 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.

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

This week on Birge’s Picks, great programs take place from orchestras throughout Minnesota.


Birge's Picks

Courtesy of the artist

Department of orchestras everywhere

This week on Birge’s Picks, back in time this weekend and explore jazz with Wynton Marsalis at Orchestra Hall and experience an emotional story of three friends’ journey through life in Stephen Sondheim’s musical ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ at Theater Latte Da.


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Time travel with Wynton and Stephen

This week on Birge’s Picks, various shows inspired by Queen, an art festival and the Hudson River take place in southeast Minnesota.


Courtesy of artist

Water music in Winona, art lovers in Lakeville and Queen in Eagan

This week on Birge’s Picks, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra kicks off its 64th season.


SPCO

First nighting at the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

This week on Birge’s Picks, a new chamber music festival, the Duluth Chamber Music Festival, starts this week. The established Festival of the Lakes in Alexandria wraps up its 28th season.


San Francisco Conservatory of Music 

Duluth welcomes a new northern classic

This week on Birge’s Picks, a ‘Downton Abbey’ themed concert at the Dunsmore Room in the Crooner’s Supper Club and a pair of memoirs released from actors in the series should bring joy to fans of the show . 


Carnival Film & Television 

'Downton Abbey' Crooners

This week on Birge’s Picks, the Lakes Area Music Festival returns in Brainerd and the Vintage Band Festival brings a variety of musical experiences to Northfield. 


The trombone is very popular in marching bands and parades.

Camilo Jimenez/Unsplash

Band in Northfield, Earthy in Bemidji

This week on Birge’s Picks, the Northern Lights Music Festival returns for another summer of chamber music and opera featuring a terrific cast of singers from around the world in a performance of Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute.’


Provided

Opera’s 'Home on the (Iron) Range'

This week on John Birge’s Picks, YourClassical MPR celebrates Pride Month with ‘Proud to Be.’ Every morning this week at 9 a.m., we ask classical musicians in the LGBTQ community what Pride means to them.


Lacey Young/MPR

Pride of Place

This week on John Birge’s Picks, we bid farewell to Osmo Vänskä, who has led the Minnesota Orchestra as music director for 19 years.
