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You\u2019re not going to hear David Crean, WGUC-FM\u2019s new classical music director, on the Cincinnati airwaves.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s already got an on-air gig, hosting middays on Dayton\u2019s classical music WDPR-FM, and programming that radio station\u2019s music. That\u2019s just one of his three other jobs.<\/p>\n
So, hosting music on WGUC-FM \u201cis not part of the deal,\u201d says Crean in a phone conversation after completing his 10 a.m.-2 p.m. shift on the Dayton \u201cDiscover Classical\u201d<\/a> station.<\/p>\n Crean has just started working part-time for WGUC-FM \u201cin his off hours from WDPR,\u201d and coming to Cincinnati two Fridays a month, explains Rich Eiswerth, Cincinnati Public Radio CEO and president.<\/p>\n His arrangement at Cincinnati Public Radio is unprecedented. CPR has never shared an employee with another station. But his arrangement is not unique. Cincinnati and Dayton public TV stations shared a station manager (WCET-TV\u2019s Scott Elliott) in the 1990s.<\/p>\n Making the classical music director position part-time is the result of two factors:<\/p>\n That\u2019s when he thought about Crean.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had in our (virtual) back yard \u2014 or front yard, if you\u2019re from Dayton \u2014 an extremely talented musician and programmer serving in that capacity at WDPR. Our two stations have a long history of cooperation and collaboration, and we don\u2019t really see ourselves as competitors. I\u2019ve long been impressed with the quality and diversity of music presented on that station,\u201d Eiswerth explains.<\/p>\n WGUC-FM\u2019s signal at 90.9 FM \u201cbarely overlaps\u201d with WDPR-FM (88.1) in northern Butler and Warren counties, Eiswerth says. The Dayton station also simulcasts <\/a>on WDPG-FM (89.9) in Greenville, north of Dayton, and on WUSO-FM (89.1) in Springfield, east of Dayton. Both WGUC-FM and WDPR-FM also use the same music scheduling computer software.<\/p>\n Having a part-time classical music director was \u201cfar more affordable for Cincinnati Public Radio. It just required the acquiescence of Mr. Crean, as well as the approval of WDPR\u2019s station manager, Shaun Yu,\u201d Eiswerth says.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important to clarify, however, that this agreement is officially between CPR and David as an individual,\u201d Eiswerth says.<\/p>\n Programming WGUC-FM is Crean\u2019s fourth job. He\u2019s music director for the Bach Society of Dayton and choir director at St. George Episcopal Church in Dayton, in addition to his full-time job at WDPR-FM, which is moving soon into a new building with new studios at 130 W. Second St. in downtown Dayton. WDPR-FM is a smaller operation, with only eight full-time employees, than Cincinnati Public Radio.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a lot. The time management is the least complicated aspect. The mental aspect, keeping everything organized, is the difficult part. Keeping all the balls in the air,\u201d says Crean, 41, who lives in Dayton\u2019s historic district near the Dayton Art Institute with his girlfriend and their 3-1\/2 year old daughter.<\/p>\n Crean is used to juggling his schedule. He has taught organ, harpsichord and theory at Wright State University in Fairborn. He also taught at Wittenberg University in Springfield (2013-17) before joining WDPR-FM.<\/p>\n He grew up in Northport, N.Y., on Long Island, about 40 miles east of New York City. He earned his bachelor\u2019s degree at Oberlin College; a master\u2019s degree at the University of Iowa; and a doctorate degree in organ performance from Julliard. He has performed in America, Europe and Australia, according to his WDPR-FM bio.<\/a> (His bio also says that he\u2019s \u201cseen every episode of The Simpsons <\/i>to date.\u201d)<\/p>\n Crean plans to tweak WGUC-FM\u2019s playlist when he officially starts curating the weekday playlists March 2.<\/p>\n \u201cI try to program music that is beautiful, edifying and interesting. I want the listeners to hear old favorites and lesser-known gems,\u201d says his Dayton bio.<\/p>\n He tells me that some classical pieces by different orchestras will be introduced \u201cthat haven\u2019t been featured as much\u201d on the station. He also notes that \u201cWGUC has done a good job of incorporating contemporary classical music,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cRich\u2019s grand idea with this is using the same play list\u201d for both stations, Crean says.<\/p>\n Although the programming software is the same, there are some critical differences between the stations. WGUC-FM announcers do five-hour on-air shifts; the WDPR-FM staff does four hours each. <\/p>\n Crean\u2019s other goal is to meet members and leaders of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops, Cincinnati Opera and other arts organizations.<\/p>\n It sounds like too much for one man to do. Doesn\u2019t something have to give?<\/p>\n \u201cI plan to ride it out until summer,\u201d Crean says.<\/p>\n John Kiesewetter’s reporting is independent. Cincinnati Public Radio only edits his articles for style and grammar.<\/i> <\/p>\n Read more<\/b>: <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n