Heather McDougall
Maine Public Classical Manager of Music and PeopleHeather McDougall has enjoyed a varied international career, with more than two decades working across classical radio and music management. With roots as a performing and teaching cellist, she got her start in public media at Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland’s national public broadcaster, in classical radio production and later as artistic administrator for their two radio orchestras. Other production, music direction, and project management roles at West Cork Music, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, WFMT Radio Network (Chicago) and WRTI (Philadelphia) have rounded out her versatility across these fields and reflect her lifelong passion for radio and music-making.
Her credits include Co-executive Producer, Breaking Glass podcast (WFMT & Glimmerglass Opera); Executive Producer, Giving Thanks to Music with Nadia Sirota (WFMT Radio Network); and, Managing Producer, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Radio Series (WFMT Radio Network) and Bughouse Square with Eve Ewing podcast (WFMT & Studs Terkel Radio Archive).
Heather has a B.M. in Cello Performance (Eastman School of Music), B.A. in Linguistics (University of Rochester) and an M.Phil. in Digital Humanities and Culture (Trinity College Dublin).
When not on the job, in past lives, she’s always loved hitting the streets, giving architectural tours on behalf of the Chicago Architecture Foundation and Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. A newly arrived Mainer, she now hopes to get busy doing the same.
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As part of a visit to Waterville for the recent Maine Art Educators Association Spring Conference, Stephen LaRochelle sits down with Heather McDougall to demystify 3D printing and discuss its role in the classroom. -
Opera in the Pines’ 2025 production reimagines the story of The Barber of Seville, setting it in the most Maine of locations - a lobster pound. Performances run May 16-18 in Cape Neddick. -
Composer, flutist and vocalist Nathalie Joachim joins us to talk about her latest album Ki moun ou ye, reflections on her Haitian heritage, studying at Juilliard and the journey that followed. -
Dean Allbritton is here to discuss the Colby College Center for the Arts and Humanities’ annual themes, including the upcoming one for 2025-26, Islands, as well as its ongoing Environmental Humanities Initiative. -
Growing Up Maine is a musical portrait of our state and a project of Classical Uprising in partnership with Portland’s Reiche Elementary School. Emily Isaacson and Judd Greenstein of Classical Uprising are this week’s guests. -
Portland-based a cappella ensemble, Renaissance Voices, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a gala concert on Sunday May 18. Music Director Harold Stover shares what’s in store. -
Tina Davis, pianist and USM Osher School of Music artist faculty, joins us to talk about her exciting year in Hannover, Germany, studying the evolution of the piano, courtesy of a Fulbright Student Scholarship. -
More than twenty years ago, art therapist Jamie Silvestri founded ArtVan. She joins us to chat about this unique organization and their upcoming exhibition. -
At Portland Stage this month, a new play is running - Madeleines by Bess Welden, who joins us to talk about bringing this many-faceted story of sisterhood to life. -
Portland Ballet’s 44th season is in full swing, and Artistic Director Nell Shipman tells us about the upcoming New Works and Sleeping Beauty productions.
Read this interview with Heather from the March 2024 Experience membership magazine.