This year-end, DZFE bids farewell to several voices who have been part of the broadcast for many years.
Bert Robledo, host and producer of BRAVO FILIPINO, announced his retirement in September. BRAVO FILIPINO has provided a home for Filipino music and musicians since 1999. In June 2008, after years as a once-a-week show, BRAVO FILIPINO went daily (weekdays 1200-1300). This Easter, by way of denouement, the show returned to a two-hour, once-a-week format. The last live show went to air September 30. Past shows will run until the end of the year.
Those who have followed his program avidly over the last decade-and-a-half have known Bert as the champion of the Filipino artist on the local airwaves. Every program ended with the injunction to always “support the Filipino music artist. They give their best, when we give our best support to them”. By Bert’s reckoning, approximately two thousand interviews were done on the show. Conversations ranged freely over a number of topics and were as likely to include details about a musicians’ personal life as accounts of their musical experiences. Having known many legendary Filipino musicians and composers, Bert often recounted his memories of them, bringing them to the attention of younger generations. He was also wont to participate in the live music-making in the studio—as singer or pianist—especially when native Filipino song and standards were involved.
While Bert will be sorely missed by his fans, he has acknowledged (and rightly so) that he has done more than his fair share for Filipino music on DZFE and can hang up his spurs with honor. Greetings and well-wishes for Bert can be sent by email to bravofilipino@yahoo.com.
Likewise, this September, after 18 years as host and producer of the show CROSSOVER on WRTI in Philadelphia, Jill Pasternak also retired. (Read the WRTI post here.) DZFE began carrying CROSSOVER as a result of a curious twist of Providence. Jill’s son, based in Manila, had Jill over for a vacation. She requested a visit to the local classical music station and showed up at the door to our tiny office and studio in Makati. By the time she had left, we had her promise that she would make it possible for us to carry CROSSOVER in Manila; it went to air in 2011. For the past four years, followers of her program here have eavesdropped on her conversations with the likes of Joshua Bell, Anonymous 4, the Canadian Brass, Erich Kunzel and Neville Marriner. DZFE will continue to air past episodes of CROSSOVER until the end of the year.
Finishing a six-year stint as DZFE’s resident opera maven, soprano Joanna Go wraps up her series OPERAPHILE, a pillar of our Saturday night programs since 2009. As rare as it is to find a singer as dedicated to the repertoire as is Joanna, it is even rarer to find one who can so engagingly talk about it. Through OPERAPHILE, Joanna has with great dedication invited her “gentle listeners” to go well beyond the usual warhorses, generously sharing both her own collection and her experiences. Joanna “spreads her wings elsewhere” after the close of the current series The Switcheroo, although we will be airing OPERAPHILE replays until June. We are sad to see Joanna go, but not surprised, given her adventurousness; it’s been a blast having her with us for so long.
Taking her leave at the end of the Christmas season is our writer and presenter Angel. For the past seven years, Angel has written and presented for our late drive time show weekdays, CRUISING WITH THE CLASSICS. So many of our listeners have been soothed by her voice and warmed by her companionship at day’s end. Angel was as comforting a presence off-mic as in the studio. We will miss her regular visits to the station! However, Angel comes away with a gift, she says — a greater love for the music, which she got to know much more intimately during her stint with us.
Sadly, this December, we also learned of the passing of Fred Flaxman, the presenter and producer of COMPACT DISCOVERIES which has aired on DZFE since 2009. Fred abhorred pretension and was quick to defend a good melody wherever it was found. His programs were full of humor and warmth, and were always incredibly accessible to listeners who were just getting acquainted with classical music. DZFE will continue to air COMPACT DISCOVERIES in 2016.
Our best wishes go to Bert, Jill, Joanna and Jen!
And our sympathies go to Fred’s widow, Annick; we and our listeners will certainly miss him!
