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  E-Notes
December 2015
Give the Gift of Public Radio in December

With WUOT's fall 2015 fund drive just ending and members still sending in donations to fulfill their pledges, you might think it odd if we ask you to make an additional donation to WUOT in December.
 
But the end of the calendar year is the perfect time to support causes you care about. Many people make multiple donations as part of their end-of-year, tax-deductible charitable gifts. Some do it for themselves, but others make donations in honor of someone else as their gift to them. It's a wonderful gift for someone "who has everything," or for someone who cannot afford to give themselves.
 
So, if you are planning to make end-of-year gifts, please consider one to WUOT Public Radio. If you missed the drive, it's not too late to donate online and select a thank-you gift if you qualify. Or you might consider another gift: One to the WUOT Endowment Fund.
 
The WUOT Endowment is an additional revenue source for WUOT. From small, monthly gifts to six-figure bequests, donors to this fund have helped put $1.2 million in the coffers to date. The interest generated by this growing fund will help provide the financial resources to produce the informational, cultural and entertainment you love and rely on, not just today, but for years to come.
 
If you choose to donate to the WUOT Endowment, please write "Endowment" in the memo line of your check or include a comment with your online donation. For more information about the endowment, visit wuot.org/wuot-endowment.
 
Giving the gift of public radio isn't just a gift to the station; it's a gift to everyone who listens, now and in the future. Thank you for your support of WUOT, and warm wishes for the holidays.
TruckBeat Takes WUOT Crowdsourcing and Reporting Efforts to a New Level

When WUOT introduced Tenn Words in May, it represented an ambitious and earnest attempt to seek out the people, stories and issues that define our community.  Now, we're taking the organic crowdsourcing concept that drives
Tenn Words and hitting the road with TruckBeat

Thanks to support from the Association of Independents in Radio and WUOT's Lauren P. Murphy Endowment, we'll be purchasing a renovated food truck.  We'll drive the truck to every corner of East Tennessee to more deeply explore the issues you've identified with your Tenn Words responses.  The truck will be equipped with video and audio equipment, and managed by Jess Mador, right, a top-notch, Minnesota-based multi-media producer who is relocating to Knoxville for the next nine months to focus on the TruckBeat project. 
 
So how does it work?  Here's an example:
 
When Tenn Words asked, "What keeps you up at night?," nearly 20 percent of you replied with some reference to your own health or that of your friends and family.  Your responses addressed a wide range of concerns, from aging and mental illness to cancer and the affordability of health coverage.  With TruckBeat, we'll be able to learn more about your thoughts, beliefs, fears and opinions as they relate to healthcare.  We're committed to telling personal, compelling stories that expose the underlying human experience of each topic.
 
At the same time, you'll have an opportunity to continually shape the conversation by posing your own questions on the TruckBeat web module at wuot.org and truckbeat.org.  And as always, you can still participate in Tenn Words online, follow the Instagram and Twitter feeds, listen to the podcast and watch for your chance to see the mobile Tenn Words wall.  
A Present for You!

WUOT is thankful for the generous members, dedicated underwriters, excellent volunteers and loyal listeners who make this station possible. To thank our faithful e-newsletter subscribers, we're offering you the chance to win some great gifts!
While the presents may differ, the way to enter is the same: Email Cindy Hassil with the name of the event in the subject line and include the following information in the body of the message:
  • Name of show
  • Preferred theatre for Met: Live in HD
  • Date of show
  • Your name, phone number and mailing address
If you want to enter more than one contest, PLEASE send a separate email for each. We'll do a random drawing of the entries and contact the winners by email. The deadline to enter ALL contests is Friday, Dec. 4. Good luck!
Big band bells ring as Merrill Lynch presents A Swingin' Christmas with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant joins the KJO in excellent arrangements from her 2014 holiday tour with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and the KJO's classic favorites will make your holidays warm and bright.
A Swingin' Christmas
Thursday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m.
The Historic Tennessee Theatre 
 
The Met: Live in HD celebrates the holidays with the groundbreaking broadcast that launched The Met: Live in HD in 2006: Mozart's The Magic Flute. You can relive the whimsical humor and breathtaking puppetry of Julie Taymor's production in this shortened English-language version of Mozart's timeless fairy tale.
 
The Magic Flute
Saturday, Dec. 12, at 12:55 p.m.
West Town Mall 9 or Tinseltown
 
WUOT Recognizes New and Renewing Underwriters

The following organizations became new underwriters or renewed their support of WUOT in November. You'll find a complete list of WUOT's sponsors with links to their websites on the Sponsors page of our website. Please thank these organizations for supporting WUOT Public Radio! 

 
If you'd like to raise awareness for your organization or a special event by becoming a WUOT underwriter, contact Denise Carpenter or call 865-974-6569.
 
Holiday Specials

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The holidays bring on the many special programs listeners have come to anticipate and enjoy. This year is no exception, beginning on December 7 with an NPR favorite, Hanukkah Lights, at 8 p.m.  Be listening thru the entire month for many other special programs.
 
Knoxville Symphony on the air 

KSO November Masterworks Concert
Shizuo Z Kuwahara, conductor; Stewart Goodyear, piano
SHCHEDRIN: Concerto for Orchestra No. 1 "Naughty Limericks"
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1
RACHMANINOFF: Symphony No. 3
Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m.
 
Knoxville Symphony Chamber Classics Christmas
This festive Chamber concert includes holiday highlights such as Mozart's arrangement of Sleigh Ride, Greensleeves, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and many recognizable carols. The concert will feature the Chamber Orchestra and Knoxville Chamber Chorale, conducted by KSO Resident conductor James Fellenbaum.
Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m.
Dialogue

WUOT's monthly live call-in program; hosted by a member of WUOT's News Staff.

Recent numbers from the Pew Research Center show Tennessee's religious makeup is changing. Fewer people go to church. The number of people who identify with no major religion is growing. Are these bad signs for organized religion? Or is it the beginning of a new kind of spirituality? Host Brandon Hollingsworth and a panel will discuss the changing face of faith in Tennessee.

We'll take your calls at 865-974-5050; tweet us @WUOTFM or submit your question on WUOT's Facebook page. 

 Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 1 p.m. 
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Studio 865/Flipside

WUOT's monthly program featuring regional music and musicians, hosted by Todd Steed.

This month on Studio 865: a re-broadcast with Kelle Jolly and Will Boyd.

On Flipside, the undeniable wit and heart of Tommy Womack.
Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m.
 
From the National Desk

Credit: Todd Davidson/Illustration Works/Corbis
Gratitude Is Good For The Heart
A new study checked participants for inflammation and plaque buildup in the arteries, and found lower levels among those who were grateful -- an indication of better heart health. NPR's Patti Neighmond has the story. 
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots




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Credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images
Itzhak Perlman At 70
Once a kid with polio from Tel Aviv who hated practicing his instrument, the master violinist says he's still learning. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with Perlman, who will be honored by President Obama with the Medal of Freedom -- a milestone in the life of a naturalized American citizen.
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