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

Violinist and conductor Pekka Kuusisto is heard in two live recordings this week. 


Ronald Knapp

Pekka Kuusisto in concert

New Classical Tracks - Orli Shaham (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Orli Shaham

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, pianist Orli Shaham continues her project of recording all of Mozart’s piano sonatas with her latest album, ‘Mozart: Piano Sonatas Vol. 2 & 3.’ 


Aleks Karjaka

Pianist Orli Shaham continues her Mozart piano sonatas project

Listen to the Story

{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"","type":"text"}]}]}

Terry Gross

Shires' album, Take it Like a Man, includes songs she wrote during a difficult period in her marriage to musician Jason Isbell. She sings and plays fiddle throughout this interview.


Michael Schmelling

Amanda Shires examines the fault lines in her marriage on her new album

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

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

On Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor passed away at 96. She was the longest-serving British monarch in history and was a tremendous supporter of music in the United Kingdom during her reign. Here are nine classical music pieces to honor her memory and celebrate her life.


Remembering Queen Elizabeth II's legacy with a lifetime of music

Jon Kalish

There are more than a thousand community bands in big cities and small towns throughout the country.


Maude King

Community bands are back after being battered by the pandemic 

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

Rhapsody in Black - Coleman

Composer Valerie Coleman does a little bit of everything. She is a flute virtuoso, a famous composer, a model for Black musicians worldwide and a mentor to her students. Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast. 


Matthew Murphy

Valerie Coleman is a composer for our times and for generations to come

Missy Mazzoli’s Violin Concerto is played live at the BBC Proms.


Stephen S. Taylor

Missy Mazzoli portrays the violin as healer

New Classical Tracks - Avlana and Celeste (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Avlana and Celeste

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, conductor Avlana Eisenberg and Celeste Headlee, granddaughter of composer William Grant Still, talk about a new album that boasts 13 world premieres of Still's music. 


Courtesy Celeste Headlee

World-premiere recordings honor legacy of William Grant Still

Tom Huizenga

The young rising violin star not only makes his instrument sing, he offers music by composers of color.


Listen to 2021 PT Young Artist Randall Goosby's Tiny Desk Concert

Piano Maker Nannette Streicher on World Cafe

Raina Douris

Kimberly Junod

To find out what made Nannette Streicher's pianos so special, World Cafe visited the Museum of Science and Technology in Vienna, where a couple of her pianos still survive.


Listen

Stories