Back in the Saddle Again

I still don't understand completely how my bio and photo disappeared from cyberspace on the WCLV website, but they have now been restored. Our computer whiz said that there was some kind of kill date on my section, and once that date was reached -- POOF!! -- the bio disappeared.

I translate that to mean that my "freshness date" expired. Oy.

You'll notice that the announcer bios are now alphabetized. Go to wclv.com; click on the beige "About WCLV" tab. Move your cursor over the "The Voices You Hear." When the drop-down menu appears, click on the name you want.

Are They Trying to Tell Me Something?

Some months ago, I noticed that my bio and photo were missing from WCLV's website, wclv.com. Nobody seemed to know why it happened. Recently, a senior member of the staff said he assumed the deletion was at my request. I said no, it wasn't.

That was several weeks ago. Still no bio. Go to the "About WCLV" tab and move your cursor over "The Voices You Hear."

Do you think they're trying to tell me something?

Were You at the Same Performance I Was?

The dimly lit auditorium at Oberlin wasn't the greatest place to take photographs, but in this snapshot from Wednesday's first day of Oberlin's Rubin Institute for Music Criticism, the hands of WCLV's Robert Conrad and those of the New Yorker's Alex Ross are communicating on their own during a pre-institute interview heard Thursday on WCLV 104.9 & wclv.com.

Mr. Ross was one of the featured speakers at this new institute at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He spoke Wednesday night; Anne Midgette of the Washington Post gave last night's address. Still to speak are Heidi Waleson of the Wall Street Journal, former Washington Post critic Tim Page, and John Rockwell, formerly of the New York Times.

Go to oberlin.edu/rubininstitute for more information. Panel discussions and musical performances are also a part of the institute, which concludes Sunday.

Stephen Rubin of the publisher Henry Holt & Co., and whose background in cultural reporting makes him a compelling advocate for informed criticism, is the benefactor.

Student fellows are working with the critics during the 5-day institute. Audience members are invited to submit their own reviews of the musical performances; the winner of the audience prize receives $1,000.

As a former music and theater critic in a mid-sized American city, it was comforting to know that these distinguished music writers had all received letters of dismay beginning, "Were you at the same performance I was?"

Charles Michener, former New Yorker editor, in his opening address Wednesday, answered the question perfectly: No one is ever at the same performance becase we all come to concerts with different ears, experiences and expectations.

A Visit from Mariette Hartley

What a treat to meet actress Mariette Hartley, who plays actor Alfred Lunt's mother in the upcoming Cleveland Play House production of Jeffrey Hatcher's play, "Ten Chimneys." She visited WCLV Friday, January 6th, to record an "On Stage" feature with the Play House's Lisa Craig.

Left to right are Mariette Hartley, Lisa Craig, Jim Mehrling (WCLV's production manager), and the Queen of the Morn. After the taping, Jim Mehrling was overheard chatting with Ms. Hartley about her memorable Poloroid television ads with James Garner.

Performances of "Ten Chmineys" begin January 13th. "Ten Chimneys" is named for the estate Mr. Lunt and his wife, actress Lynn Fontanne, owned west of Milwaukee. Actress Carol Channing has been quoted as saying, "What the Vatican is to Catholics, 'Ten Chimneys' is to actors." Visit www.clevelandplayhouse.com for more information and to buy tickets.

City Sidewalks, Busy Sidewalks

Here's one of those nifty spiral concrete planters on Euclid Avenue, steps from WCLV's "Radioquarium," outfitted for December. Holly and evergreens make everything look festive, even the glum pedestrians on Euclid, who are being pelted with some unknown precipitation this chilly Tuesday afternoon in Cleveland.

The schoolbus is one of many seen parked along the street on weekdays, when children attend performances at one of Playhouse Square's five historic theaters -- the State, Palace, Ohio, Allen -- the construction for which which has recently been completed subdividing the space into three theaters for the Cleveland Play House plus Cleveland State's drama department -- and the Hanna, home to Great Lakes Theater.

WCLV's Thanksgiving Day Cleveland Orchestra Marathon

Tomorrow from 6 a.m. to midnight, on 104.9 & wclv.com, WCLV will broadcast eight Cleveland Orchestra concerts back-to-back. While you're munching on olives, watching the football games with the volume turned down, or presiding at a formal dinner, you can hear the orchestra the world is talking about all day tomorrow on WCLV.

Have fun. I'm off tomorrow, but I'll be back Friday with a surprise in the 9 a.m. hour.

What DJs Will Do for Material

Yesterday's Pet News at 7:25 on WCLV 104.9 FM & wclv.com was about a New Zealand sheep named Sonny Wool, who, like the late octopus Paul, developed a talent for predicting winners.

The story, which I posted on my Facebook page (facebook.com/WCLV's Queen of the Morn), concerned Sonny Wool's prediction that New Zealand would win the Rugby World Cup game against France. Sonny's prediction came true. New Zealand won, 8 to 7.

Today, I received the message "Sonny Wool is following you on Twitter." I went to my twitter page (twitter.com/queenofthemorn). After checking "follow" on Sonny's Twitter page, I sent him a message, in which I asked if he could possibly predict the outcome of the World Series.

"Baaa-tastic," he replied. "Check out my pictures on Facebook."

Mein Gott im Himmel, I am communicating with a sheep.