusion: Lorna Ozmon, a seasoned classical music announcer, became America’s most-wanted on-air coach because she is doing just that—bringing out the best in every talent rather than imposing standards. 
         From the human voice to the realm of spiders and flies—the internet was focus of a discussion that brought tons of information about the World Wide Web, which has been entered by most classical radio stations but still offers a mix of excitement and fear because of its complexity.  Three panelists offered three different views: Mike Powers of The Mining Co. (miningco.com), an internet radio consultant who deals with classical as well as other radio stations; Chris Kohtz of WGUC, who built a CD information web page geared to listeners in Nebraska; and Eric Nuzum, whose web page for WKSU (Kent, Ohio) is one of the first to stream live radio over the internet.  If being a spider in the net means to be a winner and being a fly describes the losers, there are a few facts and strategies worth knowing. First, classical music doesn’t have to hide behind other music genres on the internet. To the contrary. According to a survey by Arbitron, classical music aficionados are the second strongest group of internet users, trailing only lovers of “alternative music.” 
         This fact may surprise all those who thought that classical music is a product of past centuries. As a matter of fact, classical music lovers tend to be well-educated and affluent, which at this point serves as a door opener to the internet. However, this strong position may not last, as technology becomes cheaper and affordable to people with different tastes; therefore, some guidelines for attractive web pages are helpful, such as the expansion of content (don’t just repeat your on-air programming; instead, tell readers more). There are plenty of opportunities to link your web site to the home pages of artists you have played on air, of concerts, and even of companies that underwrite your programming. On-demand archives of past programs put listeners who had to miss their favorite show at ease; and besides, the internet can offer an extra path for programs that may appeal only to a small number of people in your area while attracting highly specialized fans from all over the world. The wonderful thing about a web page is that there is almost indefinite space as long as you provide a smart arrangement of click buttons. 
         Step out of the line and create a profile—this is also the advice that one of the most promising American conductors has for classical broadcasters. Christopher Wilkins, music director at the San Antonio Symphony, impressed the audience at a concert Thursday evening with Bach’s “Brandenburg Concertos” and with a lively speech the next morning. “It’s an interesting time to live in,” he remarked at the beginning of his presentation. The times are interesting because the notion of classical music has widened considerably. Wilkins pointed to two world-famous classical violinists who are conquering new ground—Itzhak Perlman indulges in Klezmer music, while Gidon Kremer has discovered the tango music of Astor Piazzolla. 
         Compact disc covers, according to Wilkins, can compete with the cover of Sports Illustrated. Rescuing classical music from the ivory tower requires acknowledging that American culture is as diverse as never before. Polish medieval mysticism, Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony with elements of Asian meditation, the music of Chinese composer Tan Dun, and a top industry position for SAVAE’s “Guadalupe, Virgen de los Indios” prove the point that there are plenty alternatives to the Classical Top 40. However, neither American orchestras nor American classical radio stations have sufficiently recognized the new influx, said Wilkins. He expressed his frustration with hearing “yet another guitar chamber work by Boccherini” on public classical radio stations, no matter which part of the United States he visits. 
         Admitting that he is subject to the same market rules as his audience, he encouraged radio broadcasters to take reasonable risks: esoteric 12-tone music, promoted by critics and music directors during the 1950s and 1960s, has failed to interest any audiences, Wilkins said. However, he warned that the opposite extreme, hunting for the largest numbers of listeners and the biggest markets, will also desensitize radio listeners.  “Pay attention to new developments, and you will be a vanguard of classical radio in the 21st century,” is Wilkins’ advice to programmers; and he believes that the tides have already begun to shift again, towards versatility. 
         Introducing novelties can be done best by telling a story behind it. Having unusual artists perform in the studio is another way of putting them on the map.  Renowned composer and MPR host Bill McGlaughlin demonstrated this in a session called  “Saint Paul Sunday Inside Out,” in which he interviewed the medieval music ensemble Altramar. Inviting high-class musicians on a small budget is a fact of life for many public classical radio stations. Therefore, McGlaughlin handed out some practical advice. Besides technical details such as creating the right amount of reverb, it is crucial to make moderately-paid guests feel as comfortable as possible. 
        McGlaughlin’s hour on air takes about four hours in the studio, which he always tries to schedule in the afternoon, first because vocalists are not in top shape during the morning hours, and most musicians get tired in the evening, and second because the afternoon hours can be scheduled in between two meals, which gives radio stations a chance to pamper their guests. 
         Live performances are always a treat at MPC conferences. The session on Friday afternoon offered entertainment—Altramar at Bill McGlaughlin’s seminar. Then, one of the hottest groups of America’s southwest region, SAVAE (the San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble), inspired a discussion on the issue, “Who Is Buying What CDs and Why?” 
         Panelists Anthony Scafide (Koch International) and Edward Lube (Public Radio Music Source) pointed out that the wish list of public radio listeners is not always reflected in the music programs that classical radio stations offer. The most coveted CDs of 1998, according to a Public Radio Music Source compilation, include “The Appalachian Waltz,” Japanese counter-tenor Yoshikazu Mera, and music by tenor Andrea Boccelli. For years the rule in radio music programming has been that listeners tune out when vocal music is played. Therefore, it may be surprising for some music directors that almost all CDs on the PRMS hit list contained vocal music. 
         This difference can be explained with a whole array of new sound blends that have been created in recent years. The discrepancy between popular demand and programming reality in public radio stations can be explained with the fact that in many cases, a report on “All Things Considered” or “Morning/Weekend Edition” triggered the interest. However, there are not many public stations that have the format to tell stories outside NPR programs. 
        Saturday morning brought another showcase of adventurous choices. In a panel discussion that included composer Libby Larsen, programmers were encouraged to choose music by living American composers. Larsen, who founded the American Composers Forum, acknowledged that a composer has to put himself or herself into more than one world. One is the world in which the commissioner lives, and another one is the performer’s world. However, she encourages her colleagues as well as radio programmers to challenge long-held beliefs, for instance the notion that every radio listener desires peaceful music in the morning hours. She also questioned surveys that revealed listeners’ dislike of avant garde music. As an example of a flawed survey, she mentioned one where the first three 20th- century pieces had been minimalist. 
         Ethnic music, vocal music, contemporary works—to round out a revised definition of classical music, it would be appropriate to include jazz.  It’s the purest form of American classical music. This point was stressed in a session entitled “Mixing In Diverse Forms of Music” with Robert J. Lurtsema (WGBH), Jim Cullum (“Riverwalk, Live From The Landing”) and Max Horowitz (Crossover Media). As an example of mixed programming, Robert J. Lurtsema played a portion of his Valentine’s Day show where Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloe” was followed by “My Funny Valentine,” sung by Ella Fitzgerald. Once jazz is recognized as part of the game, America might see increasing ethnic diver- sity among classical radio personnel. 
         Three days of captivating impressions, new ideas, exchanges of thoughts, networking, and cultivating contacts with the music business—the final event, led by Robert Aubrey Davis, found a crowd of exhausted but elevated music broadcasters. The overall impression: it’s an exciting time to be in the classical radio busi-ness; and all those who face the challenges of the beginning 21st century can look forward to a host of new opportunities.