Jean Inaba

Weekend Host, Classical WETA 90.9 FM

Classical WETA 90.9 FM weekend host Jean Inaba was born into a musical family in Honolulu, Hawaii. She spent her childhood there and in the Pacific Northwest. Music has been her passion since the age of six, when she first began playing the violin.

Inaba has worked for public radio stations across the country including KWIT in Sioux City, Iowa, WFAE in Charlotte, North Carolina, WCAL in Northfield, Minnesota and KSJN in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

In 1986, she moved to Washington, D.C. to work for NPR as associate music producer for the then brand new show, Performance Today. At the same time, she began working at WETA as a part-time weekend announcer.

After 16 years, Inaba left NPR to make a career change into horticulture. These days, she spends her weekends on WETA 90.9 FM, and her weekdays working in the interiorscape industry.

Inaba is also active as a professional freelance musician with more than 25 years of orchestral experience. She has played with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra (Hagerstown, Maryland) since 1989. She has also performed with the Walla Walla Symphony, Sioux City Symphony, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and Millbrook Orchestra.

Inaba received a bachelor's degree in communications media (cum laude) with a minor in music, from Walla Walla College in College Place, Washington. She is a self-described ‘fanatic gardener,’ an all-weather runner as well as a health and fitness buff who admits, “I get grouchy without my regular workouts!” Inaba currently resides in Maryland.