Extra Eclectic - Jan. 31, 2024

The 2024 Grammy nominees include an incredible wealth of contemporary classical recordings, and Steve Seel shares many of them on the latest episode of ‘Extra Eclectic,’ including music by Missy Mazzoli, Lawrence Brownlee and Anthony McGill. Listen now! 


Unison Media

Contemporary classical shines at the 2024 Grammys

Randy Salas is the senior digital producer of classical music for Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. He oversees all classical digital content, including the website, social media, videos, e-newsletters and podcasts.


Senior Digital Producer, Classical

Randy Salas

Watch as the Minnesota-based ensemble 29:11 International Exchange performs "Angiwanaki," a traditional Zulu song arranged by Nomvula Maneli. Find out why it has gone viral on Facebook with more than half a million views!


Watch: 29:11 International Exchange performs 'Angiwanaki'

New Classical Tracks (Extended Interview) - Angele Dubeau

New Classical Tracks - Angele Dubeau

Julie Amacher's desire to introduce others to great music is what led her to radio. She began her professional broadcast career at a station in Sun Prairie, Wis. She went from rock 'n' roll to the Rocky Mountains, where she found her niche in public radio at KUNC in Greeley, Colo. Julie spent 13 years at KUNC, where she managed the announcers and their eclectic music format. During that time, she earned four national awards for best announcer. She joined Minnesota Public Radio in 1997 as an on-air host and also produces New Classical Tracks, a weekly podcast critiquing a new release each week. It airs locally at 7:15 a.m. Wednesdays and 5:15 p.m. Fridays.


Julie Amacher

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ violinist Angele Dubeau honors the music of Philip Glass alongside her ensemble La Pieta on her latest album, ‘Signature.’ Listen now!


Provided

Angele Dubeau and La Pieta honor music of Philip Glass with 'Signature' 

Listen to the Story

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Jeff Lunden

The classic 1962 movie tells the story of a relationship buckling under the weight of addiction. The new Broadway adaptation stars Kelli O'Hara and Brian d'Arcy James.


Joan Marcus

'Days of Wine and Roses,' a film about love and addiction, is now a spirited musical

Steve Seel is the host of YourClassical’s weekly SymphonyCast and the trailblazing music show Extra Eclectic. He possesses a broad knowledge of many musical genres, having hosted radio programs ranging from classical to jazz and even avant-garde music at radio stations around the country. Steve began his love affair with public radio at 24 working whatever shifts he could at his hometown station of WUSF-FM in Tampa, Florida, and from there worked his way to snowy Buffalo, New York, and its renowned classical station WNED-FM, where he hosted middays and the weekly experimental-music show Present Tense.  In 2005, Steve became one of the founding voices on Minnesota Public Radio's eclectic station, the Current. While there, he hosted afternoons and mornings, and conducted in-depth interviews with pop music luminaries ranging from Brian Eno to David Byrne to Tori Amos. Steve is a basement composer obsessed with all things both minimalist and slow, and might actually be incapable of writing anything that exceeds 75 beats-per-minute.


Steve Seel

This week on ‘SymphonyCast’ with host Steve Seel, Fabio Luisi leads the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in a program of the familiar and the novel, including pianist Evgeny Kissin’s performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. Listen now!


Stefan Hoderath

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Saturday Cinema - Jan. 27, 2024

Lynne has been at this radio thing since 1984 when she fell into an historic job at KFAC AM and FM, the commercial classical station in Los Angeles.  She was the first woman staff announcer in the station's history, and it was such big news back then, it made the LA newspapers and national radio publications.  She is thrilled women in radio is no longer newsworthy.


Lynne Warfel

As the first month of 2024 comes to an end, join Lynne Warfel in the latest episode of ‘Saturday Cinema’ for two hours of listeners' requests for their favorite film music, including selections by Erich Korngold, Leonard Bernstein and Max Steiner. Listen now!


January listener requests

Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon asks mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade about her career and commitment to arts education. She has been inducted into the Opera Hall of Fame.


Photo courtesy of the Schubert Club

Frederica von Stade on being inducted into the Opera Hall of Fame

Anastasia Tsioulcas

H. Sinno, former lead singer of the pioneering Lebanese rock band Mashrou' Leila, pairs their own history with that of the Metropolitan Museum's Temple of Dendur in their new opera.


Derrick Kakembo /The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Derrick Kakembo        /The Metropolitan Museum of Art

An ancient Egyptian temple in New York inspires a Lebanese American musician

Friday Favorites - Jan. 26, 2024

Steve Staruch can be heard on Classical Minnesota Public Radio from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays, including hosting Music with Minnesotans, Regional Spotlight and Friday Favorites. Prior to joining the staff of MPR in 2004, Steve presented a variety of radio programs on WCAL in Northfield, Minn., where he created an immensely popular call-in program, and on WXXI in Rochester, N.Y. Outside radio, Steve also enjoys work as a freelance tenor and violist. Steve and his wife, Naomi, enjoy traveling, gardening and hosting dinner parties.


Steve Staruch

Steve Staruch plays listener requests on the latest episode of ‘Friday Favorites,’ including Project DJ. This week’s guest co-host is violinist and entrepreneur Addison Nichols. Listen now!


Friday Favorites: Listener requests and Project DJ co-host Addison Nichols

Where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music, with host Vernon Neal.

Rhapsody in Black - Sheku Kenneh-Mason

Vernon Neal is the host of the podcast ‘Rhapsody in Black,’ where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music.


Host/Producer

Vernon Neal

At 19, Sheku Kanneh-Mason became the first Black musician to win BBC Young Musician of the Year. He continues to focus on what is most important to him: the music, the cello and music education. Find out more in the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.


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