Listen

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, Eric Whitacre collaborates with British vocal ensemble Voces8 on his latest album, ‘Home.’

During the Voces8 Scholars’ recent recording residency with YourClassical MPR, the young singers enjoyed the privilege of working with Minnesota composer Shruthi Rajasekar. Watch and listen now as they perform the Midwestern premiere of her vibrant new piece ‘Sat on the Shore,’ which urges listeners to ‘put away your mobile devices’ and enjoy the beauty of the world around you.

Terence Blanchard made history last season when his opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones was the first work by a Black composer staged by the Metropolitan Opera. And the Met has asked for more.

On Easter, YourClassical MPR broadcasted the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s performance of George Frideric Handel’s ‘Messiah.’ Guest conductor Paul McCreesh and the orchestra were joined by a roster of vocal soloists and vocal ensemble the Singers. Listen to the on-demand audio now!

On the April 8, 2023, episode of Saturday Cinema, host Lynne Warfel explores scores from epic movies, biblical and otherwise — including the music from ‘Ben-Hur,’ ‘Cleopatra,’ ‘The Ten Commandments’ and ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai.’ Listen now.

On this episode of Friday Favorites, for April 7, 2023, host Steve Staruch plays North Dakota State University’s recording of Handel’s Messiah, and Les in Golden Valley gets his request for a Mozart aria. And choral teacher Jacob Barsness joins as Project DJ co-host Jacob Barsness.

Thomas Bangalter, formerly of French electronic music duo Daft Punk, has released a classical music album: the score to a ballet titled ‘Mythologies’ that draws on American minimalism and Baroque works.

Join John Birge in this joyful hour of music for chorus and orchestra that captures the spirit of Easter and the rebirth of spring. ‘Song of Joy: The Mendelssohns’ features choral settings by siblings Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, showcasing their enormous talent and culminating with a festive ‘Hymn of Praise’ based on Psalms and other biblical texts.

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, the Catalyst Quartet delves into rarely recorded music by composers Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still and George Walker.

Art can make the brain's wiring stronger, more flexible and ready to learn, say the authors of a new book, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us.