 offers recommendations for Minnesota concerts, events and more. 

Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

Our Picks

YourClassical MPR host John Birge offers recommendations for Minnesota concerts, events and more.

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.


Birge's Picks

Rob Verhorst/Redferns/Getty

What's Going on?

Birge's Picks: What's Going on?

John Birge has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.


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.


Beethoven celebrates his 250th birthday this year.

Wikimedia Commons

Welcome back, Ludwig!

Birge's Picks: Welcome back, Ludwig!

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.


Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for AFI

Something's coming — finally!

Birge's Picks: Something's coming — finally!

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.


NBC Television/Wikimedia Commons

Tiny Tim, Big Star

Birge's Picks: Tiny Tim, Big Star

This week, join host John Birge as we celebrate composer Adolphus Hailstork's 80th birthday through his music, tributes to his work and accolades for his accomplishments.


Courtesy of artist

Birge's Picks: Celebrate composer Adolphus Hailstork's birthday

Check out John Birge's picks for music, opera and more. From a coffee chain's opera connection to a song fit for presidential inaugurations, there's plenty of music and news to explore this week.
