KERA and WRR are excited to unveil a new, permanent schedule on WRR 101.1 FM, featuring all classical music, all the time. Hosted by beloved and familiar voices, the new programming features less interruptions and even more airtime for music, with particular celebration of local classical music in North Texas.
Moving forward, Kurt Rongey — who has returned to WRR as Assistant Program Director — gets the day started with Morning Classical with Kurt. Amy Bishop continues with her regular, weekday show, At Work with Amy. Nikki Velonis hosts The Homestretch during the afternoon. And Matt Rogers presents The Dinner Concert every weeknight, followed by The Evening Concert, presenting a wide spectrum of classical music, old and new. The full schedule can be found here.
“Ever since the City has sought new management for WRR, it has been abundantly clear that North Texas wants to keep classical music alive in our community,” says Rongey. “Together, KERA and WRR are proud to oblige. Our schedule moving forward should be both familiar and new to listeners — it not only embraces, but expands the amount of classical music heard on WRR, and deepens the station’s commitment to the arts in our region.”
Such familiar and beloved programs returning to the lineup include Sunday Baroque, From the Top, Pipedreams, The March of the Day, Road Rage Remedy and more. WRR Concert Hall, formally known as Monday Night at the Symphony, also returns, featuring full classical performances from local venues across North Texas.
New programs added to the lineup include With Heart and Voice, Performance Today, and the bilingual English/Spanish program, Concierto. Additionally, the Arts Calendar feature, with KERA’s Nilufer Arsala, joins the weekday lineup, exposing listeners to a brief overview of upcoming arts events across the entire region.
WRR’s new schedule is part of the station’s transition to an all-classical, noncommercial format under the management of KERA. Following a unanimous Dallas City Council vote in June, KERA officially assumed management of WRR on January 3, 2023 and has converted the station to a noncommercial format.
As a noncommercial station, WRR now has access to new revenue opportunities previously unavailable, such as donations, grants, membership programs and sponsorships. For listeners, this means they hear less advertising and even more of the classical music they love. As a noncommercial station, occasionally listeners hear sponsorship messages on WRR — similar to those heard on 90.1 KERA News or KXT 91.7 — but with significantly more airtime for music.
In fact, KERA is thrilled to welcome several longtime advertisers with WRR as sponsors of the classical station, including Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, The Trusted Lab, the City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability, Steinway Hall of Dallas, and more. Additionally, KERA sponsor William Sheahan Designs and Fine Jewelry have begun partnering with WRR, as well. All of these local businesses and organizations have shown their enthusiastic support and investment in WRR’s classical format and the audiences the station serves.
WRR’s full weekly schedule can be found at wrr101.com/programs. Learn more about WRR’s new and returning programs at wrr101.com/newprograms. For questions or inquiries, please contact Lauren Menking at lmenking@kera.org.
