ABC Classic FM’s, Marian Arnold is retiring after a 34 year long career in broadcasting.

Arnold, a graduate of Sydney University, started her career as a high school music teacherbut ended up spending most of her 20s as a singer. In 1981 she joined ABC Classic FM as a producer-presenter, and found herself so happy in this dual role that she has continued in it for 34 years.

During that time she has produced and presented programs for every timeslot. She created program series such as her highly successful Bach Lover‘s Almanack and her series about the violin, which she called Queen of Instruments. She also produced many features, including a celebration of the tercentenary of Jean-Philippe Rameau in 1983. In the late 1980s she became ABC Classic FM’s first regular weekday morning presenter.

One of her happiest moments was when she was asked to take on the weekend breakfast and morning timeslots, which incorporated a program called Listener Requests. With Arnold presenting the weekend mornings consistently attracted the largest audience on the network. She produced and presented weekend mornings very successfully for 25 years.

Arnold has also been closely involved in live concert broadcasts, presenting numerous Sydney Symphony Orchestra concerts and Sunday Live in Sydney. She has presented every Sydney International Piano Competition broadcast since 1992.

Arnold said:

“Presenting and programming music on radio has taught me so much. Not only about music itself, but about the art of listening and the nature and craft of radio. It has been both a privilege and a pleasure.”

Now she feels that the time has come to retire. She is grateful for the opportunities the ABC has afforded, and feels that it has been an honour to be involved for so long with ABC Classic FM.

Richard Buckham ABC Classic FM Manager said:

“As soon as Marian announced her retirement on air, messages from her listeners started flowing in. They spoke of Marian’s personal warmth, their appreciation of her incredible musical knowledge, the wonderful companionship she has offered on air for so many years, and the journeys of musical discovery that her programs have always offered. One listener summed it up simply: “It has been a weekly delight to listen to you, your voice and your choice of music for as long as you’ve been there.” Marian has been broadcasting on Classic FM for longer than any other presenter. Her retirement is a momentous event for us, and her radio colleagues will miss her greatly. We join her many thousands of listeners in wishing her the very best for a happy and thoroughly musical retirement.”

Arnold’s last programs on ABC Classic FM will be 9am – Midday, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October.