On July 1, Walter Carroll concludes a stellar career at NEPM and public radio. With an elegant voice, and an astute knowledge of all genres, Walter Carroll has shared his passion for classical music since 1989 as the weekday afternoon host of Classical Music on NEPM 88.5.
“For decades, Walter has been a beloved companion to listeners,” notes John Voci, NEPM senior director of radio. “He’s filled our homes, offices and hearts with the classical music that he loves. Walter will be missed by his colleagues at NEPM and by his listeners throughout western New England. I speak for many in wishing him and his wife Ann all the best and many years of enjoying traveling, attending the opera and visiting with family and friends.”
Walter is a Hoosier, born in Indianapolis into a family of musicians — a grandmother who was an opera singer, a grandfather who conducted bands and orchestras, and uncles who were jazz musicians. He sang with top choirs in high school and college.
His first classical music program was presented on WFCI, the campus station at Franklin College of Indiana. After graduating from Indiana University, he pursued a theatrical career, which took him to Amsterdam, where he remained for two years. He spent another nine years in Tokyo, appearing on NHK Radio and Television, dubbing films into English, narrating documentaries and providing voices for other recordings. Back in the United States he began his public radio career with New Hampshire Public Radio. He has been presenting classical music on New England Public Media since 1989.
His early interest in theater turned into a life-long pursuit. Throughout his life, he has appeared in Shakespeare and modern plays and portraying historical characters in one- and two-person presentations. For the Hampshire Shakespeare Company he occasionally played the fathers of some of the characters he played in his twenties.
What’s in store for Walter? He describes a perfect day as “a day at the beach, with a seafood dinner. Or in New York City, a day at a museum, a great dinner and a performance at the Metropolitan Opera. Or a similar visit to another country.”
Interestingly, that fits in with his NEPM finale. Walter retires on July 1, but there will be one more NEPM adventure. In December, Walter will host a magnificent NEPM trip to Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria. You can learn more about the “Festive Winter Waltz” trip at nepm.org/travel.