YourClassical Story: Fred Labour

Fred LaBour describes how his annual childhood trips to see the World Youth Orchestra inspired him to pursue a career in music. 


Gary Meulemans/Unsplash

Fred LaBour finds the 'New World' in a Michigan forest 

Listener Requests!

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’s episode of Saturday Cinema, with host Lynne Warfel, features listener’s favorite tracks from ‘Steel Magnolias,’ ‘Rocky’ and ‘The Cider House Rules.’ Listen now!





August Listener Requests

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

Theremin virtuoso Carolina Eyck plays Kalevi Aho’s Theremin Concerto at the BBC Proms on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, hosted by Steve Seel.


Christian Huller

Carolina Eyck takes the theremin into the future

New Classical Tracks - Itamar Zorman (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Itamar Zorman

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, violinist Itamar Zorman found creative ways to continue performing during the pandemic. One of those became the inspiration for his latest album, ‘Violin Odyssey.’ 


Courtesy of artist

Violinist Itamar Zorman turned an idea into an odyssey

Listen to the Story

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Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon reflects on bogus buskers who fake violin virtuosity with recorded music tracks and ask for money to help with rent or medical bills.


Tom Driggers/Flickr

Opinion: That unbelievable street violinist could just be a 'finger-syncer'

Celebrating the rare, but fabulous films scores of Leonard Bernstein.

Bernstein Birthday Bash

This week’s episode of Saturday Cinema, with host Lynne Warfel, celebrates Leonard Bernstein with some of his rare film scores with music from ‘On the Town,’ ‘On the Waterfront’ and of course, ‘West Side Story.’ Listen now!


Penguin Random House

Rachel Treisman

The ensemble of top Ukrainian musicians, including recent refugees, is wrapping up a whirlwind tour with performances in New York City and Washington, D.C. 


Richard Termine

Home is never far for the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, even when touring in the U.S. 

Jeffrey Yelverton is a digital producer of classical music for Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. He supports the digital portfolio of MPR/APM by creating original content and providing production support for YourClassical Storytime, New Classical Tracks and various seasonal events.


Digital Producer, Classical

Jeffrey Yelverton

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

The Minnesota Orchestra announced the appointment of Thomas Søndergård as its next music director on July 28. Listen to on-demand audio of his December debut with the orchestra, plus watch five other great moments with the exciting Danish conductor from the concert stage.


Martin Bubandt

Listen to Thomas Søndergård's conducting debut with the Minnesota Orchestra

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

Rhapsody in Black - Measha Brueggergosman

Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman has stood her own in the worlds of opera, jazz and gospel. While singing brilliantly across genres, she also is an activist and educator for social justice. Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast. 


Soprano Measha Brueggergosman is an activist and educator for social justice

Composer Paola Prestini’s ‘G-Force’ uses gravity as a metaphor for the weightiness of “a life well lived.” We hear her work, as well as two exclusive live recordings from the BBC Proms, on this week’s Extra Eclectic, with host Steve Seel.


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