Michael Fishkin

Born and raised in the Bay Area in Oakland, Mike Fishkin has had a lifelong interest in classical music. A graduate of CSU, Chico, he was a music major and played trumpet in the Symphonic Band, the Jazz Band and the Chico Symphony Orchestra (now the North State Symphony).

It was while he was a student at CSUC that he discovered public radio, when looking for a place on the dial to listen to classical music. While still an undergraduate in the spring of 1988, Mike heard about auditions to become a volunteer classical announcer.  He eventually joined the North State Public Radio volunteer staff, hosting Classics by Request (then Valley Concert Request Night) on Friday nights, which continued on until June 2014. In the course of those years, Mike developed further skills, including production and copy writing, and in 1991 he joined the station staff as a Board Operator and Traffic Director.

Now the host of Afternoon Classics every weekday, Mike continues to be recognized by those who’ve listened to him over the years. “Radio and classical music are my passion,” he says, “and I feel more that proud when people call me ‘The Voice of the North State’.”

When Mike is not on the air, he works at Little Red Hen, a non-profit organization helping people with developmental disabilities. He works at their Kids & Kitchen Store in Chico, serving as Financial Assistant and Senior Staff Assistant.