A Q&A with WFMT’s General

and create a welcoming on-ramp for new listeners.

As we approach this celebratory and evolutionary moment, we sat down with George Preston and Oliver Camacho to discuss the 70th anniversary festivities and how they plan to kickstart the next seventy years of WFMT.

The Guide: WFMT’s 70th anniversary will be marked with a “Day of Celebration” on Monday, December 13 (see page 24 for details). 70 years is a lot of time to encapsulate into one day of programming. Tell us about how you approached putting the day together.

George Preston: Part of it was highlighting the important institutional relationships that WFMT has. And of course, we wanted a good mix of performances. We’ve got two string quartets; a piano trio; two singers from Ryan Opera Center; the Music of the Baroque chorus in a smaller configuration than usual; Anne Harris, a wonderful folk crossover violinist; and a wind quintet from the Chicago Sinfonietta. We wanted to make sure that the repertoire for the day reflects a rich mix of different creators.

as programmers to really listen to the music we are putting on the radio with fresh ears, and think to ourselves, “What are the most exciting things that we can put in the mix?” I think that new audiences for classical music do not necessarily know what the most famous pieces are in the same way that folks did 30 and 40 years ago. And so, in a way, we have a great opportunity to put music on the air that just sounds wonderful and resonates emotionally with people, whether it is famous or not. What we hear from our listeners very consistently is that they love the wide variety of the music that we play. We are hearing from people that they really appreciate the mix they are hearing, that they are understanding in a new way that classical music is a living and evolving artform. Camacho: I am also really trying to George Preston and Oliver Camacho emphasize the local ties of our music. This month, we’ll play the Messiah, starring a soprano who is a homegrown Baroque diva who now has a thriving international career. Robbie is doing a Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative show on Introductions, and then we’ll play Christmas From DePaul for the first time.

The Guide: How does this anniversary fit into the ongoing work of the station? The Guide: Why do you think this work is especially important today?

Preston: A lot of the problems facing the world are extremely daunting, and the resolution of these problems is not clear. But one thing we can do to help is make sure that the world has easy access to great music and great art, whether it is for reassurance, solace, inspiration, or beauty. People have always turned to art to find their way through dark places.

Oliver Camacho: Thinking about legacy and traditions, this anniversary coincides with our really taking a look at the library and deciding which are the pieces we want to make sure we are centering. Removing old-fashioned interpretations and making sure that we hold on to the historical performances that are categorically agreed upon as a master interpretation. Part of that is asking, “Who are the new artists that are coming through?” And of course, “Who are the new composers that we are adding to that mix?”

The Guide: Finally, how do you feel now, as we approach this exciting celebration?

The 70th anniversary also coincides with an exciting time for our host team. We have the anchors of our veteran hosts, and we also have new paths of programming that are happening because of collaborations with LaRob K. Rafael, Kristina Lynn, and Robbie Ellis. Preston: Right now, I am grateful for the amazing team that we have at WFMT for all the work they put in, and for our long legacy of respecting listeners and presenting a broad range of music. I am more excited than I have ever been to be working in classical music and seeing what lies ahead.

Preston: I think this moment also sees us challenging ourselves This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Celebrating PBS NewsHour

Explore how this award-winning newscast has set the standard for broadcast journalism. Go behind the scenes and meet the reporters, editors, producer, and on-air team to discover how this national treasure comes together. Friday, December 3, 8:00 pm

Programmer’s Picks on WTTW11

Mary Berry’s Country House at Christmas

Mary Berry visits Harewood House in Yorkshire as it prepares for Christmas on a grand scale, and demonstrates how to make delicious recipes inspired by festive dishes of the past. Friday, December 17, 8:00 pm

POV: Unapologetic

Meet Janaé and Bella, two abolitionists whose upbringing and experiences shape their activism and views on Black liberation. Go inside the ongoing movement work that transformed Chicago, from the murder of Rekia Boyd to the election of Mayor Lightfoot. Monday, December 27, 9:00 pm

See page 6 for information about WTTW Prime listings.

Wednesday 1

EARLY MORNING 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 Brain Fitness Program

Discover the inner workings of the brain and how we can harness the power of its neuroplasticity to make positive changes in our lives.

In the Spotlight

Geoffrey Baer

Beyond Chicago from the Air

Join Geoffrey Baer as he narrates another breathtaking journey via drone to explore regional sights beyond Chicago in summer, fall, and winter. Soar, swoop, and dive through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Cahokia Mounds, Starved Rock State Park in peak fall colors, Morton Arboretum, and Sagawau Canyon in Chicago’s southwest suburbs. With Geoffrey as your tour guide, experience speedboat and snowmobile racing on the Chain o’ Lakes, the mighty Mississippi River aboard a paddleboat, ski jumping in Fox River Grove, and much more.

Wednesday, December 1 7:30 pm

Photo: WTTW / Ken Carl

2:00 Deepak Chopra: The Spiritual Laws of Success

Explore how understanding our true nature can lead to a sense of well-being, good health, fulfilling relationships, enthusiasm for life and material abundance.

3:30 Overcoming Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Grief with Daniel Amen, MD

Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen and his wife Tana Amen, an ICU nurse and author, will show you how to feel happier, more positive, and more in control of your own emotions.

MORNING-AFTERNOON 5:30-5:30 WTTW Kids 5:30 BBC World News America

EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 7:30 Beyond Chicago from the Air

Join narrator Geoffrey Baer on another breathtaking journey via drone to explore regional sights beyond Chicago in summer, fall, and winter.

9:00 Beyond Chicago

from the Air [R]

10:30 Rick Steves’ European

Christmas From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands, this program celebrates the Christmas season throughout the European continent.

Thursday 2

EARLY MORNING 12:30 BBC World News 1:00 Overcoming Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Grief with Daniel

Amen MD See Wed. Dec. 1 at 3:30 am. [R]

2:30 What to Eat When with Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr.

Michael Crupain Discover how the food choices you make each day – and, most importantly, when you make them – can impact your health. 4:00 The Brain Revolution Explore neuroplasticity – the untapped power to improve our lives as we age – to learn how the brain works and how we can make it work for us.

MORNING-AFTERNOON 5:30-5:30 WTTW Kids 5:30 BBC World News America

EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight 8:00 Downton Abbey Season 6 on Masterpiece (Part 1 of 9)

Extortion and downsizing threaten Downton Abbey. Change is afoot at the hospital. Mrs. Hughes poses a delicate question. Daisy speaks her mind, and Anna and Bates wait for the word.

9:25 Downton Abbey Season 6 on Masterpiece (Part 2 of 9)

Wedding plans hit a snag. Pigs lead to trouble for Edith and Marigold. Thomas gets a hint. Anna has a secret appointment. Violet and Isobel lock horns over health care.

10:30 The Carpenters: Close to You

This music-filled documentary traces The Carpenters’ career through the eyes of Richard Carpenter and the duo’s friends in the music business, recalling their bestselling recordings and greatest hits.

Friday 3

EARLY MORNING 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 Rick Steves: Best of the

Alps Join Rick Steves on an alpine adventure, with scenic train rides, breathtaking lifts, majestic glaciers, and unforgettable hikes.

2:30 Overcoming Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Grief with Daniel

Amen MD [R]

4:00 Pain Secrets: The Science of Everyday Pain

MORNING-AFTERNOON 5:30-5:30 WTTW Kids 5:30 BBC World News America

In the Spotlight

Judy Woodruff

Celebrating PBS NewsHour

This special highlights the history and accomplishments of this groundbreaking public media news organization. The program showcases the unique way the NewsHour team puts together their award-winning hour-long daily newscast, following the reporters, editors, news directors, and on-air hosts as it all comes together for broadcast.

Friday, December 3 8:00 pm

EVENING 6:00 PBS NewsHour 7:00 Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review 7:30 Washington Week 8:00 Celebrating PBS NewsHour

This special highlights the history and accomplishments of this groundbreaking public media news organization.

10:00 Call the Midwife: Special

Delivery Take a celebratory look back at 10 years of the series in this compilation full