Now, What Am I to DO?

I can not breathe if the radio is not on. Every morning at 7, I get two hours of NPR news on the local station WUOT -- the 60-year of radio of the University of TN. Then I listen to Daniel Berry from 9 until almost noon.

I have to admit that one of the requirements of a community in my mind is a good, consistant radio station with a defined mission. So when we (Husband and I) were considering our move here, I liked WUOT -- granted, just for the snatches of classics we heard in the car.

But when we moved here, I instantly was impressed by Mr. Berry. Educated in vocal music but with encyclopedic command of mucial history, Mr. Berry makes every morning interesting. He also has a Monday evening program dedicated to playing rare recordings of operatic stars of many years ago, pointing out strengths and weaknesses and their historical places in the international world of opera. He has the bearing of a professional performer as much as a teacher--he was a stage actor in opera long before becoming a radio announcer--and nobody else in the mass media that we see or hear ever has as much fun with it as he seems to.

Last night just after the closing number - sung by bass Ezio Pinza, on of my favorites -- Mr. Berry announced that he will be retiring in two months to go in a different direction. Well, I almost cried.

Whatever Mr. Berry is planning, I know he will be a success. But how will the rest of us continue our musical eduations?

PS. Does the playing of Scheherazade signal the convening of a staff meeting?