Meet the New Host of Morning Classics

Mickey Miller, Radio Host and Content Producer

I am so excited to join the team at WGTE! What a privilege to give back to the media communities that have shaped me.  

A bit of background about me for our listeners:  

I grew up in a loud home in Kansas City, with a percussionist brother, a bluegrass guitarist mother, and a very patient father. I have always loved singing, but I obeyed my mother and studied violin for as many Suzuki exercises as I could. I gladly put the instrument down and went on to study classical voice at Mizzou, LSU and BGSU.  

On stage, I’m happiest in choir. I also adore playing angry ladies in Mozart operas and working on new chamber music with friends. Favorite roles I’ve performed include Anne Truelove in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Abigail Williams in Ward’s The Crucible and Johanna in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. 

As a musician, I love to indulge myself by digging deep into the score. Why does the mood change here? Why do they want strings to pluck quietly one moment and shred the next? Who was the composer dating when they wrote that angsty phrase? If a “nerd” is an enthusiastic expert on a subject, it’s something I aspire to be. 

Teaching is one of my greatest joys. I particularly love helping young soloists to find their voices. While at LSU and BGSU, I taught courses in vocal pedagogy, art song repertoire, class voice for nonmajors, and diction in Italian, French, German, and English. Healthy technique and strong musicianship are the basis of my students’ success. Singers who’ve impacted me most are Beverly Sills, Betty Carter, Emmylou Harris, Thom Yorke, and Whitney Houston. 

Outside of voice, my professional work has been in arts administration. I’ve focused on connecting artists and audiences across the world. Most recently, I spent time traveling with an arts tech company, supporting box offices like The New York Phil and Second City to balance their programming and income goals. I previously served The International Alliance for Women in Music, Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts, Opera Louisiane, and the Choral Arts Alliance of Missouri. Outside of music, I love floral design, baking, live comedy, and murder mysteries. 

Looking ahead, I want to thank listeners for spending time with me.  

Public media, radio specifically, feels like ‘third place’ listening. It’s an extension of the community that we can miss when we get caught in algorithms. My first experiences with symphonies came from clips on public media. I’ve listened daily for years and enjoyed the radio preset as a space to retreat to during busy mornings or late nights. When I listen to public media, I’m reminded to ground myself in the current time and temperature — and engage with conversations around me. I hope to give some of that enrichment back to our wonderful listeners at WGTE.