Beverley Ervine is retiring from her role as Program Director for Classical 101 on July 1. Bev has been the behind-the-scenes “doer” for classical music radio for literally decades. She just gets things done.
She even met her husband, Boyce Lancaster, at WOSU and they were married here!
The big question going around the station is whether Bev will actually clean out her legendary office before departing. The other question, of course, is how we can find someone who has some of the same assets that came naturally to Beverley – her love of the music, her mentoring capability, her work ethic, her calm demeanor.
You will see in these dedications how much Bev has meant to the station, to her colleagues and to our Classical 101 listeners. Please read on!
Jennifer Hambrick
Classical 101 Host & Broadcast Producer
Beverley has been responsible for programming all of the great music Classical 101’s listeners have enjoyed for years.
I have marveled at how Beverley always seems to find just the right piece of music for every time of day and every day of the week – a lively Haydn symphony to get us out of bed in the morning, a baroque chamber work to lighten our load in the middle of the workday and those fun little gems she calls ‘spice’ pieces sprinkled here and there in all the right places just for fun.
Beverley's dedication to classical music radio and to our wonderful listeners has been nothing short of inspiring.
During my time at WOSU, Beverley has routinely worked 10-hour days, and I've seen her work a 12-hour day, then come in the next morning before sunrise – all because she loves bringing timeless classical music to our listeners.
And, on a more personal note, Beverley was a wonderful mentor to me in my early years here at WOSU. I’ve learned much from Beverley, I consider myself very lucky to have worked with her for more than a decade and I will miss her.
Kylie Harwell-Sturgill
Classical 101 Web Producer
“I just met the lady I want to be in 20 years.”
That was the first text I sent to my husband after my first tour of WOSU Classical 101, courtesy of Beverley Ervine. Nearly two years later, that sentiment has only gained truth and depth.
Beverley is the kind of mentor and friend that not only encourages her coworkers, but she sees the potential and innate gifts of everyone she meets. She sees the best in everyone, instinctively.
In September 2014, when I first came to WOSU, I had no idea what an impact this woman would have on my career and my life, but her joy and dedication to the station and its listeners were positively infectious.
I knew upon meeting Bev that I wanted to be the same sort of exuberant steward of music that she is behind the scenes, and I came to realize that her exuberance and joy were merely the hallmarks of a deeply caring and insightful person.
Since I have known Bev, I have learned what it means to be the shoulders on which other artists and community leaders can stand; what it means to lend your voice so that everyone can be heard and appreciated.
She has taught me to appreciate approachability in the world of classical music, because our ability to be healers and supporters is far more important than how many symphonies we write, play, or recognize by ear.
For the past two years, I have learned from the lady I want to be today.
Christopher Purdy
Classical 101 Host & Broadcast Producer
Smart
Compassionate
Indefatigable
Thrifty
Responsible
Careful
Put any of those words in a sentence or use them alone and you can describe Beverley Ervine and the affect she’s had on WOSU, Classical 101 and me personally.
It was a rough start for Beverley and me, I won’t lie.
A mutual love of music and regard for the community brought us together after a bumpy start. For over 20 years I have had no better ally here at WOSU.
Her work ethic impressed me from day one. There may have been mountains piled up in her office, but she scaled each of them, often and effectively. She controlled the work pile, the work pile didn’t control her.
She kept classical music on their air in Central Ohio. Beverley bought the music, Beverley chose the music and Beverley cataloged the music. These may sound like sexy jobs but they are short on glamour and long on drudgery.
There were some bad times departmentally due to forces beyond our control. Once cleared, many of us clung to Beverly and regarded her as a life raft when at last she was named Program Director - she had been de facto PD for years.
She has used this office to tirelessly promote the best music to our audiences, and to the care of those of us on air, the latter at least hardly a barrel of laughs. Again, Beverley asked nothing for herself, and stayed away from any effort to promote herself or her own interests.
This is one thoughtful, selfless lady. For that, and for her endless work, she is impossible to replace.
John Rittmeyer
Classical 101 Host & Broadcast Producer
Even before she became the program director for Classical 101, Beverley Ervine was already a major factor in the success of our station.
As music director, she oversaw all the music selections that were at one time made by the hosts and made sure we covered all the bases, from Early Music, Baroque, Classical Era, Romantic and Modern. With her extensive knowledge of the repertoire, this has shaped the sound of our station to create the wide variety and range of music we all enjoy today.
Beverley was also responsible for the acquisition of literally thousands of CDs for our music library, making it a truly marvelous collection.
I remember how in my earlier years at the station, I used to search the aisles in the library and discover so many wonderful recordings, both the latest releases from major and minor labels and the reissues of the greatest recordings and performances from the past. I felt like a kid in a candy store. It’s still going on, with well over 40,000 CDs in our library! One of Beverley’s legacies will certainly be the outstanding music collection we have thanks to her unflagging efforts.
This is just one part of Beverley’s multiple roles here that has provided a steady pulse behind-the-scenes – really at the heart of this station – and made her a guiding spirit in its mission to bring the finest in classical music to our listeners.