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56-967: The A2SO began as a community orchestra in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1928. From 1935 to 1985, the Ann Arbor Civic Orchestra, renamed the Ann Arbor Civic Symphony Orchestra in 1952, provided concerts free of charge to the Ann Arbor Community in area school auditoriums, the Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan, the Michigan Theater, and the West Park Shell in Ann Arbor's West Park. The Orchestra maintained

112-597: A HAAT of 149 meters (489 ft) up on a tower near Goodrich , near the intersection of Kipp and Washburn roads. Until 2009, WFUM was the sister station of PBS affiliate WFUM-TV . The stations shared tower space, even after Central Michigan University (CMU) purchased the latter station in January 2010 and changed its callsign to WCMZ-TV later that year. CMU sold WCMZ-TV in the FCC spectrum auction in February 2017 and it

168-540: A charter member of NPR in 1971. It was one of the approximately 90 stations that aired the inaugural broadcast of All Things Considered . In 1995 the CPB informed the station that its audience was so small that its federal funding was in jeopardy, due to new rules in line with the drastically reduced funding for public broadcasting across the United States. Around the same time, the University of Michigan commissioned

224-794: A commitment to Ann Arbor artists to encourage youth involvement in music, and bring live, classical symphonic music to the city of Ann Arbor. They often teamed with other artistic and musical organizations like the Women's Chorale and the Ann Arbor Civic Ballet. By 1981, the orchestra had grown to 100 members. During this time, the orchestra had ten conductors, Warren Ketcham (1929-1931), Frederick Ernst (1931-1933), William Champion (1933-1941), Joseph E. Maddy (1941-1951), Orient Daley (1951-1955), Emil Raab (1955-1957), George C. Wilson (1957-1961), William Fitch (1961-1963), Emil Holz (1963-1972), and Edward Szabo (1972-1985). Throughout its history,

280-590: A fair signal in Flint. WFUM today operates with 17,500 watts of power. Its signal reaches the immediate area around Flint primarily but also can be heard in far northern parts of the Detroit metro area on selective radios. The current incarnation used the "-FM" extension because the WFUM callsign was also assigned to the University of Michigan's television station in Flint when the station first signed on, WFUM (TV). In 2009,

336-447: A letter to conductor George Wilson following the concert recognizing the importance of music in children's lives. These educational concerts continue to be an integral part of the mission of the present day Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. William Fitch became the orchestra's eighth conductor in 1961 and led the ensemble in its first radio broadcast on WUOM, now known as Michigan Radio . In 1963, Emil A. Holz, doctoral advisor and chairman of

392-418: A private (not public) study that recommended the university divest itself of the radio stations. The university decided against that plan. Donovan Reynolds became the university's director of broadcasting in 1996. He was immediately confronted with Michigan Radio's failing format, a $ 265,000 deficit, low staff morale, and the imminent threat of losing the stations' federal funding. Given a one-year deadline by

448-522: A radio teaching program. The radio program taught band and orchestra instrumentation with instruction books distributed by NBC. By 1936 their radio program aired five times per week, and believed to have reached 225,000 student listeners. It was sustained until 1940, and employed professional musicians to help with technique demonstrations. In 1928, Maddy formed the National High School Orchestra and Band Camp, incorporated as

504-633: A recipient of the Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award . He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron , an international professional music fraternity, and he received an honorary degree from Earlham College in 1965. Maddy died April 18, 1966, in Traverse City, Michigan . Maddy is buried in Traverse City's Oakwood Cemetery. In 2020, M-137 , a highway serving Interlochen Center for the Arts,

560-430: A significant disadvantage. The FCC granted a license for WUOM (for University of Michigan) at 91.7 in the brand new FM band; the station went on the air on July 5, 1948. Classical music made up a large chunk of the station's broadcast day until the late 1990s, when, faced with declining ratings and listener pledges, Michigan Radio changed its daytime programming to news and talk. Classical music programming continued for

616-661: A time at night and was eventually phased out altogether. WUOM, at 93,000 watts, is a "grandfathered superpower" station along with network sister station WVGR. According to the FCC, the same setup being newly licensed today would only be allotted 20.38 kilowatts from the same antenna height. WFUM (91.1 FM), formerly WFUM-FM, licensed to the University of Michigan , is the Flint affiliate of Michigan Public which began broadcasting on August 23, 1985. It broadcasts with 17,500 watts from

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672-729: Is a founding member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio International , American Public Media , and BBC World Service . Its main studio is located in Ann Arbor , with satellite studios in Flint and offices in Grand Rapids . It currently airs news and talk, which it has since July 1, 1996. The combined footprint of the five stations covers most of the southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan , from Muskegon to Detroit . All five stations broadcast in HD , albeit without any digital subchannels . WUOM (91.7 FM) in Ann Arbor

728-402: Is the flagship station of Michigan Public, broadcasting with a 93,000 watt transmitter from a 237 meters (778 ft) tower near Pinckney . The University of Michigan applied to the FCC on September 11, 1944, for a station at 43.1 FM (part of a band of frequencies used for testing of Frequency Modulation) with a power of 50,000 watts. At the time an assignment on the new FM band was seen as

784-495: Is the network's Port Huron affiliate. Originally WSGR-FM , it was a college radio station broadcasting an alternative rock and freeform format and licensed to St. Clair County Community College . The station provided an outlet to artists that normally wouldn't be played on commercial stations in the market. On December 6, 2017, the station signed off the air. On December 12, 2017, St. Clair County Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) announced it would be assuming control of

840-503: Is the network's newest affiliate, serving the state's capital city . After shutting down as an adult album alternative station on March 13, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic , it was resurrected as a Michigan Public (then known as Michigan Radio) affiliate on November 15, 2021. As part of a partnership between LCC and Michigan Public, locally-produced programming will continue to air on Saturdays at 1 PM and Sundays at 6 PM. Starting in

896-948: The BBC World Service as distributed by APM during the late night and early morning hours. In 2012, the station created its daily, locally produced talk show, Stateside , which covers a wide range of Michigan news and policy issues — as well as culture and lifestyle stories. Stateside was originally hosted by Cynthia Canty (Mon-Thu) and Lester Graham (Fri). The current host of Stateside is April Baer. Local hosts include Doug Tribou (mornings during Morning Edition), Christina Shockley (afternoons during All Things Considered) and Mike Perini (middays). The news staff includes Steve Carmody, Dustin Dwyer, Lindsey Smith, Kate Wells, Sarah Cwiek, Rebecca Kruth, Tracy Samilton, Sarah Hulett, and news director Vincent Duffy. Michigan Public produces The Environment Report , sports commentary from John U. Bacon,

952-669: The United States Navy . He was succeeded by the A2SO's fourth music director, Joseph E. Maddy , who had founded the National Music Camp at Interlochen and served as both supervisor of music in public schools in Ann Arbor and the Music Department head for the University of Michigan . Maddy led the group for ten years and grew the orchestra to 75 musicians. Orien Dalley succeeded Maddy in 1951 and conducted

1008-681: The 1920s, the University of Michigan Extension Service Bureau of Broadcasting produced programs for other radio stations; for instance, in November 1944, the Bureau of Broadcasting produced "Stump the Professor" for WJR in Detroit and "The Balkan States: Places and Nations in the News" for WKAR in East Lansing . (U of M actually had a short-lived AM station of their own, WCBC, in 1924–25.) In

1064-409: The 1970s and 1980s, WUOM hosted classical music Sunday through Friday, and jazz on Saturday afternoons. Radio plays were sometimes featured as well. Classical music host Peter Greenquist's "Morning Show" of classical music and news is much of the heart of the Ann Arbor community, and sportscaster Tom Hemingway could be heard across the city on football Saturdays, often telling stories about the history of

1120-428: The A2SO has relied upon the donations of area philanthropists, and since 1952 on the efforts of the Women's Association. However, starting in the late 1960s, these monies alone could not support the rising operational costs of the orchestra. To raise funds, the orchestra began hosting events to raise both money and awareness. However, the financial problems persisted. In 1985, in a controversial decision that coincided with

1176-560: The Ann Arbor Symphony was formed in 1952 with the goal of assisting with concerts, providing refreshments for players at rehearsals, and raising money both for the orchestra and for music scholarships for area youth. In 1976, Mayor Albert Wheeler declared May 16–22, 1976 “Geranium Week” in honor of the Annual Geranium Sale run by the Women's Association to benefit the symphony. The current executive director of

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1232-584: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting to turn around the stations' dismal audience and revenue figures, he decided that only radical change could save the organization. On July 1, 1996, he switched most of the station's classical music format to news and information, and began broadcasting the NPR News/Talk stream on the first day it was offered to stations. The decision was highly controversial. A group of classical music listeners, angered by

1288-418: The FCC on September 11, 1944 for a station at 43.1 FM (part of a band of frequencies used for testing of Frequency Modulation) with a power of 50,000 watts; by 1947, the new station was given the call letters WATX and was assigned to 42.1 FM. (At the time, a station on the new FM band was seen as being at a significant disadvantage.) The FCC granted a license for WUOM (for University of Michigan) at 91.7 in

1344-787: The National High School Orchestra Camp on July 6, 1927. The camp exists today as the Interlochen Center for the Arts , and has spawned several complementary entities including Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen College of the Creative Arts and Interlochen Public Radio in Interlochen, Michigan . In 1941, Maddy became the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra 's fourth music director after conductor William Champion

1400-546: The TV station was sold to Central Michigan University and the call letters changed to WCMZ-TV , so WFUM-FM adopted the simplified call letters WFUM. WVGR (Vogt Grand Rapids, after Fred Vogt, who led the campaign for public radio in the area) has been broadcasting since December 7, 1961. It covers West Michigan with a powerful 96,000-watt signal. WVGR had long operated at 108,000 watts from rented space on NBC affiliate WOOD-TV 's tower, but had to move in 1999 because WOOD needed

1456-455: The Town," "Record Rarities," "Hymns of Freedom," "Angell Hall Playhouse," and "Tea-Time Tunes." The station also offered live play-by-play of Michigan football games that month, as well as two live concerts from Hill Auditorium - recitals featuring University of Michigan faculty. Some of the programs featured recorded music, but nearly all programs were performed live to air in the first days. By

1512-433: The University of Michigan, became the group's second director in 1931. He led the musicians in their first major performance, which included Franz von Suppé 's Poet and Peasant Overture . Ernst conducted 18 performances in Ann Arbor, Petersberg , Saline , and Hartland . William Champion became the third conductor of the ensemble in 1933 and led a group of 30 musicians. In 1941, Champion was called into military service with

1568-472: The air at its current 91.1 frequency since August 23, 1985 when it first signed on as WFUM-FM. The original WFUM operated at 107.1 MHz during the 1950s and was also a simulcast of WUOM. WFUM (FM) was shut down after WUOM increased its power to 115,000 watts, giving it adequate coverage of Flint and meaning that WFUM, which operated with only 400 watts of power, was no longer necessary. WUOM has since reduced its power to 93,000 watts, but still can be heard with

1624-775: The brand new FM band; the station went on the air in 1948, broadcasting from studios in Angell Hall on the UM campus. In 1949 the station moved across the street to newly completed studios on the fifth floor of the Administration Building, now known as the Literature, Science & Arts Building. Michigan Radio remained in those studios until August 23, 2003, when it moved off campus to the Argus Building on Ann Arbor's Old West Side. The university toyed with

1680-735: The camp. By 1949, Maddy had grown the orchestra to a full-sized symphony with seventy-five musicians listed in the orchestra's attendance book. He was succeeded by Orien Dalley in 1951. Maddy published and collaborated on the Universal Teacher, Tritone Folio, the Willis Graded School Orchestra and Band Series, and the Modern School Graded Orchestra Books. He was a member of the Epsilon chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia , and

1736-496: The commercial radio networks, it produced nearly all the programs it broadcast in the early days. The program guide for October 1949 shows the station on the air from 12:00pm–10:00pm on weekdays (the station had just expanded into evenings), with a few hours of programs on Saturday and Sunday. The programs listed in the 1949 guide include "From the Classrooms," "Songs of France," "Tell Me, Professor," "Especially for Women," "Around

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1792-442: The community and instrument petting zoos wherein children have hands-on encounters with musical instruments. They also perform an annual concert held for middle school students, running fundraisers to offset bussing costs for attending schools with need. For a number of years, scholarships were granted to local music students for summer music programs. Joseph E. Maddy Joseph Edgar Maddy (October 14, 1892 – April 18, 1966)

1848-613: The early 1940s, the university applied for a new radio station, but was turned down by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as there were no available frequencies on the AM band at the time. (WPAG, now WTKA , would become Ann Arbor's first permanent radio station in 1945.) Around this time, U of M began working on plans for a statewide network of four FM stations to be located in Ann Arbor, Mount Pleasant , Manistique and Houghton . The university applied to

1904-407: The early 1950s, many of these shows were being transcribed and sent to other stations. In the mid 1960s, the station had the largest staff of any FM radio station in the country. WUOM produced programs that were broadcast throughout Michigan on commercial and educational stations, and many of its programs aired around the country. The tapes were "bicycled" from one educational station to another. In

1960-888: The few conducting courses in the country. and also conducted the Michigan All State High School Orchestra. While teaching in 1925, Maddy organized the first National High School Orchestra to play for the Music Supervisors National Conference (MSNC) in Detroit in 1926. In 1927, Maddy was invited to bring the National High School Orchestra of over 250 High School musicians from 39 states, to the MSNC in Dallas that year. While in Ann Arbor, Maddy also pursued other approaches to music education by developing teaching materials in collaboration with Thaddeus P. Giddings for

2016-414: The format change and the termination of four employees, petitioned the University of Michigan Board of Regents to reverse the changes, saying they were based on "dubious research" and had alienated the stations' core audience and contributors. But the next fund-drive, only four months later, was the most successful in the stations' history. Within 18 months, the stations' accumulated deficit was eliminated,

2072-477: The game that only such local "townies" would be able to remember. In the 1980s, the station added a nationally syndicated New Age music program, Music from the Hearts of Space, as well as an hour of more eclectic music before the midnight sign-off, featuring the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club. WUOM's popularity gradually decreased from the height of the 1960s, though it still retained enough prestige to become

2128-580: The idea of opening a TV outlet in the early 1950s: WUOM-TV was assigned a construction permit for Channel 26 in 1953, but never made it to the air. (The following year, the Educational Television and Radio Center (ETRC) moved to Ann Arbor; the ETRC shifted to New York City in 1958 and eventually became National Educational Television , forerunner to the modern Public Broadcasting Service .) WFUM (for Flint University of Michigan) has been on

2184-572: The latest political happenings in Lansing on It's Just Politics and That's What They Say , a weekend feature from UM English Professor Anne Curzan that explores our changing language and discusses why we say what we say. In 2018, reporters Kate Wells and Lindsey Smith produced " Believed ," a podcast on the Larry Nassar case which went on to win a Peabody Award . Michigan Sports Network , which airs football and men's basketball games of

2240-470: The music education department at the University of Michigan, became the ninth music director of the orchestra. He led until 1972 when he was succeeded by Edward Szabo. Carl St.Clair became the orchestra's eleventh conductor in 1985. With this change in leadership, the orchestra began to charge admission for the first time in its 57-year history. St.Clair led the orchestra for seven years and was succeeded in 1992 by Samuel Wong . During Wong's time as conductor,

2296-1050: The number of listeners increased by 30%, and revenue increased so quickly the $ 1.5 million budget was increased to $ 2.5 million. The stations' federal funding had been saved. By 2002, Michigan Radio was one of the fastest growing public radio stations in the country and the 11th most listened to NPR station. As one of the first successful news/talk public radio stations on FM, Michigan Radio may have helped influence similarly transitions to that format by stations including WUNC in Chapel Hill, North Carolina , WBUR-FM in Boston, WAMU in Washington, DC, KPCC in Pasadena, California , WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and WBEZ in Chicago. For several years after 1996, Michigan Radio's rise

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2352-488: The orchestra began its annual tradition of celebrating the birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with an all-Mozart program held every January, a tradition that continues to this day. Arie Lipsky was hired as the A2SO's thirteenth conductor in 2000. Lipsky led the orchestra in its first performance of an opera with Georges Bizet 's Carmen in 2002. Lipsky resigned from his position as Music Director in June 2019. In August 2019,

2408-442: The orchestra for four years until 1955 when Emil Raab became the sixth music director. Raab conducted for two years until he was succeeded by George C. Wilson, Vice President of the National Music Camp at Interlochen, now known as Interlochen Center for the Arts . During Wilson's time as conductor, the orchestra gave its first official youth concert to 1,500 children. Jack Elzay, the superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools , wrote

2464-416: The orchestra is Sarah Calderini. Philip Potts was the first conductor of the ensemble and served for one year from 1928 to 1929. A year later, the ensemble solicited help from Warren Ketcham, a student at the University of Michigan's School of Music, to become their first conductor. After doubling in size, the musicians adopted the name "Ann Arbor Community Orchestra." Frederick Ernst, another music student at

2520-636: The orchestra's 2022-23 season opener at Hill Auditorium, leading a program of Carlos Simon , Sergei Rachmaninoff , and Ludwig van Beethoven on September 9, 2022. The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra provides opportunities for music education in the Southeastern Michigan area. The A2SO presents two annual youth concerts (including a partnership with the Link Up program through Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI), KinderConcerts (at local libraries), ensemble performances in local schools and

2576-466: The organization launched a music director search to name Lipsky's replacement, receiving over 225 applications from around the world. Across the 2021-22 season, the orchestra auditioned six Music Director finalists, each of whom conducted a classical main stage performance with selected repertoire. On June 9, 2022, the A2SO announced the appointment of Earl Lee as the orchestra's fourteenth Music Director. Lee made his official debut in director capacity at

2632-560: The somewhat abrupt replacement of conductor Edward Szabo with Carl St.Clair , the A2SO began charging admission for concerts. This move quickly resulted in a much larger budget from marketing campaigns and ticket sales. The increased budget allowed the orchestra to attain a higher standard of professionalism, which attracted better musicians and soloists, performed more concerts, and bolstered its reputation in Ann Arbor and nationally. Conductors Samuel Wong (1992-1999) and Arie Lipsky (2000-2019) continued this tradition. The Women's Association of

2688-406: The space for its HDTV transmitter. It temporarily moved to CBS affiliate WWMT 's tower while it raised money for a new tower of its own. WVGR was forced to downgrade to a mono signal at 20,000 watts, but resumed broadcasting from its own tower in the fall of 2006. WUOM quickly established itself as one of the leading educational broadcasters. Because the station was not affiliated with any of

2744-567: The station and moving its studios to its Technical Education Center in Marysville, Michigan and join its digital media technology program. The transfer of WSGR-FM's license was consummated on July 9, 2018. On August 17, 2018, RESA changed the station's call sign to WRSX, with all programming supplied from Michigan Public (at the time known as Michigan Radio) as a simulcast of Ann Arbor station WUOM 91.7 starting on September 4, 2018. WLNZ (89.7 FM), licensed to Lansing Community College (LCC),

2800-523: Was a case study in the public radio industry, including in Iowa, where the Bornstein and Associates Report on Iowa Public Radio consolidation devotes a chapter to studying Michigan Radio's format change. The Michigan Radio network rebranded as Michigan Public on January 10, 2024. Michigan Public provides a variety of programs from NPR and American Public Media . In addition, Michigan Public broadcasts

2856-789: Was an American music educator and conductor. He was born in Wellington, Kansas on Octobert 14, 1892. Both of his parents were teachers. He attended Wichita College of Music in Wichita, Kansas , where he studied violin and later joined the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra . He was also the first music supervisor of instrumental music in America in 1918 in Rochester, New York . After a short time in Rochester, he

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2912-532: Was called into service with the United States Navy . In honor of Champion, Maddy led the orchestra in a song pageant, “Battle Songs of Freedom,” at the U. S. Navy Service School in Dearborn, Michigan in 1942. Maddy maintained strong ties to the National Music Camp at Interlochen and helped to establish the Langford youth scholarships along with symphony supporters. This scholarship enabled local students to attend

2968-598: Was decommissioned by the Michigan Department of Transportation . Upon the roadway's handover to the Grand Traverse County Road Commission, the roadway was renamed to the "J. Maddy Parkway". Michigan Radio Michigan Public (known until 2024 as Michigan Radio ) is a network of five FM public radio stations operated by the University of Michigan through its broadcasting arm, Michigan Public Media. The network

3024-534: Was encouraged by Will Earhart to take a job at Morton High School in Richmond, Indiana to revive the outstanding school and community music program Earhart had developed there some years earlier. He remained in Richmond for four years. In 1924, Maddy was invited to Ann Arbor to be the supervisor of music in public schools and the Music Department head for the University of Michigan , where he developed one of

3080-466: Was forced to cut its power to 20,000 watts from space on CBS affiliate WWMT 's tower. It moved to its own tower near Wayland in 2006 and boosted its power to 96,000 watts, largely restoring its original coverage area. WVGR is a "grandfathered superpower" Class B , FM station. The maximum power that would be granted today, would be 23,500 watts effective radiated power , using the same antenna height of 221 meters (725 ft). WRSX (91.3 FM)

3136-457: Was shut down in April 2018. WVGR (104.1 FM), licensed to the University of Michigan, is the Grand Rapids affiliate of Michigan Public which began broadcasting on December 7, 1961. For almost 40 years, WVGR blanketed West Michigan with a powerful 108,000-watt signal from an arm on local NBC affiliate WOOD-TV 's tower. However, when WOOD-TV needed WVGR's old space for an HD transmitter, WVGR

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