Birge's Picks

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.

This week on John Birge’s Picks, we explore Jessica Meyer’s ‘Where You Love From,' a piece commissioned through the Michael Steinberg & Jorja Fleezanis Fund, a project founded and led by the legendary violinist Jorja Fleezanis in honor of her late husband, Michael Steinberg.

This week on John Birge’s Picks, a tribute to Leonard Bernstein is performed Tuesday at the Dakota in Minneapolis and a Fazioli grand piano is inaugurated in Austin, Minnesota by pianist Marc-André Hamelin.

This week on John Birge’s Picks, it’s a full week of live performances throughout Minnesota, including the Minnesota Orchestra playing live to a screening of ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.’ Regardless of where you are in the state, you can find a concert relatively close by.

This week on John Birge’s Picks, it’s a great week for fans of classical music and classic movies, including a 100th-anniversary shout-out for Oscar-winning composer Elmer Bernstein.

This week on Birge’s Picks, extraordinary pipa player Gao Hong celebrates 50 years as a performer of the instrument with a concert at the Ordway in St. Paul.

This week on Birge’s Picks, the Duluth Playhouse, Cantus, and the National Philharmonic all have their own performances that fight for racial equity and unity.

This week on Birge’s Picks, three regional orchestras stretch to embrace new sounds and revisit old traditions.

This week on Birge’s Picks, three legendary composers are celebrated through performances and documentaries.

This week on Birge’s Picks, choir performances take Minnesota by storm.