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Nate Chinen

Rooted in the lineage of Black music, harpist Brandee Younger interprets a tune by Dorothy Ashby, a pioneer of genre-bending harp, in her upcoming album, “Brand New Life.”


Courtesy of the artist

Erin O'Brien/Courtesy of the artist

Harpist Brandee Younger unfolds tracks from her upcoming album

An ecstatic exploration of classical music that’s aesthetically and uncompromisingly Black.

Rhapsody in Black - Regina Harris Baiocchi

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

Composer Regina Harris Baiocchi believes that music is about the stories as much as the notes. It makes sense that she’s also an author and a poet. Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.


Courtesy of artist

Regina Harris Baiocchi creates musical stories

YourClassical Story: Suzanne Warell

The Scaffidi family maintains many traditions rooted in their shared love of classical music.


Suzanne Scaffidi Warell

Classical music as a family affair

New Classical Tracks - Calidore String Quartet (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Calidore Quartet

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

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, cellist Estelle Choi of the Calidore String Quartet shares why the group thought the best way to tell the story of Beethoven was to start at the end with their latest album, ‘Beethoven: The Late Quartets.’ 


Calidore String Quartet tells the story of Beethoven by starting from the end

Friday Favorites - 02242023

On this episode of Friday Favorites, for Feb. 24, 2023, host Steve Staruch plays music performed by the U.S Air Force Band, talks about a legendary Allegri work and is joined by Project DJ co-host Anna Belden.


Friday Favorites: USAF Band, Allegri's legendary piece and Project DJ co-host Anna Belden

Justin Holland: The Guitar's Black Pioneer

Justin Holland: Webster's Funeral March

Justin Holland: Shells of Ocean

Justin Holland: See Saw Waltz

Justin Holland: Oberon

Justin Holland: Norma

Justin Holland: Morning Star Waltz

Justin Holland: Lucrezia Borgia

Justin Holland: Lucia di Lammermoor

Justin Holland: Laughin May Schottisch

Justin Holland: La Prima Donna Waltz

Justin Holland: Evangeline Grand March

Justin Holland: Etta Gavotte

Justin Holland: Delta Kappa Epsilon

Scott Blankenship started his radio career in college when he began working as a volunteer at a local cable radio station, announcing alternative and new rock music. His love and appreciation of classical music began at public radio station KVNO in Omaha, where he spent 13 years in various on-air and management roles, five of those years as the morning drive-time host.

Indications that radio was in his blood go back to age five, when he used a corkboard and a battered phonograph as a makeshift radio studio; his father's Air Force issue flashlight served as his "on air" light. In his spare time, Blankenship is an avid cyclist and amateur playwright with several produced scripts to his credit.


Scott Blankenship

One of the best guitar virtuosos of the 19th century lived right here in the United States. Justin Holland arranged and composed music for the guitar that people nationwide would play. Some of that music has recently been recorded for the first time. Join Scott Blankenship with Holland expert Prof. Ernie Jackson in 'Justin Holland: The Guitar's Black Pioneer.'


Public domain

Listen: 'Justin Holland: The Guitar's Black Pioneer'

Listen to the Story

NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Robert Battle, artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, about the company's 2023 tour, which explores themes of love and joy.


American dancer Alvin Ailey's dance company marks 65 years

Betto Arcos

Teresita Gómez learned piano in secret at the exclusive fine arts school where her parents worked. She's now a celebrated classical pianist and a longtime promoter of music by Colombian composers.


Akiro Palacio /The Cartagena Music Festival

At 3, she snuck in to play piano; at nearly 80, she's a Colombian classical legend

This week of the Oscar deep dive focuses on winners from the ‘70’s and ‘80’s which was another shift in filmmaking with the arrival of Spielberg, Star Wars, John Williams, The Godfather, Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry and more. Randy Haberkamp, Executive Vice President, Library Archives and Sci Tech for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is back to talk all things cinema. Listen now!

Oscars Deep Dive: A Changing of the Guard

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

Join Saturday Cinema host Lynne Warfel as she continues her Oscars deep dive, focusing on winners from the ‘70s and ‘80s. It was a major shift in filmmaking with the arrival of Steven Spielberg, Star Wars, John Williams, The Godfather, Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry and more. Randy Haberkamp, executive vice president of the Library Archives and Sci Tech for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is back to talk all things cinema.


A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

Friday Favorites 02172023

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

On this episode of Friday Favorites, for Feb. 17, 2023, host Steve Staruch plays requests for chamber music, Laureen requests music by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra and Robby in Maryland shares his YourClassical story.


Listen

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