KXPR 88.9

KXPR is better than having no classical radio at all, but that’s about all I can say for it. There is too much excerpting of individual movements from complete works, too much time spent shilling for contributions from listeners, and too much airtime devoted to short works that sometimes last no more than 30 seconds. A «noncommercial» radio station (yeah, right) should have and exploit the opportunity to play longer works, but we never hear the lengthier Mahler symphonies, substantial choral works, complete acts from ballets, or the like. I also deplore the station’s manifest policy to ignore and withhold responses to any correspondence that is even slightly critical of station programming. And it would be nice if the announcers did a better job of identifying works, composers, opus numbers, performers — and were able to pronounce names correctly on a more consistent basis. Several years ago, Capital Public Radio shifted KXPR over to an FM frequency that is weaker and much noisier than the frequency it used to occupy, with the result that listening to the station in a car, for example, is often downright unpleasant. This move struck me as exemplifying a true «up yours» attitude by station management toward its classical listeners. In an era when Sirius/​XM satellite radio offers excellent classical programming, and when the recently revamped KDFC (from San Francisco) can now be picked up in the Sacramento area at 89.9 MHz, KXPR’s management ought to be fearing the competition. Unfortunately, the station’s attitude always seems to be, «we do it this way — like it or lump it.»

When I used to live in Antioch, this was the only classical station I could pick up. I started listening due to my excessive time staying in my bedroom, reading books for school. I found I couldn’t concentrate well listening to more modern music, so classical was better than just pure silence.
The more I listened, the more I grew to love the variety they played and the stories behind each piece. I even would stick an audio tape in overnight so I could squeeze in some pieces to listen to when I woke. I almost didn’t want to miss out on a beautiful piece of music (this was before I owned a computer around 1998 – 99)
I also grew to love the additional programs such as From the Top, Friday Night at the Opera and A Prairie Home Companion. Each were entertaining and fun to listen to. I soon realized I was turning into a bit of a classical geek. I could recognize pieces and their names pretty quickly. I remember hearing Modest Mussorgky’s Pictures at an Exhibition about 8 years ago and it was while I was painting a beautiful scene of Venice. I will always associate that piece with that moment.
It’s too bad kids can’t be exposed to this more, now that our lives are so frenzied with technology. I hope KXPR stays around for much longer so maybe someday my own children can experience beautiful pieces of music.

Back when I used to live in Davis and Sacramento, this station was an introduction to so many classical music pieces I was not yet familiar with. If I was reviewing this station then, I might’ve given 5-​star.
About a year ago, I got to listen to this station online. Gone were interesting contemporary pieces. Gone were potential favorites that would be played all the way through instead of one movement. At least their varieties were better than KDFC (shudder), such that I get to still discover pieces that I would be interested investigating more often. And once going outside Bay Area, you can pick up this station relatively easily. That helps a lot.