John Proffitt <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I'll be a bit more specific.  There is nothing--nada--on the air even
>remotely comparable to Performance Today.  It costs a small fortune
>for a non-profit organization like NPR to produce this show.

I don't know anything about the cost to NPR to produce the show, but it
happens that PT has been running selected performances of the Buffalo
Philharmonic on their program.  Since I work for the BPO, in a capacity
where I speak to the show's producer, Steve Zakar, on a fairly regular
basis, I can speak to his genuine excitement at the idea of extending the
listenership of orchestras across the country.  His ears are excellent and
his comments have encouraged us and urged us to new standards in performing
and recording excellence.  He doesn't just receive the tapes and put them
on the air, he phones and asks informed questions, has me send local
reviews, calls the guest conductor for comments, etc., etc.

My only regret is that we don't have the program airing locally either,
although our public classical station WNED-FM compares quite favourably
with some of the lister's horror stories.  In comparison it is a prize.

Linda Rogers