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Mindy Heusel

Music Director, Host of Perspective

Mindy started at WVIK on the evening shift, one night a week, while still a student at Augustana College. Not long after, the station began overnight service and she took on the graveyard shift for a full six nights. In 1985, she moved to days and began her long tenure as host of Perspective, WVIK's afternoon classical music program. Under her direction, the program has developed into a show focused on exploring new music from living composers, not just from orchestra halls but including Broadway and film music.

A strong musical background prepared Mindy, a native of Hooper, Nebraska, for a career as a classical music announcer. Mindy studied piano from the age of 3 and flute from the sixth grade, was a frequent piano accompanist, and was named a Promising Young Musician in the State of Nebraska.

Mindy served as Operations Manager at WVIK from 1985 until 1988. From 1992 to 1995 she served as Membership Manager, running Fund Drives and processing the all-important listener contributions to WVIK. She now serves as Music Director, keeping the CD and LP library up-to-date and organized for WVIK's classical programmers.

  • Mindy Heusel sits down with filmmaker and artist Jose Francisco Salgado to discuss his film created for Michael Abel's piece "Liquify"
  • Mindy Heusel is joined by special guests Courtney Lyon, the Artistic Director of Ballet Quad Cities, and Jillian Van Cura, a professional dancer with BQC.
  • Mindy Heusel interviews composer Angel Lam about her music and her piece "Secrets and Ice Garden" which was performed as part of the QCSO Living Lands and Waters concert at the Figge Art Museum.
  • Oboist Andrew Parker sits down for an interview to discuss his performances with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. The focus of the conversation is on his solo performance of John Harbison's "Snow Country." Parker describes the piece as a portrayal of the harsh and bitter aspects of winter, going beyond the picturesque snowy landscape.
  • In this episode, we welcome the renowned Krakow Duo, pianist Marek Szlezer and cellist Jan Kalinowski, who recently visited the Quad Cities area of Iowa to perform a concert at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Davenport. Marek and Jan have been lifelong friends since their childhood in Krakow, Poland, and it was later in life that they decided to combine their talents and start performing together after successful solo careers.
  • In this episode, Mindy Heusel sits down with Lynne Stukart, the Executive Director of the Deanery School of Music in Davenport, Iowa. Lynne shares her extensive experience in music performance and teaching, from starting flute lessons at a young age to now teaching for over 20 years. Lynne's passion lies in nurturing the next generation of musicians and she finds joy in helping her students grow.At the Deanery, Lynne encourages students to challenge themselves while celebrating people from all backgrounds. She believes in making music accessible to everyone and offers instruction on a variety of instruments beyond the classical canon, such as violin, cello, piano, and flute. The Deanery, housed in a beautifully renovated historic mansion, is a space dedicated to fostering diverse musical experiences.One exciting upcoming event at the Deanery is the Krakow Duo concert and masterclass. Mindy asks Lynne about how the Deanery connected with this renowned Polish duo. Lynne explains that the duo reached out over the summer and she was thrilled by their willingness to work with students of all levels.During the conversation, Lynne shares her vision for the Deanery as a welcoming space that embraces the intimacy of chamber music and emphasizes community engagement. She also discusses her background in sound therapy, a unique offering that she plans to provide at the Deanery.Join Mindy and Lynne as they dive deep into Lynne's role as the Executive Director of the Deanery School of Music and explore the upcoming performances and opportunities to experience music at this remarkable institution.
  • Members of the ATLYS String Quartet and Marian Lee join Mindy Heusel on Perspective for a look at their upcoming performance on St. Ambrose University's Harmonic Diversions series. More information: https://www.sau.edu/harmonic-diversions-concert-series-atlys
  • Emily Kate Long, Christian Knopp, and Marcus Pei stop by Perspective with Mindy Heusel for a chat about their upcoming performance of Ghost Stories! More information on the October 13th and 14th performances: https://www.balletquadcities.com/
  • Mindy Heusel talks with Jacob Bancks about his most recent composition commissioned for the inauguration of Augustana College's new president Andrea Talentino.
  • Join Perspective Host, Mindy Heusel, as she interviews Ballet Quad Cities Artistic Director Courtney Lyon and Artistic Advisor Joe Chonto about their work on BQC's upcoming presentation of Our Will to Live.