Marilyn Cooley

Mid-Day Host, Classical WETA 90.9 FM

Marilyn Cooley has been surrounded by great music all of her life. She grew up in a household where classical music was a part of every day, in recordings, on the radio, and in performance at home.

"When I was growing up, my parents were much involved in classical music," says Cooley. "They were both pianists, and Dad also played the organ at church. So I was exposed to classical music at a very young age. Beyond the family, my main source of classical music was WGUC, the local public radio station in Cincinnati. The station introduced me to the breadth of classical music."

Inspired by appearances at state competitions with her high school choir, Cooley chose to study music throughout her academic career. Following her undergraduate degree in music, she earned her Master of Music degree at Northwestern University, where she performed as chorister and soloist with the University Collegium Musicum, and specialized in music of the Renaissance and early Baroque.

After serving as music announcer at WGUC in Cincinnati, and later as announcer and music director at Baltimore station WBJC, Cooley came to WETA in 1985 as the late night music announcer. She is now heard each weekday from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Classical WETA 90.9 FM.

About working in radio, she says, "It's fun for me to find something about the performers or the music that invites a conversation. Listeners sometimes come to think of radio personalities as their friends, and the radio station comes to feel like home. I enjoy that relationship, and the opportunity to bring to listeners the music that we all love."

A former animal care volunteer at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington and the primate and panda unit at the National Zoo, Cooley is a certified Healing Touch for Animals® practitioner and owner of Nova Holistic Animal Care.

A conversation with Marilyn Cooley

How did you first become interested in classical music?

I don't remember a time when I wasn't! Growing up, my parents were very interested in classical music. They are both amateur pianists and Dad also played the organ at church sometimes. So I was exposed to classical music at a very young age. Beyond the family, the main way I heard classical music was on WGUC, the local public radio station in Cincinnati where I grew up. That station introduced me to the breadth of classical music.

Where is your favorite place to listen to music?

Cathedrals. The way that the architecture and sound interact in churches is very thrilling to me. The synergy between the building and the music creates something unique.

What is your favorite aspect of your job as an on-air host?

The really fun thing is to find something about the performers or the music that creates a conversation. In radio you are talking to an unseen and unknown audience, but I like to use my time on the radio as if I am in a conversation. For instance, today I am playing a piece that features a basset horn. The name of that instrument always makes me think of a basset hound. I want to say to the listeners, "Do you think of a basset hound? Well, I always do and it's actually for a good reason. The term 'basset' means 'low' in both cases. The basset horn has a very low range and the basset hound stands very low to the ground."

Some people in our business call these sorts of "conversations" between host and listener "the magic of radio." I think there is something to that. Because they hear our voices every day, a lot of people come to think of radio personalities as their friends and the radio station like home. I enjoy that relationship, and the opportunity to bring listeners the music that we both love.

What do you think of Washington as an environment for classical music?

The classical music community here is so rich and diverse that--even after living here for many years--I feel like I've just touched the surface of what is available. Everyone knows the big ones--Kennedy Center, Washington Performing Arts Society, Center for the Arts at George Mason University, etc. But there are hundreds of smaller community-based venues and ensembles, too. Sometimes it seems like you could spend your whole life listening without repeating anything! Frankly, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the richness and diversity of classical music opportunities that we have in Washington.

Any favorite memories of people you've met related to classical music?

I've had the opportunity to meet a number of composers and performers but meeting violinist Itzhak Perlman was a special experience. My senior project in college was a lecture-recital of the music of Scott Joplin. Around this time, Itzhak Perlman and Andre Previn released an album of their arrangements of some of Joplin's piano rags. I was lucky enough to go to one of Perlman's concerts and get backstage. When I got a chance to talk to him the first thing I said was, "Thank you for the wonderful album of Scott Joplin music." He smiled and said, jokingly,"Don't show anyone the $5 I gave you to say that." Our conversation was short, but it really meant something to me. Though he was a star, he was very approachable--like a regular guy. We could connect because we both shared a passion for that specific music.

Who is your favorite composer?

It sounds like a cop-out but I really can't decide! It changes from day to day. There are days when I'm so in love with Brahms that I wonder, "Why couldn't I have been there to talk to him about music?" There are other days when I would give anything to talk with C.P.E. Bach. I could go on and on. For me, it would be pretty much impossible to decide on just one.