Daily classical music returned to Milwaukee’s radio airwaves for the first time since 2007, with the launch of WPR Music on 90.7 on May 20. Jason Heilman, who broadcasts “Drivetime Classics” live from WPR’s Pabst Brewery District studios each weekday from 4 to 7 p.m., is WPR Music’s newest host.
“Bringing classical music back to Milwaukee radio is exciting. I am grateful to join WPR Music and be part of the city’s music community,” says Jason. “I’m eager to share my love of classical music with Wisconsinites, particularly the listeners here in Milwaukee.” It’s a bit of a homecoming for the host who was born in Plymouth, Wis., and relocated from Tulsa, Okla. to join WPR.
WPR Music Program Director Peter Bryant says Jason brings deep experience and knowledge to his hosting work. “We want WPR Music to be an alternative — a place that brings a little more contemplative reflection to a noisy world. I know listeners will appreciate Jason and the music he’ll be playing at the end of each workday. He is a friendly, engaging new voice for both WPR and the classical music community in Milwaukee.”
Heilman has a doctorate in musicology (the scholarly study of music history and culture) from Duke University, a master’s in music history from Northwestern University, and a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Tulsa.
In Tulsa, Jason served as managing director and concert narrator for the performance group Tulsa Camerata. At those concerts, he says he could see how pre-concert talks with context on the music and musicians increased the audience’s engagement and interest. “I realized that while audiences can get plenty out of a piece of music just by listening to it, they can get even more out of it if they know more about why it sounds the way that it does.”
The pre-concert talks Jason gave, along with teaching music history, led him to his first work in public radio. He hosted the “Classical Tulsa” program on Public Radio Tulsa, and wrote and hosted a classical music podcast, “Masterworks in 10 Minutes or Less,” before returning to Wisconsin to join WPR as a Milwaukee-based host.
“Drivetime Classics,” offers a broad range of classical music weekday afternoons at 4 p.m., including music from composers and performers who may be unfamiliar to listeners. “There’s so much great music being created, rediscovered, and recorded right now,” Jason says. “There’s also music from every continent that has contributed to what we call classical music, and over time I want to expand listeners’ understanding of what classical music can be.”
Jason also wants to highlight performances that people can attend in the Greater Milwaukee Area and around the state. “Live classical music is often less expensive than other concerts or outings — sometimes you can go for free. It’s not something that’s reserved for the moneyed few,” he said. Local music performances and other community events from around Wisconsin are listed at wpr.org/events
Jason says he’s looking forward to meeting and working with the classical music community in Milwaukee, including hosting and introducing concerts and getting to know the performers, advocates, and listeners who call the city home. “All of our hosts want to help listeners find more connection, with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the context behind the music we play on WPR.”
In his free time, Jason and his spouse Rosalyn are exploring their new city, and enjoying Milwaukee’s thriving food and drink scene. They have found a local coffee roaster they like, and are working their way “deliberately” through the area’s craft beer options. “My passions are music, coffee, and beer, and I don’t consider a day complete without all three.”
