The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s impact is more important than ever. Join us for a special edition of ‘Performance Today’ honoring King through music. We'll celebrate his legacy with a piece dedicated to Dr. King in 1963: Montgomery Variations by Margaret Bonds. Join us for music honoring Dr. Martin Luther King on today’s show. 


Rowland Scherman/National Archives

Saturday Cinema - Jan. 18, 2025

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

This week on ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel shares music from the biggest Oscar winners across all categories. Selections include music from ‘Titanic,’ ‘Ben-Hur,’ ‘Up’ and more. Listen now!


I'd like to thank the Academy

Friday Favorites - Jan. 17, 2025

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

An early St Patrick’s Day? Irish music was featured prominently on the latest episode of ‘Friday Favorites.’ It was music to chase the cold away. Listen now with host Steve Staruch!


James Napoli/APM

Friday Favorites: Listener requests for a chilly weekend

Can James McVinnie change your mind about the pipe organ?

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Tom Huizenga

On his new album, the British keyboardist offers both engaging and entertaining contemporary works for the misunderstood instrument.





Graham Lacdao

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

Rhapsody in Black - Margaret Bonds

Margaret Bonds dealt with racism as she broke barriers for future generations of Black women composers. Find out how the words and friendship of renowned Black novelist Langston Hughes helped her with that struggle in the latest episode of the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.


Carl Van Vechten/Library of Congress

Margaret Bonds and the words of Langston Hughes

Extra Eclectic - Jan. 15, 2025

This week’s episode of Extra Eclectic examines memory through music. Host Steve Seel features works by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Christopher Tignor, Meredith Monk and Steven Mackey’s ‘Mnemosyne’s Pool,’ honoring the Greek goddess of memory. Listen now!


Andrew Eccles

An evocation of memories

The Magic of Joe Hisaishi, Part 1

The Magic of Joe Hisaishi, Part 2

For 40 years, Studio Ghibli’s world-class animated films have enchanted global audiences, including Joe Hisaishi’s unforgettable film scores. Join us as we celebrate the legacy (and 75th birthday) of this legendary composer with host Akshaj Turebylu. Listen now!


Listen to 'The Magic of Joe Hisaishi'

New Classical Tracks (Extended Interview) - Jeannette Sorrell

New Classical Tracks - January 15, 2025

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,’ with host Julie Amacher, Jeannette Sorrell from Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra talks about the ensemble’s latest album inspired by J.S. Bach’s performances at Gottfried Zimmerman’s Coffeehouse. Listen now!


Roger Mastroianni

Jeannette Sorrell and Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra bring Bach to the coffeehouse

Saturday Cinema - Jan. 11, 2025

This week on ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel shares music from films with big dance scenes and numbers, including ‘West Side Story,’ ‘La La Land,’ Astaire films and ‘An American in Paris.’ Listen now!


Dance 'til you drop

Friday Favorites - Jan. 10, 2025

This week’s ‘Friday Favorites’ is an exploration of styles. From a gospel version of a chorus from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ to a piece that celebrates the sea and all its ferociousness, “eclectic” is ‘Friday Favorites’’ middle name! Listen now with host Steve Staruch!


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