March 29, 2024

UMW Philharmonic and PBS Update

Several PBS stations across the country have agreed to air “A Fiddler’s Holiday” with The Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band featuring the UMW Philharmonic led by Maestro Kevin Bartram.

Last week, an email from President Richard V. Hurley went out to all UMW alumni, parents, friends, students, faculty, and staff. In his communication, President Hurley asked members of the Mary Washington community to contact PBS stations to request the airing of the unique musical program filmed last December in Dodd Auditorium and around Fredericksburg.

Several alumni contacted UMW to acknowledge their support of the program and Mary Washington, including a loyal alumna from New York. “I am a life member of the Alumni Association, and I still take interest and pride in the school,” said Dorothy Shaw ’41. “While ‘fiddling’ isn’t my style, UMW is, and I’d like to see (or hear) this program with friends.”

Stations agreeing to air the show during this holiday season include WETA in the District of Columbia; WCVE in Richmond; WHTJ in Charlottesville; WVPT in Harrisonburg; UNC-TV throughout North Carolina; ETV in Columbia, S.C.; WQPT in Moline, Ill.; KCTS in Seattle, Wash.; WHMT in Albany, N.Y.; and the station Ms. Shaw contacted – WNED in Buffalo, N.Y./Toronto, Canada.

PBS program directors are still finalizing their holiday schedules, so there is time to contact them to make your request. See the complete list of PBS stations and contact those that have not yet made programming commitments. For more information, visit the website at special.umw.edu.

About Brynn Boyer

Brynn Boyer is assistant director of media and public relations and a 2010 graduate of UMW.