At WCRB, it's a grand old tradition
The tiara may have been a mistake. Although WCRB-FM (99.5) host Laura Carlo's red, white, and blue headpiece was supposed to celebrate the Fourth of July, as well as the return of the classical station to the Esplanade for a holiday broadcast last year, the reality was a little less glamorous.
"It's very hard to wear a tiara and headphones," says Carlo, weekday morning announcer for the station and once more co-host for the Fourth festivities. She's not ruling out a glittery headpiece tomorrow, however, as the station ramps up for another day of broadcasting from the Esplanade.
After all, say the hosts, the Fourth of July program is special. "It's the largest birthday event in the country," says Mark Edwards, weekday afternoon host and program director for the station. And WCRB's participation, notes Carlo, is a tradition.
Indeed, the station and the Boston Pops have a history that goes back more than 40 years, and the connection between the station and the fireworks music more than 20. That tradition seemed permanently disrupted in 2003 when WCRB (then owned by Charles River Broadcasting and broadcasting at 102.5-FM) carried the Pops concert but, due to a disagreement over fees, not the fireworks music that followed. Last year, the station returned to the full event schedule. (WBZ-AM 1030 will also be carrying the full concert and fireworks music, starting with a pre-concert show at 7 p.m. and simulcasting with WBZ-TV, Channel 4, starting at 8.)
This year, the classical station, now owned by Nassau Broadcasting, is enjoying the continuation of the tradition. Meetings through this week are finalizing the technical and program arrangements. Already the station has decided that its live broadcast will start later than last year: at noon, as opposed to 10 a.m. ("Frankly, from 10 a.m. to noon there's not that much going on," says Edwards.)
Like last year, the daytime programming will focus on American music, including compositions by Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and others that Edwards calls "the music well known for the Fourth of July." As a preview for the evening's concert, the programming will also include recordings from the Pops, "music by all three legendary conductors, Keith Lockhart, Arthur Fiedler, and John Williams," says Edwards. "It's all about the ambience and being part of the excitement."
At 8 p.m., Carlo and Edwards will switch to what he calls "the pre-game show," previewing the Pops concert, which begins at 8:30. "We're looking over the selections for that night so we can speak about the pieces of music," he says. "Give some background that Keith Lockhart might not have the time to do that night."
And once again, when the concert ends, at approximately 10:30, the station will carry the music for the fireworks display. "We're very happy to be back," says Edwards. "Hopefully, we're renewing the tradition."
