After more than a dozen years as a Classical WSMR host, composer Tyler Kline is moving on. WSMR’s Susan Giles Wantuck spoke to him about his time here and
what’s next for him.
How did you come to work at Classical WSMR?
Oh, this is my favorite story to tell because I, well, I had gotten accepted to the music composition program for my master’s at the School of Music at USF, and around the time I was about to move, I had someone send me a job posting. I'd worked in radio for all four years of undergrad, and I think a faculty member had sent me this posting that was for programming music at WSMR, and so I applied to it, and I was not qualified for the job. Our friend Kristi Stanichar has that job now. But I still got a call from our program director, Sheila Rue at the time, who
had looked over my resume and offered me a couple of student hours. And I think it kind of worked out better because grad school, it was a lot, and so I just kind of started out as a student working a couple of hours a week and went from there.
Where did you come from to attend USF?
I got my undergraduate degree at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, which is about 30 minutes from the little town that I grew up in.
Can you share some of your WSMR memories of working with Russell Gant (former music director) and Bethany Cagle (former classical music host)? I remember a lot of laughter, especially during the pledge drives.
I think just working with Russell and Bethany for so many years, we were kind of just the three hosts for so long and getting to do different events with them. We had WSMR night at The Florida Orchestra one year, and I got to share them, and I
felt totally out of my element. And you mentioned laughter. I mean, working with Russell and Bethany was just the best because it was the best education, even though it wasn't a sit-down, mentorship, teacher-student kind of relationship, for
sure. It was just me kind of being around and watching them – and just the kind of serious approach to the work but kind of nonserious and just having fun doing it. I mean, that's just been huge for me.
I know that you got your master’s in music composition. And you've been writing music all along. So, I feel like you have a natural affinity for contemporary composers. Can you talk a little bit about your program “Modern Notebook” and how that came to be?
As a composer, I'm always thinking about, like, why are there not more composers, living composers and contemporary music on programs, not just on the radio, but when I go to orchestra concerts or chamber music concerts and
stuff. I want to see more composers because that's the community I belong to.
And so, I'd always kind of had that question in the back of my mind, like, “Why is there not more living composers’ music on Classical WSMR?” And, I think over the course of the 20th century, contemporary music had kind of picked up this very academic – I hesitate to use the word – “stigma,” but it certainly seemed like there was an attitude from classical music lovers about contemporary classical music and the music being written, you know, through the 1940s and ’50s and ’60s and ’70s and whatnot.
And I remember approaching Russell Gant and Sheila Rue and kind of expressing this, “Why don't we have
more new music on the radio?”
And, you know, it's like, “Well, studies have shown that radio audiences don't really want this.” And I said, “I think they do. And maybe I'm a little biased, but I think what they really need is contextualization for this music.” This music is being made by people who live in the same world that we live.
And so that's always been the forward angle of “Modern Notebook.” … If I can tell the story of these people and why they wrote this piece in their words, I think it has a better chance of connecting with people rather than just turning on the
radio and randomly hearing this.
Not all contemporary music is challenging. There's a lot of music that's strange and beautiful and interesting, and so that's kind of where my place of advocacy came from. And luckily, they agreed to let me give it a shot. And I've gotten emails
over the years from listeners who have said things like, “I used to be scared …” These are the words that they used. “I used to be scared of contemporary music, but you opened my heart to it.” And so, to me, that's the whole point. Mission
accomplished, even if I only did that for one person.
Tyler, when did you move to Ohio? I'm not sure the listeners know that you're in Ohio.
Yeah, I moved to Cincinnati during the pandemic in 2020 because my wife, Susanna Hancock, is also a composer, and she started her doctorate at Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. And so, we've been living in Cincinnati since then,
and she's had a teaching position for several years in the area up here. And so, we've kind of just been here ever since.
I guess I'm kind of burying the lede here. You're leaving WSMR after all this time, but I feel like it's time for you. And you've said so yourself. What's next for you?
Well, as you pointed out, I've always kind of lived a double life as a radio host and a composer. At times, that's been very rewarding, and at other times, it's been very frustrating not getting to kind of truly feel like I'm going after the art that I've been wanting to make. And so that's what's coming next. I'm kind of shifting the alignment of my life, not totally boxing out radio, but more in alignment and more into balance with creative work – and maybe radio on the side, kind of flipping things a little bit.
And so I've got some big commissions coming up that I can't ignore anymore, and I've got some artist residencies. I've never been able to do artist residencies before. So, I'll be spending a week or two at a time going to different places, kind
of in retreats, and working on projects in those settings, and workshops and things like that.
So, these things are still materializing. I got news of one today,
and it's really exciting. And I'm just really eager to dedicate more of my life to the creative work that I've kind of had on the back burner for a long time now.
I know you've traveled the world to have your works premiered. Can you talk a little bit about your creative process and writing music? What inspires you?
This has changed over the years. More recently, I’ve been describing my creative process as excavating myself like I've been really turning inward and kind of reflecting on different parts of my life, as you said, reflecting on travel, reflecting
on experiences I've had with people. And this is something that I shied away from for quite a while. A lot of my music over the past 10 years has been inspired by external sorts of things, books that I read or nature or things that are out in the
world. And it's only been the past couple of years where I've turned inward and started looking at myself and thinking about, “What do I want to say as an artist?”
And so again, this is very related to the decision to step away and into more of a creative life that I'm hoping is more balanced.
What do you mean by that: more balanced?
I think just having more time to focus on art-making.
What are you going to miss most about working for WSMR?
Certainly, the people I'm going to miss, kind of the routine of it all. … I have a hard time imagining what's life going to be like without, you know, radio deadlines and being on-air and that kind of thing.
And, of course, the listeners, I've gotten so many kind words from our audience over the years that have really kind of affirmed that this is work that I'm supposed to be doing. So, I'm gonna miss that, too, just being in touch with listeners and donors … I've had the chance to meet extremely wonderful people through this work, live performances, things like that, and artists. So that still comes down to, I'm going to miss the people the most.
Yeah, well, we're certainly going to miss you, Tyler, and thank you so much on behalf of everyone here for all that you've given to us. And we wish you all the very best.
Well, I appreciate it, Sue. Thanks so much. Thank you.
