As we’ve mentioned throughout the year, when WXXI-FM 91.5 signed on the air on December 23, 1974 (this is the station’s first program log), the schedule represented a mixed format of eclectic music, news and talk programming. Public broadcasting was in its formative years. It had been just seven years since then President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 (Nov), dedicating a portion of the radio spectrum “to the people.”
The early years were a time of trying and testing all kinds of programming, both locally and nationally. Many of the programs we know today hadn’t even been imagined, but would soon become staples of public radio. All Things Considered (1971), A Prairie Home Companion (1974), With Heart and Voice (1975), Morning Edition (1979), all became flagship programs of public radio. (pictured Dec 1975 first “birthday” cake)
In 1976 WXXI FM 91.5 began broadcasting Philharmonic Preview, a series of short features with RPO guest artists. In 1977 WXXI began airing complete concerts from the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. This photo from December 1987 shows the announcement of Jerzy Semkov’s appointment as Interim Conductor of the RPO. (from left to right are David Glerum, midday host, Tony Dechario, RPO General Manager, Alan Bunin, RPO broadcast host, and William Pearce, President of WXXI).
Of course most listeners will remember the two hosts that book-ended the broadcast day for more than 30 years: Simon Pontin and Mordecai Lipshutz (d. 2014).
Simon’s Super Scintillating Sunshine Show started with “the birds” each morning at 6:00am, something that listeners grew to love and depend upon. When Simon retired in 2009 listeners overwhelmingly requested that Classical 91.5 continue “the birds” which we still do today. And his Saturday program, Salmagundy was an eclectic mix of whatever was to strike Simon’s fancy on a Saturday morning. As Christmas approached, listeners could be treated to such favorites as Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer and Yet Another Partridge in a Pear Tree in which Cynthia Bracegirdle gets far more than she bargained for at Christmas.
Mordecai Lipshutz is remembered for his afternoon drivetime programming, fondly referred to as “Mordecai in your motorcar.” Mordecai also loved his waltzes, dogs, big cars, cigars, fine wines and The New York Times, and he could often be heard shouting “Bravo” from the balcony at the Eastman Theatre.
Through his career Mordecai also hosted Toast and Jamboree, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra broadcasts and Live from Hochstein. One of his favorite things was hosting Hochstein’s annual A Cup of Good Cheer holiday program which often featured “MordeClaus” in his stocking hat, reading Christmas stories or leading the live audience in singing Carols for the season.
These two pillars of Classical 91.5 have been memorialized in WXXI tchotchkes as those shown below. If you missed getting a Simon or Mordecai bobblehead, keep an eye out in local antique and second hand shops. They’ve been known to pop up on occasion.
WXXI Classical 91.5 has grown and changed significantly through the years. Thanks to listener and member support, you have allowed Music Directors David Glerum, Lauri Dishman, Carl Pultz, Julia Figueras (pictured) and Mona Seghatoleslami to grow our classical CD library to nearly 30,000 CDs, representing music from the early Renaissance to music being composed today.
In the 20-teens orchestras were significantly under fire for the lack of representation of women and Black people both in the orchestras themselves, and in the repertoire being presented. WXXI Classical saw the opportunity to take active measures to promote diversity and inclusion in classical music. WXXI Classical immediately began seeking out, purchasing and presenting recordings by and featuring musicians of underrepresented groups. Today our library includes selections by musicians, conductors and composers who are: women, of Black/African heritage, Latino/a/x heritage, Pacific Islander heritage, Asian heritage, Middle-Eastern heritage, Native/Indigenous heritage, and from LGBTQ+ and disabled communities.
All of WXXI Classical’s hosts “live the brand” and embrace the following inclusion statement:
As Rochester’s all-classical public radio service, WXXI Classical strives to curate and present music programming that reflects WXXI’s values of quality, respect, integrity, inclusivity and honesty. WXXI Classical’s core repertoire represents all eras and genres of vocal and instrumental music, while reflecting the diverse voices in our community, and regularly incorporates performances by local and regional musicians. This commitment to and respect for quality, diversity, equity and inclusion will be evident across all of WXXI Classical’s platforms.
Speaking of our commitment to local and regional musicians, WXXI Classical has, for the past several years, partnered with ensembles and performing arts festivals in the Finger Lakes and Upstate New York to present an annual broadcast series of concerts called Performance Upstate, hosted and produced by Brenda Tremblay. This series began as a way to keep regional performing arts organizations in front of the eyes and ears of their patrons during the COVID 19 pandemic when audiences could not gather for concerts. Some of the ensembles and organizations that have submitted concerts to be included are: Concentus Women’s Choir, Cordancia Chamber Orchestra, the Empire Film and Media Ensemble, ESM, Finger Lakes Opera, First Inversion, fivebyfive, Madrigalia, Musica Spei, Nazareth, Pegasus Early Music, Penfield Symphony, Publick Musick, Rochester Oratorio Society, the Society for Chamber Music, VOICES, and several music festivals including: Geneva, Gateways, Chamberfest Canandaigua, Glimmerglass and Skaneateles. After the first year of the series, the ensembles were so grateful for WXXI Classical’s commitment to sharing their concerts, that the series has continued every year. Partnerships with local and regional artists and ensembles is what your support makes possible, and what makes WXXI Classical so special.
Moving on to secure this music for the next 50 years, WXXI Classical has launched a huge project to secure and digitize the collection which you have helped us grow. This is a monumental task that is being spearheaded by Music Director Mona Seghatoleslami with the help of our hosts, several interns, and a part-time library technician (pictured here) whose position is being funded by a local donor.
Although completion of the project will probably take another two years, you are already beginning to hear digital audio files being shared on air, reducing our dependency upon aging CD players.
The future is now, and together we can do more good for the Greater Rochester community of classical music lovers.
