Fred Child to take over the reins at All Classical Radio

 

credit: courtesy of All Classical Radio

From the Press Release:

All Classical Radio today announced that award-winning broadcaster and arts advocate Fred Child will become its next President and CEO, beginning January 2, 2026. Child, who will relocate to Oregon from New York City for the position, is particularly admired for his 25-year run as host of the nationally syndicated classical music radio program Performance Today, heard on hundreds of public radio stations nationwide. His appointment marks the next chapter in All Classical Radio’s ongoing evolution as a global media network amplifying classical music, arts, and culture.

“Fred has been a leader in connecting music-makers with music-lovers, and advancing access to the arts with a passion and approach that is absolutely infectious. He brings an ambitious strategic vision for our arts network, guided by a deep understanding of and appreciation for public media. We are proud to welcome him to All Classical Radio,” says All Classical Radio Board Chair Elaine Durst.

All Classical Radio is a nationally recognized arts and culture network. The public radio station boasts a local reach of nearly 250,000 regular listeners through broadcast radio and 400,000 monthly visitors through its website, representing listeners across the United States and in over 100 countries worldwide. With its International Children’s Arts Network (ICANradio.org), All Classical’s second station designed for youth, families, and educators, the network offers 48 hours of enriching curated content daily.

“It is a joy to return to my hometown of Portland and an honor to join this beloved institution,” says Child. “All Classical Radio delivers essential culture as a free global resource, and does so with a team of uniquely talented personalities. Their creativity inspires me to envision what we can do together through our shared experience of great music, outstanding performances, and engaging storytelling.”

In addition to hosting Performance Today, Child served as the Emmy-winning announcer for PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center, as well as the host of NPR’s Creators @ Carnegie. Before joining American Public Media, Child was Music Director and Director of Cultural Programming at WNYC in New York, host of a live daily performance and interview program on WNYC, and, for a decade, a host at Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Child has also anchored numerous major live concert broadcasts, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s first concerts from Walt Disney Concert Hall, the New York Philharmonic’s world premiere of John Adams’s On the Transmigration of Souls, the Last Night of the Proms from Royal Albert Hall in London, New Year’s concerts by the New York Philharmonic, and Seiji Ozawa’s final concert with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood.

Child grew up in Portland, Oregon, where he studied classical piano and jazz. He also dabbles in guitar, percussion, and bagpipes. He is currently an avid student of South Indian music and dance. His wife is composer Wang Jie.

Child’s appointment comes at a time of transition for the organization. Last December, All Classical Radio officially welcomed the public into its new broadcasting and office headquarters, home to five state-of-the-art production studios, the Irving Levin Performance Hall, and the James DePreist Recording Studio. In July, Congress’s budget rescission package eliminated $500,000 in critical annual support previously approved for All Classical Radio. The network has been heartened by the community support in closing the resulting revenue gap and continues to evaluate how it can best position itself in this new funding landscape. 

All Classical Radio partnered with URL Media to conduct this search. Child succeeds Suzanne Nance, who announced her departure earlier this year after 10 years with All Classical Radio. Since July, Greg Arntson has served as the media network’s Interim Chief Executive Officer.