“In April, Christopher Purdy will mark his silver anniversary with WOSU Public Media,” reports Nancy Gilson in Tuesday’s (2/14) Columbus Dispatch (Ohio). In 1992, “He was called upon to step in for an ailing on-air host…. His on-air contributions have continued since, with Purdy, now 60, working as classical-music host for WOSU Public Media, presiding over various programs on the FM station Classical 101…. For more than 15 years, he also has delivered pre-concert talks for the Columbus Symphony, with audiences regularly exceeding 200…. At a January talk preceding the orchestra’s ‘Russian Winter Festival,’ Purdy loosened up the crowd from the outset: ‘We are here on a cold night hearing some hot music,’ he said. … His improvisation comes naturally, said Pavana Stetzik, the orchestra’s general manager.… Purdy is … a champion of the central Ohio arts community. ‘From Day One, I thought the central Ohio audience was sophisticated and the arts scene strong,’ he said…. ‘The idea of an aging symphony audience is a myth. If you look at the Friday audience at a Columbus Symphony concert, it looks like date night…. I think the [Columbus] arts scene is just going to get better and better.’ ”
Posted February 16, 2017
