In a small, unsuspecting room that once collected dust in the basement of the MSB, members of the Deerfield community have been taking initiative as radio show hosts.
There is no large cast or crew, no recognition or credit for being a host. These individuals sit down, put on their headphones, and talk about the things they find interesting.
This is not the first time Deerfield has hosted radio shows, but this is the most updated and modernized version thanks to the use of streaming technology.
Last year, Mr. Flaska began the initiative again on a streaming app called Mixlr, which published and saved every radio show recorded on campus.
The opportunity to host a show was then opened to the entire community.
However, few have taken up that offer and the weekly radio shows have largely flown under the radar.
Even though the number of shows is limited and they lack widespread support, the shows entertain with interesting content and provide insight into diverse artistic forms and interests.
Some take on a talk-show-esque air, while others simply play a mixtape or a musical soundtrack.
The variety of shows ranges from Ms. Cornelius’ and Ms. Mott’s show “When I was your Age,” investigating the adolescent lives of Deerfield faculty through music, to Chijoke Achebe ‘19 and Dylan Bane ‘20’s show “Bane & Achebe,” discussing politics.
The motives for starting a show differ from person to person.
“I don’t really know where the idea came from,” Ms. Mott said, regarding the origins of her and Ms. Cornelius’ show.
“I was thinking about how I used to make mix CDs in high school and how I found myself, more and more this year, saying things like ‘when I was your age.’”
The basis of their show is straightforward: every week, a new guest from the community is featured.
They are asked to speak of their teenage days and to tell the story of those years through music.
When asked why music is the designated channel of storytelling, Ms. Mott said, “Music is a really good lens for both learning about our own pasts and our memories, and a great lens for learning about other people’s pasts and memories and selves.”
While both Ms. Mott and Ms. Cornelius feel passionate about music, they both have agreed on a common goal: connect with new people on campus and bridge the gap between faculty and students.
Ms. Cornelius said their overarching goal is to “grow together as a community.”
She added, “I think it’s a way to learn things about people that you otherwise wouldn’t really have an opportunity to learn about.”
Why should you listen to When I was Your Age? Ms. Mott said,
“Sometimes, there can feel like there’s this distance between kids and adults, even though adults have had a lot of experiences that would allow them to really relate to kids. This show helps bridge that divide a little bit.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Stallings also hopes to bring together faculty and students with his radio show, which shares personal mixtapes created by friends.
While music, especially playlists created by others, has been increasingly created for and distributed to larger audiences, mixtapes bring back a more personal element.
Mr. Stallings’ show focuses precisely on the personal aspect of music, showcased directly in the mixtapes his friends created for him while it was still popular to do so.
His show, The Lost Art of the Mixtape, is a time-travel back to the past with carefully thought-out music.
It was created for a simple, selfless reason: displaying good music.
“The simple goal is that, especially with the tapes I’ve exchanged with a friend of mine from college named J Thompson, I’ve felt like they’re so good,” Mr. Stallings said.
He continued, “I’ve always wanted to have an opportunity for more than just me to hear them —a mixtape is a personal thing, you give it to another person.
I’ve always felt that it’s a shame I’m the only one who gets to hear them.”
While Mr. Stallings is working to combat the onslaught of modern music culture with his own personal touch, his show works on exposing the Deerfield community to all different varieties of music.
“The range covers everything from old country to singer songwriter stuff to hip hop to punk rock to hardcore punk rock: it really encompasses everything over time.”
Why should you listen to The Lost Art of the Mixtape? Mr. Stallings argues, “I feel lucky to be in possession of some really well-curated music and to have the opportunity to say a few words about it.
If people like listening to well-curated music, it’s worth listening to.”
The Deerfield radio shows seem to operate with a common goal of uniting the school community, whether it is through faculty laughing about the music they used to listen to in high school, or through hand-picked music from those close to Mr. Stallings.
There are shows about everything ranging from sports, politics, and music. Every show is available for free on deerfield.edu/radio.