Broadcaster

I am a presenter and producer of classical music radio.

My current station

I work for Classical WFMT Chicago as a presenter and producer. Here are our presenter profiles. You can hear me on air in these programmes:

• Introductions, profiling young Chicago-area musicians. Saturdays at 11am and as a podcast.
• Sunday Afternoons with Robbie Ellis, literally what it says on the tin. Sundays 12pm-5pm.
• Many other presenters’ time slots when they are away, ill, on leave, doing something else, or taking a public holiday. All the usual reasons for presenter swaps.

I’ve also done live performances on the station called Classical Cabaret: for that sweet gig I’ve been the host, a producer, and a performer of comedy songs.

My former station

When I lived in New Zealand, I worked for RNZ Concert in both Wellington and Auckland. I presented general programming from the studio and live concerts from the Auckland Town Hall; and I produced regular shows like The Critic’s Chair (reviewing recent releases), Composer of the Week, Upbeat and Podcast Classics. I also produced the Radio Award-winning feature series Making Maestros and NZSO in Vienna.

My other stations

I’ve occasionally appeared on RNZ National, Radio One (Dunedin), and on the French-language show Amuse-Gueule on Auckland’s 104.6 Planet FM.

Some programmes I made

Works written for Mstislav Rostropovich (more info)

Composer of the Week: Martin Lodge (more info)

Composer of the Week: Magnus Lindberg (more info)

Composer of the Week: Mark-Anthony Turnage (more info)

Not quite broadcasting

It’s not quite broadcasting, but I’ve also been an MC for concerts and events with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Chicago’s International Music Foundation, Cedille Records, the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, the Westlake High Schools’ Music Programme, NIMBY Opera, and more besides.

Also there’s this

At Least We Have Our Jobs – a radio drama musical where I composed the music (more info). (See Composer, Music Director.)