Birge's Picks

YourClassical MPR host John Birge offers some fairly great classical tracks to put you in the mood for the Minnesota State Fair, which starts Thursday and runs through Sept. 6.

Check out host John Birge's picks from the annual Stringwood Festival in Lanesboro, BBC Proms and Switzerland’s highly prestigious Verbier Festival. Find out how COVID has changed our summer classical music festivals this year.

Check out host John Birge's picks from Wes Anderson’s favorite composer, Benjamin Britten. Explore how this filmmaker has woven Britten into his cinematic universe.

Who’s the greatest Minnesotan? Judy Garland? F. Scott Fitzgerald? Kirby Puckett? Hubert Humphrey? All worthy. But ask any trumpet player, and they’ll tell you it’s Adolph “Bud” Herseth. Find out why in this week’s picks from John Birge.

From the Metropolitan Opera’s music director to Bill Murray, there are a wide variety of classical music-adjacent documentaries being released. Learn more in this week’s picks from host John Birge.

Charles Schulz’s 100th birthday anniversary is next year, and the tributes are already rolling out. Learn more in this week’s picks from John Birge.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s album ‘What’s Going On’ and hear a program from the SPCO honoring George Floyd’s life. Find out more in this week’s picks from John Birge.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday celebrations were postponed due to COVID-19, but the Minnesota Beethoven Festival is reigniting the festivities in 2021. Learn more in this week’s picks from John Birge.

This past weekend’s Oscar awards included the first trailer for Steven Spielberg’s new ‘West Side Story’ movie. In John Birge’s Picks for this week, explore more ‘West Side Story’-adjacent music and film.

This week’s picks from John Birge highlights Tiny Tim’s connections to Minnesota in light of a new documentary about the musician, opening in theaters on Friday.