WHQR Public Radio’s all-classical signal will debut at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16, the station announced Tuesday.
 
The non-commercial, around-the-clock station will join the newly expanded non-commercial news and information station 91.3 FM WHQR News.
 
The classical signal frequency and full program grids for both stations will be announced Sept. 16 by news release and at whqr.org. Tuesday’s news release said the classical station will feature Jemila Ericson, Pat Marriott, favorite syndicated programs “and music, music, music.”
 
A celebration of the launch will take place 5 to 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at WHQR Studios, 254 N. Front St. in downtown Wilmington.
 
“As we celebrate 30 years of serving our wonderful community, we are excited to be able to offer this new gift to our listeners. We hope both our classical fans and our news and information listeners will love the hugely expanded service. We like to think that we’re now giving listeners 48 hours of great radio a day," said Cleve Callison, station manager for WHQR, in the news release.
 
The station, founded in 1980, began broadcasting in 1984.
 
WHQR purchased the space housing its studios, the third floor of the Warwick Building at 254 N. Front St., in a deal that closed Aug. 22.
 
The station had already installed new equipment and completed some technical repairs in the more than 6,900-square-foot space in ancitipation of launching the classical station.