KWPA Whidbey Air

Whidbey Island has a group called Whidbey Island Sketchers. One of them came to the performance of KWPA’s Live Radio Show at South Whidbey High School Aug. 28, 2010. Here are some of the results and you can see them all at their website.

Sue Van Etten's sketch of the Sound Effects Crew from KWPA Live Radio Show

There was plenty of action at the show to capture. She went on to get some of the performers and the band.

Sue Van Etten captures Performers from The Shadow

What a night! And thank you Sue, for these fabulous sketches!

Sue Van Etten sketches South Whidbey dance band "Locomotion" as they set the mood.

KWPA is in the process of moving to a new studio space. Marty Behr donated furniture, several board members donated time and muscles – with more to come. The move won’t be complete for another two weeks, but here is a sneak peak…..

Harry Anderson and Marty Behr install sign on the building

View of the Coupeville Wharf from the new KWPA studio space

The studio is on the northeast corner of the Windjammer Gallery building. It’s a perfect space for a radio station, close enough and accessible to the heart of the community while being fairly quiet so we can record programs right there.

We are looking forward to seeing you there – after we REALLY move in a couple of weeks. Check back here for updates.

At the weekly Coupeville Lions meeting on August 18, Mayor Nancy Conard was awarded the Lions Melvin Jones Fellowship by Past International Director Dur Roberson. The Melvin Jones Fellowship Award is the Lions Clubs International Foundation’s highest honor. There are over 261,900 Melvin Jones Fellowships worldwide.

The Muzall Farm celebration of 100 years of farming was an excellent event. Lots to do and people to talk to.

Or at least Gwen Sam had lots to do and people to talk to. I was doing the technical thing. I sat on my own for most of the time. Up in the attic of a barn. Even the barn rat had gone off somewhere in search of some company.

And every so often Gwen would arrive back with a memory card full of conversations for me to download into the system. You’ll be able to hear it all for yourself, very soon.

Even tonight, the technical team are consigned to the uncomfortable seats at the edge. We’re recording one of four performances as part of the Whidbey Island Music Festival. There are comfortable seats to be had, but not for us techies. But at least I’m cozy and dry, which is something.

Of course there are times when standing out in the open, mike in hand is wonderful. On one occasion I recorded a steam train going by. Two engines coupled together to get over a hill, and the two were slightly out of synchronization, making a wonderful rhythmic chuffing noise in the warm afternoon sunshine. Another time I stood out on a headland while one of the few remaining spitfires cavorted overhead as part of a ceremony to remember airmen lost in Word War 2.

And you get to go places you might not get to otherwise. Backstage here, an attic there, an occasional basement. And it’s not always outside. Editing is usually somewhere warm and dry with lots of coffee and comfortable chairs.

But it’s always good fun, and if that sort of thing appeals to you, why not come along to KWPA and join in.

We could use your help.

Tom

We have the keys to the new premises!

Some planning to do on layout, and we have some furniture available thanks to some timely donations. We’ll need to improve the electrics a little to avoid a spaghetti of wiring, but otherwise the space is ready. Interested in helping to move furniture and generally help? Please get in touch. We don’t have a moving in date yet, but we’ll let you know when we do.

Did the live commentary on the yacht racing on Penn Cove last month, and this month we’re in the middle of the Whidbey Island Music festival. Program 3 is tonight (Aug 6) at St Augustine’s in Freeland and the KWPA microphone is there.

Had an interesting conversation the other week with a Whidbey resident who had just heard of KWPA. Kept asking why we didn’t do this or that, and I kept explaining that it was because nobody had come forward to do it. After a few questions I could see enlightenment spread across his face like the dawn on a soft summer’s day. ‘You mean nothing happens unless people step up up to do it?’ ‘Yes’

We have a number of people looking for a workshop on editing, so how about Monday 23rd August. Bayview area again.

Keep smiling, and keep thinking programs.

Tom

Hi there

This is the last message of this type. We’re moving fast on a new and better process of keeping you up to date with what’s happening in KWPA.

Essentially, we’ll be using the website, the KWPA Facebook page, and an email manager.

Information on the KWPA news page will automatically roll over to the Facebook page. Eventually – it takes a while.

The email manager will allow us to be more selective with messages. If you are a KWPA Board member, a supporter/underwriter, or a KWPA member, you’ll get emails as of right.

Anyone else needs to give us permission to add you to our list. The two categories we have at present are KWPA fan, and KWPA broadcaster.

If you just want to be kept in touch in a general way, please let me know that you just want to be a fan.

if you’re a broadcaster (a select and far too small category at present) I already know you but please confirm that you want to be on the email list. If you aim to become one, please let me know that too.

Before long I may also add a category for technical people who can help with outside broadcasts, operating the studio, etc, but you’ll get notice of that before we do it.

It’s going to help me a great deal if you can put KWPA list in the subject line. That means I can set a filter to collect them instead of having to do it myself.

Hope all that makes sense. If you have questions, just send them in.

Many thanks, and keep thinking programs.

Tom Laurenson
Director of Programs
KWPA
Whidbey Public Radio

Live commentary on the yacht races was great fun.  Many thanks to Craig Cooley who did a great job in the KWPA Commentary Box, which some unkind bystanders described as a large yellow stepladder.

A south wind on Thursday moved the racing out to the  Sarataoga Passage, so no commentary today.

We will definitely do this again next year.

Hi there

This summer we’ll be working on some changes to the system so that you get more regular updates, but we’ll always have KWPA in the subject line, and you’ll get an announcement before the big change happens.  You shouldn’t have to change your spam filters.

The Radio Plays are to be repeated due to popular demand.  August 28th at South Whidbey High School Auditorium.   Tickets are available on line via the KWPA website now, and will be soon at various places around the south end.

Watch out for a KWPA table if you’re at this weekend’s Loganberry Festival at Greenbank Farm.  Tickets will be there too.

If you’re interested in recording, July 28th at 6pm at my place for a look at how to do tackle common recording challenges.

At the weekend we did two hours live form the Muzall Farm centenary event.  Gwen Sam did a great job out and about with a portable recorder, while I endured the company of the barn attic rat and the baleful glare of an abandoned bird’s nest to do the technical side of it.  We’ll have some of it repackaged and on the air next week.

Yesterday we did the first of three days of live commentary on the yacht races in Penn Cove.  It was a longer day of races than expected but we covered it from noon to 2.15.  Craig Cooley is our marine expert, and performed from the KWPA Commentary Booth, which some folks mistook for a perch atop a stepladder.  We’re back again today and tomorrow.

While there I managed to clean up the off air signal a little, so the distortion is greatly reduced.  Still more to be done though.

The big news is a change of studio.  We still have some details to work out, but in early September we expect to be able to move to new and larger premises in Coupeville.   There will be a decent amount of space for live programs and studio guests.  It’ll be easier to get to and more accessible to the public.

Pencils or electronic calendars out please.  The tentative date for the move is September 4th, and we’ll need some help in the day or two before to move in furniture and arrange some wiring, and then on the 4th (or whatever date is confirmed) to move the equipment.   Full details to follow.

Keep smiling, and keep thinking programs.

Tom