Composers Datebookis a daily two-minute program designed to inform, engage, and entertain listeners with timely information about composers of the past and present. Each program notes significant or intriguing musical events involving composers of the past and present—with appropriate and accessible music related to each.

Composers Datebook host John Zech has been a classical music announcer, producer, and program host for more than 20 years. He has also been a narrator and voice talent for a wide variety of industrial and educational tapes, an audio producer/engineer for an educational publishing company, video project director for a foreign language translation firm, and an on-site interpreter for the Minnesota Historical Society.

In addition to his work on Composers Datebook, John also hosted the radio series The Composer's Voice, a series profiling contemporary composers co-produced by Minnesota Public Radio and the American Composers Forum for Public Radio International.