 For more than 20 years, classical music enthusiasts have welcomed the soft and
quiet demeanor of WUIS host Karl Scroggin. The calming tenor
(more of a baritone, really) of his voice, coupled with the encyclopedic
detail in which he can discuss his musical selections, has earned
both Karl and WUIS widespread respect throughout the classical
music community.
Karl’s
lifetime love affair with classical music began as a child when
he began singing Gregorian chants in church. In college, Karl
studied music and eventually took a degree in creative arts with
an emphasis on music at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
His expansive education and command of several European languages
have served him well as a classical music host. Complementing
his extensive understanding of music and musical forms is his
vast comprehension of the history of composers and the periods
in which they worked. In addition, he plays the guitar, lute,
viola de gamba, mandolin and recorder. Such a complete approach
to music is part of the secret of Karl’s success.
It
would seem that Karl was groomed specifically for the role of
classical music host, however, he became an integral part of
WUIS quite by accident. “I was going to school and teaching part
time and a friend of mine suggested I get a student job on campus.
The radio station had an opening, and I was hired to do odd jobs
– cleaning the shop, working in the front office. They realized
I knew a lot about music so I worked in the record library and
in the radio information service. Then I started filling in for
Lori Berg, the classical music host at the time, who was gone
frequently. She eventually quit and I stepped in. There was no
plan. It just happened and when it did I took it on faith that
it was meant to be.”
Although
Karl had never been trained as a host it was a role he performed
almost instinctively. “Brad Swanson said to me after the first
couple of times that I hosted, ‘I know you weren’t trained to
do this, and I don’t know where you learned it. But you know
how to do it.’ I always had a great interest in foreign languages.
I had extensive background in music. All the data was in my head.”
In
some respects, hosting a radio program is an odd professional
choice for Karl who considers himself a rather private individual.
However, his demeanor has served him well from the standpoint
that he allows the music to take center stage. “I don’t get in
the way of the music.”
Karl
also has been involved in arts reporting for the station and
numerous special events, but among his most cherished accomplishments
is the establishment of the Young Musicians Concert Competition.
“That came about when I was listening to one of my students playing
Christmas songs and it was so cute that I recorded it. And it
dawned on me that it would be nice if kids could hear themselves
play classical music on the air. I thought, 'let’s create something
along the lines of a Music Federation competition, record it,
and play it on the air during the holiday season so the kids
can hear themselves.' People find us on the dial because they
want to hear their children and grandchildren on the radio.”
As
a 20-year veteran of the station, Karl has witnessed a technological
revolution of sorts in the delivery of radio programming. “When
I first walked in we used turntables and reel-to-reel tapes.
There were many transitional technologies. We recorded on VHS
cassettes and DAT cassettes. Then it went to mini discs. Now
it is moving to ‘on demand’ music that we download from the Internet.”
Karl
has rebuilt the entire WUIS classical music library replacing
all of the LP records with compact discs. “What’s wonderful about
compact disc technology is that so much music can be recorded
and so much more is available than has ever been available before.
On an LP they (producers) could only afford to release top name
ensembles, but now you have access to the complete piano sonatas
of Domenica Scarlatti on 12 CDs. The technology has opened up
for the listener the opportunity to discover repertoire that
was never available before.”
While
the technology has certainly expanded access to the great works
of the masters as well as those of little known composers and
more people are listening to classical music than ever before,
for many in the WUIS listening area it is the welcoming, sometimes
satirical, often whimsical delivery of the soft-spoken Karl Scroggin
that has allowed them to truly appreciate the beauty and the
depth of this ageless musical genre. |
Classics with Karl Scroggin is heard every Monday through Friday from
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The show features recorded classical music from
the extensive WUIS music library. Many new recordings are added
to the collection each week, so be listening for new releases!
