American Public Media Announces John Birge the New Host for YourClassical's Composers Datebook
ST. PAUL, Minn., April 17, 2019 – American Public Media (APM) has announced a new host for YourClassical’s Composers Datebook, the award-winning program about this day in classical music history. On May 1, retiring and long-time host John Zech will officially pass the baton to a well-known name at Classical Minnesota Public Radio, John Birge.
Birge is currently the morningdrive host of Classical MPR and starts up the Mozart for classical music loverswho need a civilized wake-up call to go along with their morning coffee. He willcontinue to host Classical Music weekday mornings. He has been hosting,producing and performing classical music for more than 20 years. Presently, heis also heard on APM holiday specials including Giving Thanks: A Celebrationof Fall, Food and Gratitude and Welcome Christmas!
The decision to host anotherprogram at APM was an easy one for Birge.
“Composers Datebook is thebest time machine on the radio,” Birge said. “I am honored to take themicrophone, and I’m especially looking forward to adding new destinations anddiscoveries in the future.”
Composers Datebook informs,engages and entertains audiences with relevant information about past andpresent composers. Each episode delivers momentous musical events and relevantpieces of classical musical history for that day. The music is only one part ofthe program; listeners will also be captured by the fascinating back stories ofcomposers and the history of classical music, bringing classical music to newgenerations of fans everywhere.
YourClassicalis a collection of curated streams, unique programs and relevant features topromote calm and focus. Composers Datebook is produced by APM inassociation with the American Composers Forum (ACF). Initial support for theprogram was made possible by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Thecreator of the series and its principal writer is John Michel of ACF.
Listen and subscribe toYourClassical Composers Datebook here. Radiobroadcast listeners can check their local public radio station’s schedule tosee if the program is available for daily listening in their area.
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About American PublicMedia
American Public Media® is the nationalprogramming division of Minnesota Public Radio® and reaches 20 million listeners via approximately 1,000 radiostations nationwide each week. APM is one of the largest producers anddistributors of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio thatincludes BBC World Service, Marketplace®, and the leading classical musicprograms in the nation. APM offers a diverse array of podcasts featuring thebest in food, culture, entertainment, business and investigative journalism. Formore information on APM, visit americanpublicmedia.org.
Source: Data are copyright Nielsen Audio, Nationwide DMA data, Persons 12+, Fall ‘18. Data are estimates only.