Inside the quiet broadcast booths of campus radio station KWVA, University of Oregon senior Bryan Kalbrosky finds refuge from the EMU construction, which hammers on only a few yards away. Surrounded by a library of carefully organized CDs, overflowing boxes of vinyl and multiple computers loaded with music, Kalbrosky reaches for the studio’s ringing phone.
“Apparently that guy’s grandma has the same birthday as me,” he says while returning the corded phone to the cradle. After announcing that it was his half-birthday on last week’s show, a caller felt it necessary to share that Kalbrosky, in fact, shares a birthday with his grandmother.
As host of The Everything Bagel radio show on Thursdays from three to four p.m., Kalbrosky does not take many requests due to the premeditated format of the show, but does encourage listeners to call in and talk to him about music or life. As DJ Brosky (a nickname that has stuck in college), he factors in many intangibles before settling on a final playlist.
“The night before the show, I’ll look at the weather, see how I’m feeling and try to create a narrative, as lame as that sounds, based on the mood that I’m feeling. I like to have some sort of rhyme and reason to it,” Kalbrosky explains.
Kalbrosky has been working at KWVA for three or four years. He began after a former music director and philosophy classmate encouraged him to look into jobs at the radio station. Alongside his radio show, he also works as an office assistant.
“What I like about KWVA is it’s very relaxed. You don’t have many requirements. It’s an hour or two of you just having your space in a studio, a really creative space to broadcast things that you love and feel passionate about,” Kalbrosky says. “I like to call it organized chaos in a positive way. If you can understand and like what I play on the air, then you are probably going to like me as a person.”
A major portion of The Everything Bagel this year has been a focus on music released in 2014. This year’s show also features more remixes, but still maintains a generally calm and tranquil hour of music. With a wide-ranging playlist with everything from indie rock to electronic, punk to rap and everything in between, The Everything Bagel earns its name from its variety.
“I’m not sure if anyone listens, but it doesn’t actually matter to me very much,” he says. “It’s nice knowing that people would be listening, but I just love being in the studio.”
Clearly, Kalbrosky is not the only music lover on campus. After discussing music and comparing playlists, he met a former girlfriend through his show and many more friends.
“Maybe music actually does change people’s lives. Maybe college radio is important. Maybe it’s not, but either way it’s still a fun thing I do.”
While DJ positions are unpaid, the opportunity to share music is more important than money to DJ Brosky. He says using music to strengthen the community, however small the audience may be, is superior since he has the capability to share a passion with others who care about music as much as he does, even if only one person is listening.
“At least that one person digs it. At least that dude’s grandma has the same birthday as me.”