Homeward Sound - The Lives of Women Composers

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

During this Women's History month, we celebrate the various women composers that have forged a path in classical music for themselves and those after them with ‘Homeward Sound,’ featuring Julie Amacher, Gabi Glass and conversations with composers Libby Larsen and Gabriela Lena Frank.


Provided

'Homeward Sound': The lives of women composers

New Classical Tracks - Christopher Mallet (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Christopher Mallet

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, classical guitarist Christopher Mallett honors and celebrates the Black pioneer of American classical guitar music in his latest album, ‘Justin Holland: Guitar Works and Arrangements.’ 


Courtesy of artist

Classical guitarist Christopher Mallett celebrates a legend

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Robin Hilton

Composer Volker Bertelmann explains why he wanted to "destroy the film" with his score, how he used a centuries-old instrument for the cause and what it meant as a German to dive deep into this story.


Netflix

How the score for 'All Quiet on the Western Front' made a familiar tale surprising

Join Saturday Cinema host Lynne Warfel as she continues her Oscars deep dive, focusing on winners from the ‘90s and ‘00s. These decades feature music from Dances With Wolves to Il Postino, the first Oscar win for a female composer, Rachel Portman, and the arrival of Lord of the Rings.

Oscars Deep Dive: A New Century

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 ‘90s and ‘00s. These decades feature music from Dances With Wolves to Il Postino, the first Oscar win for a female composer, Rachel Portman, and the arrival of Lord of the Rings.


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

Ines Guanchez is an assistant digital producer for classical. An accomplished pianist, she founded Dúo Ávila with fellow Venezuelan violinist Sofia Schutte. The ensemble focuses on music by composers outside of the classical canon and has performed in venues in Minnesota and Costa Rica. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with master’s degrees in mass communications and piano performance. She previously interned for Minnesota Public Radio in 2018.


Ines Guanchez

Gloriae Dei Cantores invite you to join the singers for Daily Musical Meditations for Lent. Each day, the group features a recording dedicated to celebrating this religious observance, kind of like a Choral Advent Calendar. Listen now!


Celebrate Lent with Gloriae Dei Cantores

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.


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

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.


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