Utah Public Radio Launches 'Corner Concert Series'

LOGAN — In a bid to reach new audiences, Utah Public Radio is launching the Corner Concert Series. Inspired by National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk Concerts, the new segment sees UPR team up with Utah artists in a corner of the Logan station on the campus of Utah State University.

Guitarist Chris Williams, the first artist to be featured, said he was excited to figure out “how to play my music in a Tiny Desk format.”

“I thought the setup was unique and cute,” Williams said. “There wasn’t much of a script, so I tried to speak from the heart and let my words flow organically.”

Described as a Logan-based singer-songwriter who is currently an undergrad in USU’s guitar performance program, Williams’ concert features five original tracks, including the live debut of “Clover Green.” Since it was posted on Jan. 23, Williams’ concert has garnered enough views to make it among the most popular videos on UPR’s site.

“It can be difficult for local bands to be able to afford professional recording sessions to have their music available for others to hear. UPR corner concerts can definitely serve as a foot in the door and enabler for bands,” Williams said.

The brainchild of station marketing intern and USU student Emma Karren, the ambitious series aims to launch a new concert every two weeks, but self-proclaimed music lover Karren said that won’t be a problem.

“I thought a Tiny Desk-esque show would be a great way to tap into a younger audience,” Karren said. “I know from [the] work I've done for local artists here in Cache Valley that the Utah music community is so underrated, underserved and tight-knit. I knew this would be a mutually beneficial place to start.”

Asked about the experience of recording live music, Audio Director & Engineer Nicholas Porath said live music recordings at the station are rare, so he was enthusiastic to work on this series for UPR.

“Aside from our yearly Access Utah holiday special, we don't have a lot of opportunities to record live music here at the station, so any opportunity that I have to be involved in a project like this is really exciting and a lot of fun,” he said, adding that picking out a space for UPR Corner Concerts was also part of the process.

“There's a lot of character in this station, and I knew no matter where we decided, it'd be a warm and cozy vibe,” Porath said. “There are a few rooms we looked at before deciding on Studio D. Our recording capabilities are flexible, so we luckily weren't limited to any particular room or half of the building.”

That flexibility could come in handy — since UPR serves the state of Utah, meaning Karren has designs to expand the series beyond Logan.

“Before the first episode dropped, I had two other artists booked and was in talks with four to five local Cache Valley bands and an artist manager in Salt Lake City who has multiple bands and singer-songwriters interested,” said Karren, who saw an uptick in requests to participate after the first episode aired. “It’s so cool to see this project have an immediate impact.”

The next concert will feature Evelyn Winn and drop on Friday. Karren met Winn, another Cache Valley musician, at a songwriting competition hosted by KSM Music.

“She's only 17, but so beyond talented for a teenager. I'm excited for her to get some well-deserved attention,” said Karren, who stressed that the series is open to artists throughout the state.

“As of right now, we plan to primarily record artists who come to the UPR station in Logan, and since this project is just beginning, we're trying to make that set an iconic image. But we have also talked about the possibility of bringing the set to other locations in Utah, so it's easier for further artists to get involved,” she said.

Those interested in being considered for the Corner Concert Series should contact Karren directly at emma.karren@usu.edu.