Mark Chilla

Atlanta

Radio Operations Manager at Georgia Public Broadcasting

Full-time program director of @wfiu and host of @wfiuafterglow. Part-time music educator. Pretend woodworker. Infrequent tweeter.

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Articles

Full Moon And Empty Arms: Classical Melodies In Popular Song

Oct 24, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

Names like Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Ravel are not typically part of the music of the Great American Songbook. But you may be surprised to learn, the origins of many American pop melodies began with these classical composers. This hour on the program, I explore the classical melodies hidden within some pop standards, including well-known hits like "Baubles, Bangles, and Beads," "Lover, Come Back To Me" and more.
Songs Of The Season: Autumn

Sep 26, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

On this program, it's my annual salute to changing leaves, crisp fall air, and pumpkin spice with some "Songs of the Season" for autumn. Autumn songs from the Great American Songbook are generally ballads, with a tinge of regret and melancholy permeating the lyrics, as the carefree days of summer are blown away with the brisk fall breeze.
I Walk With Music: Songs About Walking

Sep 19, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

In the Great American Songbook, you’ll find songs written about some expected topics: love, youth, beauty, spring. Other common tropes however are a bit unexpected, like for instance, walking. Taking a walk might seem like a simple task … pedestrian, even. But a walk can also be an important time of reflection—or connection, if you’re sharing it with someone else. It’s also the perfect time for a song to be twirling around inside your head.
Miss D On Mercury

Aug 29, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

Dinah Washington was known as the "Queen Of The Blues," but really, she was so much more than that. Washington was a jazz, pop, AND R&B diva, with an ability to sell a song with cool, confident, hard-edged style that was like no other. This hour on the program, we'll give a brief exploration of Washington's thirteen year run on the Mercury Record label, where she crafted some of her biggest hits like "Cold, Cold Heart" and "What A Diff'rence A Day Made."
An All-American Road Trip

Jul 4, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

It's the week of the Fourth of July, so this week on the program, I'll be celebrating America by taking an All-American road trip through the Great American Songbook. This hour, we'll travel around the country as we explore songs about different states.
The Songs Of 1924

May 28, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

All this month on the program, I’ve been turning back the clock to the 1920s, exploring the songs from that roaring decade that have resonated over the century. If you haven't listened, check out the episodes on 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923. And for our final episode of the month, I’ll be looking back 100 years to the year 1924.
The Songs Of 1920

Apr 30, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

All this month on the program, we’re going to be turning back the clock 100 years, to explore the songs of the 1920s. This week, a special focus on the songs of the year that kicked off the roaring decade: 1920. Many of the songs from this year did not withstand the test of time, for reasons we’ll get into. But this hour, we’ll hear a few of the songs that did, including “Avalon,” “Whispering,” and “Look For The Silver Lining.”1920 was a pivotal year in American history.
Blossom Dearie in the 1960s and 70s

Apr 23, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

This week on the show, we’re continuing our 100th birthday celebration of singer and songwriter Blossom Dearie. Last time on the show, we showcased Dearie’s classic period in the late 1950s, and her six remarkable albums for Verve Records. And this week, I will chronicle the next chapter of her career in the 1960s and 1970s.
When The Sun Comes Out

Apr 2, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

This coming Monday, April 8th, will be a big day in North America. A total solar eclipse will stretch from Mexico to Maine, blocking the sun for up to four and half minutes. As we lament the temporary loss of our solar companion, this week, we’ll celebrate her with some songs about sunshine. Coming up this hour, we’ll hear sunny songs from the American songbook, including “On The Sunny Side Of The Street,” “East Of The Sun,” “That Old Lucky Sun,” and many more.
Sassy Swings Again: Sarah Vaughan in the 1960s

Mar 26, 2024 | indianapublicmedia.org | Mark Chilla

This week on the show, we’re continuing our 100th birthday celebration of The Divine One, Miss Sarah Vaughan. Vaughan would have turned 100 years old on March 27, 2024. Last time, I took a deep dive into her work during the 1950s, where she recorded both jazz and pop records for the Mercury label. This hour, we’ll explore her work in the following decade, and the many recordings she made for the Roulette label and beyond.