October 2009

Dear Friend,

I have some exciting news to report in this edition of RadioWaves. First of all, I'm very pleased to present an interview with NPR's Paris correspondent, Eleanor Beardsley. I love Beardsley's evocative dispatches from France so I was thrilled when she accepted my request for an interview and I think you will be too when you read it! Secondly, thanks to your early donations, we have taken two days off the fall on-air pledge drive and we're going for a third!

This month in RadioWaves, the Beardsley interview, an exciting new series from the Peabody award-winning show To the Best of Our Knowledge, your classical music countdown, the Capitol Steps Halloween edition of "Politics Takes a Holiday," details on the "take days off" campaign (including some video!), and lots of regional events.

Warm regards from a fellow public radio fan,

Susannah Michaels
RadioWaves Editor

WPR Photo-of-the-Month

The WPR Eau Claire bureau encourages motorists to help shorten the
fall membership drive with an early online pledge.
[photo by Jared Hause, intern]

In this issue:

Staff interview – Eleanor Beardsley, NPR correspondent in Paris
You can find it on the NPR website ... the picture show
Ideas Network notes
Music notes
"Boots on the Ground: Stories from the War in Iraq," a To the Best of Our Knowledge series
Fall "take days off" campaign update
Regional events and news
          Eau Claire area
          Green Bay area
          Madison area
          Milwaukee area
          Wausau area
Helpful links

Staff interview – Eleanor Beardsley, NPR correspondent in Paris

You hear Eleanor Beardsley's reports from France on NPR News. She covers hard news, such as politics and issues, and also submits stories about French culture and "postcards from Paris." It's these latter stories, with their evocative sounds and details, that I particularly look forward to hearing. Last August, I heard Eleanor's piece about the public rental bicycles in Paris, called Velibs, and several days later, when I arrived there for vacation, I knew exactly what they were. What a perfect example of the real-life relevance of NPR News!

To learn about Eleanor's connection to Wisconsin, how she became a reporter, and what her favorite things to do in Paris are, click here.

Eleanor Beardley gets sound for
a story about roquefort cheese

                                                                                                                                                  Public rental bicycles in Paris

You can find it on the NPR website ... the picture show

National Public Radio isn't just radio anymore ... it's images too. Clicking around the NPR website this week, I came upon their daily picture show. If you want a daily dose of stunning photographs, check out the NPR picture show, where you'll find old pictures and new ones, on countless topics — sports, music, leisure, nature, news, fashion, and art, to name just a few.

Ideas Network notes

The Saturday 3 - 4 PM time slot features a rotating selection of specials. In October we'll hear episodes of Radiolab, a show where "sound illuminates ideas." This season's episodes will contain programs about stochasticity, after life, parasites, the new normal, and numbers. Check out the Saturday Specials web page to see more detail about these programs.

Capitol Steps Halloween edition of "Politics Takes a Holiday"
Friday, October 30, 5:30 PM

Tune in for this latest installment of the Capitol Steps political singing satire. Of this episode, the Steps say, "In a world where everything is frightening (town hall meetings! Obama’s birth certificate! Granny death panels!), it’s nice to know you can laugh at your fears. Put down your torch and pitchfork this Halloween and join the Capitol Steps as we skewer everything left, right and wrong with the country today! No congressman will heckle you here."

Music notes

Vote in the WPR Classical Countdown! We are tallying votes for your favorite classical works. We'll share the results and play the top pieces on Classics by Request on Saturday, October 10, beginning at 10 AM.

"Boots on the Ground: Stories from the War in Iraq," a To the Best of Our Knowledge series
Begins on Saturday, October 24, 9 -10 AM on the NPR News & Classical Music Network; and Sunday, October 25, 12 - 1 PM on the Ideas Network

Stay tuned later this month for an exciting new series from To the Best of Our Knowledge. This five-part series tells the story of the Iraq War, literally from the "boots on the ground" — the soldiers, reporters, and strategists who have been there. You can find more information, and listen to the episodes, on the TTBOOK website.

Fall "take days off" campaign update

On-air fundraising is an integral part of paying for the programs you love on Wisconsin Public Radio. But we know that you'd rather hear your favorite program without fundraising breaks. Hence, the "take days off" campaign. As you are probably aware by now, we are trying to get your pledges up front, before the on-air portion of the fall pledge drive starts, and for every 700 pledges, one day comes off the beginning of the drive. The drive was originally scheduled for 12 days, from October 5 to October 16. Two days have already come off, thanks to your generous donations! Now we're aiming for a third. You can check the progress and pledge now at wpr.org. And, in an exciting entrée into the world of video, check out these WPR hosts explaining how to take days off.

Regional events and news

Green Bay area

See the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra's opening night gala, hosted by WPR's Jim Fleming and featuring guest pianist, Michael Kim. The concert will include the following musical selections: Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man," Chopin's "Piano Concerto No. 1," and Beethoven's "Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)." For more information, see the Fox Valley Symphony website or call 920-968-0300.

Madison area

Sunday Afternoons Live from the Chazen
Sundays, 12:30 - 2 PM, Chazen Museum, UW-Madison campus

The 31st season of Sunday Afternoons Live from the Chazen started last month and will run through the academic year. These wonderful, free concerts performed in a gallery in the Chazen Museum, are hosted by WPR's Lori Skelton. If you're in the Madison area on a Sunday afternoon, attend a concert. You can find the schedule on the Live from the Chazen web page.

YWCA Racial Justice Summit

For the third year in a row, WPR is a community sponsor of the YWCA Racial Justice Summit, taking place on October 8 and 9. This year's theme is "dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline." You can find more information about the summit here.

Milwaukee area

Our Friend and Affiliate, WGTD-FM in Kenosha to Host an Open House
Tuesday, October 6, 5 - 7:30 PM, WGTD studios in the Center for Bioscience and Information Technology on the Kenosha Gateway campus, 3520 30th Ave., Kenosha

WGTD-FM in Kenosha proudly broadcasts WPR’s NPR News & Classical Music Network, in addition to their originally produced programming. WGTD is now broadcasting in HD and will celebrate by hosting an open house. WGTD staff will be on hand to demonstrate HD radio and discuss programming. Staff from WHAD-FM will be there, too!

WPR 90.7 WHAD welcomes Ira Glass to UW-Milwaukee!
Saturday, October 24, 7 PM, Union Wisconsin Room, UW-Milwaukee

Come see Ira Glass, host of This American Life (Ideas Network stations, Saturdays at 4 PM and Sundays at 2 PM) in person! He will present a program called "An Evening with Ira Glass: Radio Stories and Other Stories," in which he'll talk about broadcast journalism and his own process, which he calls "making little movies for radio." Join WPR for an evening with one of the most dynamic storytellers of our time. Learn more and find ticket information at wpr.org/whad.

Celebrate Old-Time Radio Drama's 20th anniversary with host Norman Gilliland
Sunday, October 29, 7 PM, Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 19805 W. Capitol Dr., Brookfield

Do you ever wonder how Norman Gilliland puts together Old-time Radio Drama? Do you wish you had a behind-the-scenes look at the program? Well, Norman is coming to Brookfield to talk about the show on this, its 20th anniversary. Also some members of the cast of All About Eve will do a reading from the play. The event is free, just RSVP to Katie Madsen at 414-227-2047 or  katie.madsen@wpr.org.

Big Top Chautauqua’s “Wild Woods and Waters Historical Show”
Wednesday, October 7, 7:30 PM, Performing Arts Center, 1801 16th Street South, Wisconsin Rapids

Wisconsin Public Radio is a proud media sponsor of a performance by Big Top Chautauqua at the Performing Arts Center in Wisconsin Rapids. From the rivers to the Great Lakes, and from the wetlands to the forests, "Wild Woods and Waters" features the stories and songs of our greatest natural resources. Enter for a chance to win tickets on our regional website: www.wpr.org/whrm. 

Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, October 10, 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 11 at 4 PM; Sentry Theatre, 1800 North Point Dr., Stevens Point

Wisconsin Public Radio is a proud media sponsor of the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra’s first concert of the season.  This concert will have pieces by Marx,  Schwantner, Mendelssohn, and Dvorak, with featured guest, Molly Roseman on piano.   Enter for a chance to win tickets on our regional website: www.wpr.org/whrm.

Keyboard Conversations with pianist Jeffrey Siegel
Thursday, October 22, 7:30 PM, Grand Theatre on ArtsBlock, Wausau

Wisconsin Public Radio is a proud media sponsor of Keyboard Conversations with pianist Jeffrey Siegel. If you crave insight into the music you hear and the people who created it, this is the show for you. Master pianist Jeffrey Siegel talks about each piece before he performs it. His witty observations highlight both what to listen for and how it came to be. Tickets are available at 715-842-0988. Enter for a chance to win tickets on our regional website: www.wpr.org/whrm.

Sentry Insurance Invitation to the Arts presents The Great Ocean Adventure of Jean-Michel Cousteau
Thursday, October 29, 7 PM, Sentry Theatre, 1800 North Point Dr., Stevens Point

Wisconsin Public Radio is proud to support promotion of The Great Ocean Adventure of Jean-Michel Cousteau. This high-definition experience will take the audience under the sea, exploring its breathtaking beauty, highlighting the spirit of adventure, and environmental awareness. Enter for a chance to win tickets by going to our regional website: www.wpr.org/whrm.

Helpful links