Mary Claire Murphy had no broadcasting background when WGTE hired her to do its Morning Classics show two months ago.
However, she’s impressed those at Toledo’s public media station at 91.3 FM so much that they already expanded her role. Murphy last week added Evening Classics (7 to 8 p.m.) and Classical Overnights (Midnight to 4 a.m.) to her programming contributions.
At the root of the success of this Bowling Green farmer’s daughter is the special feeling music has put in her heart ever since beginning piano lessons with Linda Taylor as an 8-year-old.
Murphy smiled and informed: “I love sharing what I love – and that’s music! There are just so many gems waiting to be discovered. I feel very fortunate to be part of someone’s day, and helping them discover something that’s joyful or improving their day in some way.”
She has the personal touch necessary to connect with listeners.
That’s evidenced by her dedication to writing personalized lullabies for each of her 13 nieces and nephews while they were in the womb, and recording the songs while also providing the family sheet music for them.
The first, titled “Wind On The Hill,” was for Lincoln Byard, now 6.
“It was inspired by a poem of the same name by A.A. Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh,” said Murphy.
She recited the beginning: “No one can tell me, nobody knows, where the wind comes from or where the wind goes.”
Her eyes twinkled, revealing how special that lullaby is to her.
WGTE station manager Brad Cresswell sees her as “a wonderful companion for those who listen,” and added, “Mary Claire is a great storyteller, and the ability to connect with people comes naturally for her. Listeners have remarked on her friendly voice and positive attitude, which isn't inhibited by having a microphone in front of her. Instead, her personality shines through.”
She was relatively content teaching music, but felt something “missing” and found this position on the WGTE website.
“I kept my eye open for other opportunities,” Murphy said. “I didn’t want to leave music altogether, but there were some pieces missing. So, I submitted my application here, and was excited to even get interviewed.
“This might have been a case of right place at the right time. But I was surprised, actually, when I got to this path.”
What gave the station confidence in hiring her without broadcasting experience?
Cresswell said: “Classical music hosts come from a variety of different backgrounds; many are musicians who can meet the special challenges of the position, such as foreign language pronunciations and familiarity with the pieces played. That was the case with Mary Claire.
“However, you also want someone who can talk on the radio with a pleasing voice and personality,” he continued, “and Mary Claire consistently did that during the job interview process. Her lack of broadcasting experience has proven to be a strength rather than a weakness, as we can provide her with direction and support so that she has everything she needs to excel at the job.”
Learning the ropes
Murphy made a quick transition.
“Honestly, at first it was this kind of scary, unknown thing,” she said. “I didn’t have experience, but [people at the station] have been reminding me: ‘It’s just a conversation – you can just be yourself.’ And that was really helpful the first month.
“It’s just a conversation, even though my voice might be in somebody’s car or home. We’re just chatting, and I’m just sharing some music with them. And we’re just having a good time.”
She researches composers and “contextualizes” their music with “a few little snippets” to provide the origins and importance of songs to enhance listener enjoyment.
Murphy said: “I was researching the music of a composer, Joaquin Rodrigo, and had not realized that he lost his sight as a child because of diphtheria and wrote music with a system of musical Braille that was later transcribed for publication.
“I had no idea, and that provides everyone a different perspective on his music. It personalizes it.”
It’s hard to imagine Murphy doing anything but music.
Yet, as a senior at Toledo’s Notre Dame Academy before moving onto Xavier University in Cincinnati, she was leaning toward training to be a meteorologist, and even shadowed WTVG-TV, Channel 13 chief meteorologist Jay Berschback.
Murphy, though, decided to pursue a music degree that focused on piano and composition at Xavier.
She’s been a professional pianist, taught piano at St. Augustine School in Napoleon and as far away as Costa Rica, and was a church youth minister.
Then Murphy realized: “I love teaching more than performing.”
She decided to pursue a master’s degree at Bowling Green State University in music composition, and credited the instruction of Christopher Dietz, Mikel Kuehn and Marilyn Shrude. She also met her husband, Chris Murphy, there. He was studying classical music then and is a saxophone player who also works in real estate.
After she graduated in 2020, Murphy taught piano and choir at St. Ursula while founding Field Lily Music to provide individual lessons. She named it in honor of tiger lilies and stargazer lilies because she said they symbolize people who are “go-getters” and “dreamers,” and she can relate to that.
She focused on that until coming upon this opening for a classical radio show host at the station she grew up listening to with her parents, Ruth and Jerry Miller, and seven siblings on their 135-acre farm in Wood County.
She recalled her father driving her to high school, listening to the morning show on WGTE. Now that show is hers.
Murphy replaced Haley Taylor, who left for a position with a Toledo marketing company.
What does it say about her that, less than two months into this gig, the station expanded her role?
Cresswell explained: “It says that she is efficient and industrious; she is making the position her own and works very well with her colleagues. As to expanded hosting and podcasting work, we want to share her storytelling and communication abilities in as many ways as possible and support her creativity by helping her amplify her ‘voice’ - so she can in turn be a ‘voice of the arts’ for our community.”
Murphy’s found a home in radio.
“What I love about my path is that there’s been a lot of variety,” she said. “Variety is the spice of life, right? It was exciting, on one hand, to be exploring. But it’s also kind of nice to have found something that’s real solid, that I’m really excited about.
“It’s this niche role between music and just being part of the community. It’s a nice intersection. It feels like a moment of arrival after all that time – which is special.”
First Published November 9, 2022, 1:00 p.m.
