ON AIR DECEMBER 2015 NPR Recaps 2015 Simply Folk Change Help Us Tell our Story Final Forte Winter in Wisconsin Featured Photo Thank you for making our year-end membership drive great! More than 2,100 listeners pledged, A Look Back at 2015 On-Air and Online and thanks to our partnership with Second As we close out 2015, we're reflecting on some of the great Harvest Food Bank, conversations facilitated on WPR throughout the year. A few of our nearly 27,000 meals will hosts and producers took the time to share some of their favorite be provided to Wisconsin stories or interviews from 2015. Here are a few shows worth families in need. listening to before the year is up! Drynuary, or Giving Up Alcohol for the Month of January Is Drynuary on your list of resolutions for 2016? John Ore has kicked off the past eight years with a full month free of alcohol. He tells us what can be gained from the practice of Drynuary. Mourning Lincoln Martha Hodes' book "Mourning Lincoln" gives a unique perspective on Abraham Lincoln's assassination, with many original sources and reactions to his death from both those who loved him and those who didn't. Believe It or Not, a Slice of Desert-Like Environment Thrives in Southwestern Wisconsin Desert land in Wisconsin ... who knew? Spring Green is home to vegetation you may expect to find in the southwestern United States but not in southwestern Wisconsin! Better to Love Math Than to Fear It Some of us find math to be anxiety-inducing, but UW-Madison Professor Melanie Matchett Wood had an infectious enthusiasm that made us appreciate the beauty of math! Gun Culture Among Milwaukee Youth Gun culture in Milwaukee has been a topic of much discussion lately. Just last month, we welcomed three Milwaukee leaders who are on the frontlines of steering youth away from violence. Sound Bites Celebrated Cuban Bandleader Visits UW-Madison Jazz Night in America Juan de Marcos (pictured) is well-known worldwide for his work with will replace Riverwalk the Buena Vista Social Club and the Afro Cuban All Stars, and he Jazz starting January 1, spent much of this year in residence at UW-Madison. 2016 Riverwalk Jazz, which airs on WPR's News & NPR Names Best Books Classical Music stations, and Music of 2015 will no longer be available for stations to broadcast Whether you're looking for a gift for after December 31. As a a book-lover, music-lover or replacement, WPR has entertainment to stock your e- chosen NPR's Jazz Night reader/iPod/smartphone for the in America, hosted by coming cold, snowy days of winter, award-winning bassist NPR has some suggestions to help and educator Christian you find a perfect selection. McBride. The one-hour program will air on Friday NPR's Book Reviews nights at 9 p.m. beginning Follow the link above for a list of January 1. NPR's book reviews of 2015. Plus, you can listen to Maureen Corrigan's piece on her best reads of 2015: "Short stories and Learn more about the fragmented, intense memoirs dominate my best books list, along change and the with the incredible true story of a short-haired dog." Listen here. program here. NPR Book Concierge Once again NPR has assembled a large selection of this year's Holiday Program books along with precise filters to help sift and winnow through to Specials find your next read. Looking for a young adult love story that's rather WPR is your home for long? Select your filters, and you're on your way. seasonal music, entertainment and talk. All Songs Considered: The Year in Music 2015 Santa Claus is coming to Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton are joined by NPR Music's Ann Powers take calls from kids on and Stephen Thompson for an attempt to digest the entire year in The Larry Meiller Show, music in just 90 minutes. Listen here. Then check out Bob Boilen's the Capitol Steps will give top 10 albums of 2015. their hilarious annual review of the year in politics, and much more! BEHIND THE SCENES See a full schedule of holiday program specials at wpr.org/holidays. Take a Classical Music River Cruise with WPR In October 2016, we'll be cruising down the Danube River on a classical music adventure hosted by Norman Gilliland, and you're Simply Folk Host Stephanie Elkins Steps Down to invited to join us! See Focus on Morning Classics Prague, Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna by river ship, and visit the After hosting Simply Folk for the past five years, Stephanie Elkins places Mozart loved has decided to end her role as primary producer and host. The shift most. in duties will allow her to devote more time to classical music programs, including her role as the weekday host of Morning Click here for all the Classics. details. "This was a difficult decision for me, but I think it's best for listeners to both programs. I dearly love the Simply Folk community and I will NPR Announces stay connected to the show behind the scenes," Stephanie said. Second Tiny Desk "And, although I'll no longer host the show, I look forward to filling in Contest from time to time." Back by popular demand, NPR is giving unknown Stephanie will continue to host the program, with support from Jeff bands and musicians all Durkee and Sile Shigley, while WPR conducts a national search for over the country a chance her replacement. You can find the vacancy announcement ---- to perform at NPR's Tiny Producer/Host for Simply Folk ---- and application details at Desk in Washington, D.C. wpr.org/jobs. The contest is open for entries January 12 If you have questions about Simply Folk or other WPR programs, through February 2. share your ideas with us anytime by emailing [email protected] or calling Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444. Click here for all the details. Take Our Short Survey ---- Help Us Tell Our Story Quick Links If you value the programs and WPR Online service WPR brings to your home Donate Now and community, we want to hear from you. NPR Online We've set up a simple, one-page Listen Live to Ideas online survey where you can let us Ideas Schedule know how you use the news, information, music and entertainment you hear on WPR Listen Live to News & and NPR. Music News & Music Schedule The survey will take less than five minutes, and your input will help us tell our story in the coming year. Thank you! Be Part of WPR's Online Click here to take the one-page survey. Community AROUND WISCONSIN Free Event: Final Forte Concert Live in Madison, January 29 The Final Forte returns with four of Wisconsin's brightest young musicians vying for top honors in the concluding round of the Bolz Young Artist Competition. On Friday, January 29, pianists Audrianna Wu of Madison and Liam Mayo of Green Bay, violinist Tabby Rhee of Brookfield, and marimbist Robert Rockman of Sun Prairie (pictured above, left to right) will each perform as a soloist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in Overture Hall at the Overture Center for the Arts. The concert will be hosted by NPR's Christopher O'Riley and WPR's Lori Skelton and is presented by the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Public Television and Wisconsin Public Radio. This year's performance will be broadcast live on WPR's NPR News & Classical Music Network and online at wpr.org. The Final Forte is open to the public and free to attend, but reservations are required. You can make your reservation here. No tickets will be issued. Your confirmation will automatically be sent via email. Seating is general admission in select areas of the hall. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and close at 6:45 p.m. due to the broadcast, and the event begins at 7 p.m. Click here for more information about the 2016 Final Forte. Winter Is No Match for These Wisconsinites Love it or hate it, winter is an unavoidable part of life in Wisconsin. The weather outside might be frightful, but Wisconsin Life shares the stories of the people and places that make Wisconsin feel like home, and there are plenty of stories about enjoying this cold season. You might look up at the night sky to see a universe of stars and planets visible in winter's long hours of darkness. Or turn your snow piles into a work of art. Frozen grapes are no problem for makers of ice wine. No snow, cold or ice keeps this Wisconsinite from his bike or this man from capturing the eerie booms and cracks of ice on Lake Superior. Find more ways that people enjoy winter in Wisconsin on Wisconsin Life ---- Wednesdays and Fridays during Morning Edition, Mondays and Wednesdays during Central Time, and Fridays during The Joy Cardin Show or anytime at WisconsinLife.org. Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved..