It's a Bird!  It's a Plane!

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

Superheroes and their flicks.  Super, Bat and Spider Men.  Women of Wonder, and more!


Jack Taylor/Getty Images

VocalEssence and the Aeolians - Witness 2022

“Witness” is the annual VocalEssence concert celebrating the Black experience in classical music. This year’s program was especially joyful with the addition of special guests The Aeolians, a student choir from Oakwood University. These two ensembles will inspire you to stand up and cheer, whether they’re singing Bach, spirituals or modern masterpieces. Listen to the concert now.


VocalEssence

Listen: VocalEssence and the Aeolians present 'Witness'

Sphinx Virtuosi and Border CrosSing perform 'Tracing Visions'

The Sphinx Virtuosi are joined by Border CrosSing in a program that sets out to challenge the classical canon by illuminating a new pathway for listening, sharing and fostering artistic expression with works by Alberto Ginastera, Jessie Montgomery and more. Listen to the concert now.


Scott Jackson

Listen: Sphinx Virtuosi and Border CrosSing perform 'Tracing Visions'

Honoring Ingram Marshall

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

A tribute to the composer, who died last month at 80.


Courtesy of the composer

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

What if some of our modern popular songs were written during the time of Charlemagne or Frederick Barbarossa? Fear not, you can now enjoy nine medieval covers of some of today’s greatest hits. 


Hulton Archive/Getty

Behold! Here are 9 medieval covers of popular music to enjoy

Listen to the Story

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Nate Chinen

On a new album, Odesa, written in tribute to his father, the pianist, former child prodigy and composer also paints a portrait of the album's namesake, currently in the midst of a Russian invasion.


Courtesy of the artist

For pianist Vadim Neselovskyi, Ukraine war adds urgency to his most personal work

New Classical Tracks - Berta Rojas (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Berta Rojas

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, Paraguayan guitarist Berta Roja honors the history of classical guitar with the most influential women composers and performers on her latest album, ‘Legado.’ 


Rodrigo Da Silva

Paraguayan guitarist Berta Roja honors the history of classical guitar

Tom Huizenga

In music of translucent constancy, the Pulitzer-winning composer finds philosophical questions — and comfort — in the Old Testament. 


Pentatone YouTube

Suxiao Yang/Courtesy of the artist

David Lang explores philosophical questions in 'again (after ecclesiastes)'

Jeff Lunden

Broadway's music conductors aren't eligible for Tony Awards. But they're still vital to each show.


Brinkhoff-Moegenburg/Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

Joan Marcus/Six

The music conductors who make Broadway sing - but won't get Tonys

Tim Greiving

John Williams' score was, true to form, unforgettable — as Jeff Goldblum remembers in an interview with NPR.


Listen

Stories

It's a Bird! It's a Plane!