For nearly a month, the Public Radio Tulsa studios have been closed to everyone but the news team. This means that many of the local shows on 88.7 and 89.5 have been in reruns for the past few weeks. My own show, Classical Tulsa, was in that same boat – until now, that is: I’ve just finished setting up ahome studio, so I can record new episodes while I shelter in place!
Recording at home is harder than you might think. I couldn’t count on mail-ordering any new equipment, so I was limited to what I had on hand, which meant rummaging through my kitchen cabinets for an old canister to use as a microphone stand. But it was only once I had set everything up that the real challenge became apparent: houses are very noisy! Even after banishing my wall clock and oiling my office chair, I still have to work around my neighbors’ lawn-mowing schedules and the occasional avian guest.
But being able to play my favorite music on the airwaves each week makes it all worthwhile. And I think you’ll be hard pressed to say which episodes were recorded at home and which came from the studio. Of course, with no concerts taking place, I’ll have to get creative with my programming, but I have some ideas. After this week’s episode recapping the latest postponements, I have shows planned on music for solo instruments – just the thing for social distancing – plus an intro to some of Beethoven’s lesser-known contemporaries and much more. I hope you’ll join me every Friday at noon on Classical 88.7 HD1!
