For radio host Bonnie North, classical music is more than just a genre — it's a way of life.
She stumbled into the world of radio after responding to a newspaper ad for Vermont Public Radio seeking a classical music DJ for its Sunday afternoon show. Despite having no previous radio experience, she was confident in her knowledge of classical music and took a chance. She created an audition tape, and the rest is history.
North’s love of classical music is in her DNA.
“My father was a professional bassoonist and also performed early music,” she said. “My mother was a musician too, but she preferred jazz and folk. If we weren’t playing music, we listened to it on the radio or from the family vinyl collection.”
When asked about her favorite composer, she admits it depends on her mood. Sometimes she seeks the meditative sounds of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, while other times she craves the angular compositions of Igor Stravinsky. Of course, she also loves the classics by composers who include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. But she is always looking for contemporary composers and is eager to discover new musical talents.
“Music is the purest expression of being human,” she said when asked what she looks forward to the most as a new host. “It contains every story, even those stories not yet told. It’s an adventure and a mirror. I look forward to making the musical journey with listeners each day.”
Outside of work, she loves to attend live music events. She also enjoys traveling and having friends and family scattered throughout the United States and Europe. But her love for animals is just as strong, and she often volunteers at animal shelters. She is an avid duathlon participant, combining her love for running and biking in one exciting event.
She looks forward to sharing her love for classical music and passion with the audience. Her dedication to exploring new music, telling untold stories and taking listeners on a musical journey is a testament to her love for the art form.
You can hear North at 6 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays nationally on YourClassical, as well as at other times as needed.
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