MAY 2011 Register Now for WPR's 'Big Top' Trip August 11 - 12 Wisconsin Public Radio will be hosting our annual trip to Big Top Violinist Daniel Kim warms up before performing at the 2011 Neale Chautauqua on August Silva Young Artists winner's recital in Madison. The recital can be 11 and 12, 2011. Buses heard this Sunday afternoon at 12:30 pm on WPR's News & will depart from La Classical Music Service. Crosse and Green Bay and make stops in Eau Claire and Wausau, respectively. WPR Wins "Station of the Year" and More Entertainment for the trip This month, includes a new original Wisconsin Public Big Top production Radio reporters entitled "Ladies of the and producers Canyon." Lodging will were honored with be at the Ashland Lake awards from the Superior Lodge. Wisconsin Broadcaster's For more information, Association, the visit Milwaukee Press www.wpr.org/eauclaire Club and the or call 1-800-228-5615 Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals and more. These From left to right: WPR Director Mike Crane, awards, from our Reporter/Anchor Kristen Durst, Reporter peers and Shemane Mills and New Director Michael Leland colleagues in the pose with awards from the WBA and Milwaukee media, are a Press Club chance to take stock of our work and be assured that we are meeting and exceeding the highest standards in broadcasting. We are especially proud of the honor - Radio Station of the Year - from the Milwaukee Press Club. WPR received awards for writing, local, statewide and investigative reporting among others. Our music, Simply Folk is now talk and regional programs were also recognized, as was the work of offering archives our students and interns. And our collaborative website, programs on wisconsinvote.org, was honored as well. WPR.org! The awards are a chance to celebrate, but not to rest on our laurels. Simply Folk archives are As a listener, you experience the incredible dedication of our music, available for two weeks news and talk departments every day. We're committed to delivering following each show, with the best news, talk, music and entertainment in Wisconsin. Thanks individual song data for your support, thanks for listening. displayed during playback. You can listen to all of the award-winning programs and see a complete list of honors on our website by clicking here. Visit http://wpr.org/simplyfolk/ (BTW, our colleagues at Wisconsin Public Television, and friends at to listen online. the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, WUWM, WMVS and WYMS also received numerous honors. It was a great month for public media!) Here on Earth Receives National Gabriel Award We are also proud to announce that WPR's "World WPR's Here on Earth with Jean Perspectives" Feraca has won a Captures prestigious 2010 Gabriel Award for International Voices "Muslims, in La Crosse Mosques, and American WPR's "World Identity," an Perspectives" online episode of its collaboration with UW-La ongoing series, Crosse this month Inside Islam: expanded its collection of Dialogues and international student Debates. Issued Here on Earth host Jean Feraca (right) poses with audio essays with by the Catholic Reem Hilal, Inside Islam Blogger and Series several new Academy for Producer Saideh Jamshidi, Assistant Producer for commentaries on home, Communication Inside Islam and Here on Earth. culture and world issues. Arts Professionals, the Now in its third year, the Gabriel Award honors programming with a value-centered view of initiative is part of WPR's society and humanity that raises consciousness. The single most commitment to assist important criterion of a Gabriel program is its ability to uplift and UWL international nourish the human spirit. This is the second Gabriel Award for Here students in their on Earth. understanding of U.S. media, community Now in its third year, Inside Islam: Dialogues and Debates is a new- issues, and the English media initiative produced in collaboration with the University of language, and in turn Wisconsin-Madison's Global Studies Center with support from the share their perspectives Social Science Research Council that creates a public forum for on living abroad. positive and constructive sharing of knowledge about Islam. In 2009, the Inside Islam blog was also honored with a Brass Crescent Award. Learn more and listen to You can listen to the series, including the award-winning episode the student's essays online. For more information about the series, visit online here. www.insideislam.wisc.edu. All Things Considered Turns 40 - The Wisconsin HELPFUL LINKS: Connection This month, NPR's Donate Now All Things Considered Listen Now celebrated its 40th anniversary. For WPR Stations & many listeners, the Schedules show and its hosts are a companion Ideas Network Program while they Notes commute home, take their kids to Classical Music Playlists soccer practice or prepare an evening WPR Audio Archives meal. And, while a lot about the WPR News Stories program has changed over the years, one thing that has remained consistent is the Our Home Page - iconic theme song. But the song, which was composed by long-time WPR.org Wisconsin Public Radio music director Don Voegeli, has some history. Jack Mitchell, former director of Wisconsin Public Radio, was one of FIND US ON: the first employees of NPR and the first producer of All Things Considered. According to Mitchell, the early show was rather rough around the edges. "[In 1971] the programming department was run as something of a commune, with no one in charge and everyone doing pretty much whatever interested them," he said. "I tried to give the program some structure and the staff specific assignments. I decided we needed co-hosts and installed Susan Stamberg and ultimately Bob Edwards in those roles," Mitchell added. And what about that theme song? Tom Voegeli, Don Voegeli's son, recently recalled growing up in Madison and his father's work at Wisconsin Public Radio. "[Dad] was Music Director for many years, which had him, in addition to programming music, playing music for Wisconsin School of the Air productions, and live 'fill' music on piano and on the studio pipe organ at old Radio Hall," he said. Or visit WPR's Community Page Mitchell continues the story, "WPR was the largest and most professional public radio organization in the country before NPR. [CPB] provided grant money for a National Center for Audio Experimentation, the salary for Don Voegeli and a synthesizer and multitrack recorder housed in what is now the director of radio's office in the sparkling new Vilas Hall. Don was to compose original music that public radio stations [around the country] could use without worrying about rights and royalties. On his own initiative, Don composed a theme and variations for All Things Considered, with little idea of what the program would be - which was not surprising since those of us in Washington had little idea of what it would be either." he said. The iconic melody that we recognize today was initially used as the closing theme for the program. As the show began to find its legs, the closing theme became the main theme and has stayed there ever since. Not long after the fifth anniversary of the show, Mitchell moved to Madison and became WPR's director of radio. "For the fifth anniversary, the promotion department put on a nice little reception," he recalled. "At the end, the Voegeli closing theme played full up in the reception room and I and my wife teared up. It all seemed worth the struggle. I still feel that way when I hear it today," he concluded. Tom Voegeli writes and produces for the public broadcasting series From the Top in Boston. And, he noted, his father wrote more than jingles. "He was an outstanding jazz pianist and wrote some wonderful jazz ballads. He wrote some wonderful serious music, too, but little of it remains. I have a copy of an amazing setting he did of the Prayer of St. Francis," he concluded. You can hear historic variations on the the All Things Considered theme by visiting WFMU's (New Jersey) blog here. A New Ashland Station is in the Works Wisconsin Public Radio's Ideas Network reaches throughout the state and connects individuals and families in a daily conversation about Wisconsin and the world. Every day, thousands of listeners ask questions and share their ideas about current The new station's signal will be 100 times stronger events and than the current station and reach communities community around Chequamegon Bay. concerns. Unfortunately, due to signal interference, not everyone in the Chequamegon Bay region has been part of the conversation. Fortunately, the Federal Communications Commission recently granted Wisconsin Public Radio permission to construct a new, full- powered, FM radio station in Ashland. The new signal will extend broadcast coverage of the Ideas Network to the entire Chequamegon Bay area. Last year, a federal matching grant was secured for $255,000 - 75% of the cost of the project. It requires a local match of $85,000 which must be secured by the end of 2011. Construction of WUWS 90.9 FM in Ashland will ensure a strong signal for the Ideas Network with its special mix of cultural enrichment, conversation, news, and information. If you have questions about the project, please contact Ginger Alden, Director of Major Giving, at [email protected]. Sneak Peaks at Upcoming Shows . Ideas Network Talk About Issues That Matter to You Monday May 23 at 3pm: Here on Earth: Inside Islam - Muslims, Mosques and American Identity. Hear a special rebroadcast of the Gabriel Award-winning episode Here on Earth's Inside Islam series.