Dear Friend of WDAV,

The next few days promise to be noteworthy indeed, with the 80th anniversary observation of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the inauguration of the first African-American President of the United States, Barack H. Obama. We believe this is an important moment in our cultural history, as classical music is a key component to both of these milestone events. I am writing to you now to invite you to read about - and listen to - WDAV’s Inauguration Week and King Holiday coverage. We'll come to you direct from the steps of the U.S. Capitol, from Dr. King's hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, and from the studios of WDAV with our locally-produced Inauguration Week commemorative programming.

You'll find a full schedule of these programs on the WDAV website, and I've added a post on WDAV's blog, Classical Musings, exploring the musical core of Dr. King's life and message. I hope you'll take a moment to read them, and I encourage you to share your comments with other WDAV listeners.

When Barack Obama becomes the 44th President of the United States on January 20th, it will be to the accompaniment of a 'rainbow coalition' of classical musicians. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, born in Paris to Chinese-American parents, will be joined by Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman, a young African-American clarinetist named Anthony McGill, and Brazilian pianist Gabriela Montero. Isn't this exactly the kind of event Dr. King envisioned? It's invigorating to think about the juxtaposition of these two celebrations - King Day and the Obama Inauguration - and the integral role music can play in bringing Americans together. We are pleased to offer this Inauguration Week commemorative programming. I hope you enjoy the music - and the meaning - in our King Day and Inauguration broadcasts.

As always, thank you for your support of WDAV. I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Yours,

Benjamin K. Roe
General Manager, WDAV 89.9 Classical Public Radio

WDAV Homepage
unsubscribe