On Thursdays between 1pm and 4pm John Hoey presents a musical magazine spanning many types of music – maybe from Bach, to Basie or Bennett, perhaps some Bluegrass and possibly a bit of Bowie. It’s a wide and variable musical spectrum. At 3pm for half an hour he presents “Cool, Calm and Composed”, a series each week spotlighting a different composer or lyricist with examples of their work and some biographical notes. Sometimes the stories behind the writing of words and music are as interesting as the song itself. Come along and join in all the fun on GDR Thursdays at 1pm.
How did you first connect with GDR?
I accidentally set the clock radio alarm to FM instead of the usual AM. Instead of receiving the ABC early morning news magazine I listened to the overnight music and realized the station was very close to our home. I was looking for interesting voluntary work and I helped the Membership Secretary produce reports, and then was offered the chance to try out as a presenter.
Why did you want to be a presenter?
I regularly heard an ABC Classic FM Drive program in the 1990s which presented many different types of music. This broadened my already active interest in music, and increased my musical enjoyment to such a degree that I always though it would be fascinating to try to do the same thing.
What experience do you want to give your listeners?
I liken my programme to visiting an art gallery, except music is on display rather than paintings. Art galleries usually display a variety of examples from different schools of art. I hope that some listeners might move in a similar way that I did in the 1990s, and thus enjoy even more different types of musical experiences than just those with which they have become familiar over many years.