Projects and Programs

I take great pride in the many community outreach projects and marketing initiatives I've organized for WRR.
These are just a few of my favorites.

WRR's Centennial

Planning the centennial celebration of a radio station in the midst of a pandemic wasn't in the game plan, but we were determined to move forward. To kick off a year of events, I oversaw and co-curated a historical exhibition with Dallas Municipal Archives, which included content spanning 100 years of WRR's story. After debuting in NorthPark Center in Dallas, the installation traveled to Hall of State, Dallas Love Field Airport, Bath House Cultural Center, and Dallas City Hall. The exhibition (and WRR's centennial in general) has received coverage from DFW's NBC and CBS television affiliates, as well as Texas Monthly, Texas Highways, D Magazine, Dallas Morning News, Park Cities People, and others.

WRR and The Ticket Centennial Smackdown

Two very different radio stations with a common thread - both WRR and The Ticket have called 1310 AM home on the radio dial through the years. I was thrilled that the gang from Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket was open to the idea when I reached out to them to engage in some friendly competition. The classical music vs. sports trivia game show onstage at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas was emceed by the legendary Brad Sham, whose professional radio career began at WRR in the 1970s. The result was a hilarious hour-long show, directed and edited by the City of Dallas' Communication, Outreach and Marketing office. This was another great opportunity for two City of Dallas departments to collaborate with each other and build working relationships. An added bonus was having Dallas Cowboys' trumpeter Freddie Jones play the National Anthem prior to the coin toss.

WRR's Air Conducting contests

A large part of my mission at WRR has been to dissolve certain stereotypes about classical music and the people who listen to it. This was a quirky idea that had been floating around in my head for years, and it was a blast seeing it come together. Taking the concept of playing "air guitar" to a new level, we hosted "air conducting" contests. An open call for video entries led to choosing five finalists competing at Alamo Drafthouse. Grand prizes included a trip for two to Vienna; the following year, it was a Harry Potter-themed trip to London. (Contestants from 2019 contest pictured here.)

Our panel of local celebrity judges have included:

Chip Waggoner of Fox 4
Philanthropist and former Dallas mayoral candidate Lynn McBee
D Magazine Editor Tim Rogers
Dallas Winds Executive Director Kim Campbell
University of North Texas Opera Director Jonathan Eaton
Theater Jones Classical Music Critic Gregory Isaacs
Dallas Opera Artistic Consultant David Lomeli

Bach in the Subways

Bach in the Subways is a global initiative tied to the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach in late March. The community-driven event requires that performances of Bach's music must be accessible and free to all people, often in public settings. By both strengthening current partnerships and gaining new ones, I have collaborated with organizations such as:

Fort Worth's Sundance Square
Martin High School
Southern Methodist University
Mockingbird Station
Bridge the Gap Chamber Players
DART
Open Classical DFW

The events received media coverage on Fox 4 News.

Community concerts and arts events

Collaborating with DFW's arts groups for public events is one of my key roles as WRR's Marketing and Promotions Director. Whether it's with a tent and prize wheel at a Dallas Symphony Orchestra outdoor concert at Paul Quinn College, a Cliburn competition simulcast at Klyde Warren Park, or serving as a narrator for a Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra concert, it's a win-win situation for all parties involved. On average, (when there's not a pandemic) I coordinate approximately 50 events and appearances annually for WRR.

Classical Carpool Karaoke

Borrowing from James Corden's famous Carpool Karaoke videos, I launched WRR's own Classical Carpool Karaoke, where I invited members of local arts organizations to chat and perform, while I navigated through the streets of Dallas. It's a fresh and fun way to bring exposure to the musicians and the station via our social media and YouTube platforms. Organizations represented have included:

Dallas Winds
Dallas Opera
Bishop Arts Theatre Center
The Cliburn
Richardson Symphony Orchestra
ARTSonepass
Artists for Animals

Caroling in the Arts District

An annual WRR favorite, Caroling in the Arts District is a weeklong holiday event that spotlights some of DFW's best choral groups in live broadcasts from Moody Performance Hall. Along with serving as an on-air host for part of the week, I oversee scheduling the groups, writing the broadcast scripts, making catering arrangements, and enlisting volunteer ushers. Additional fun elements include themed dress-up days with prize drawings for audience members.

WRR Road Shows

WRR's signal reaches 100 miles in every direction from our tower in Cedar Hill. Yet, so many of our events are focused in the DFW metropolitan area. In an effort to connect with listeners on the perimeter of our broadcast signal, I reached out to "mom and pop" establishments in towns such as Tehuacana, Tawakoni, Granbury, and Denton. These coffee meet and greets with WRR hosts were often accompanied by a tour of a local arts venue, such as the Granbury Opera House and Denton's Campus Theater.

Downton Abbey movie premiere with The British Emporium and Alamo Drafthouse

It's no surprise - WRR listeners LOVE Downton Abbey. So it only made sense to collaborate with The British Emporium for an event centered around the big movie premiere at Alamo Drafthouse. A "best dressed" costume contest, a string quartet in the lobby, and a Downton Abbey-themed menu made the evening an event to remember.