Special Collections
Fred Calland Collection

Fred Calland was a record collector, teacher and broadcaster with a long professional background in radio music programming, and a national reputation as an opera expert. He entertained National Public Radio listeners from the inception of NPR with many of the most popular music shows broadcast by the system.

A native of Ohio, Calland began collecting records as a teenager. He served in Germany during World War II. After graduating from Ohio State University in 1949, he taught German and worked as the music director for radio stations WSCU-FM in Columbus and WFCR-FM in Amherst, Mass. At WFCR he inaugurated a daily three-hour program called “Fred Calland Presents,” which included everything from classical to bluegrass.

In 1970, Calland joined National Public Radio as its only music producer. His personal collection often served as the principal resource for recorded music broadcasts. He hosted many live events including the first performances of new musical works. In1989, he retired from NPR as a senior producer. He then served as an occasional commentator on NPR and continued to host his "World of Opera" program on WETA-FM for several years.

Calland also taught opera appreciation at American and George Mason universities. His musical interests and knowledge were wide ranging, but his particular love was for opera and classical vocal music. He was witty, articulate, and opinionated, but without any hint of condescension towards his listeners. He attracted a large circle of friends with his conviviality, hearty sense of humor, and passionate love of music. Calland served as President of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections and Washington Metropolitan Area Chapter in 1988-89. He was also a noted quilt designer and quilt maker, and a member of the board of the Quilters Hall of Fame.

Fred Calland, passed away in October, 1999. His sister Ann Calland donated his collection of over 40,000 sound recordings on 78s, LPs, and tape; numerous catalogs and periodicals; and reference books to the University of Missouri - Kansas City, in 2000. The extensive record collection, housed in the Marr Sound Archives at Miller Nichols Library, is being cataloged on MERLIN, the on-line catalog of the University of Missouri. The complete operas and many of the oratorios are available by searching Fred Calland in the subject field. Manuscript materials in the collection are housed in the Special Collections Department on the fourth floor of Miller Nichols Library.

For further information about the Fred Calland Collection, contact Chuck Haddix, Marr Sound Archives, UMKC, tel 816-235-2798, e-mail: Chuck Haddix.

Biographical information by Chuck Haddix and Elwood McKee.

Special Collections is a non-circulating and non-browsing resource center. The Special Collections Reading Room is open to researchers Monday through Friday during the academic year. Public service hours for the current semester are listed at http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/index.html#hours but researchers are encouraged to call ahead for verification of hours due to University intersessions and other events. Special Collections is located on the fourth floor of the Miller Nichols Library at 5100 Rockhill Road in Kansas City, Missouri. All inquiries concerning access to the collections should be addressed to Special Collections Library Information Specialists Teresa Gipson or Kelly McEniry.