Remembering Rascal, classical music’s feathered fan

On March 17, one of classical music’s more atypical fans, Rascal the Parrot, passed away at the age of 41.

A Timneh African grey parrot, Rascal came to the attention of YourClassical MPR listeners in 2024 when his human companions, Diane and Paul, spoke about Rascal’s discovery of the genre in a special program, Fur, Feathers and Flutes, hosted by Jillene Khan. The program celebrated the love we have for our furry and feathered companions — and their connection to classical music.

During the program, Diane and Paul spoke about how Rascal had been grieving the loss of his companion cockatiels. Diane and Paul had tried several ways to help the despondent Rascal, but to no avail. Then they turned on YourClassical MPR; in particular, a broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Carmen.

“He immediately moved to the front of the cage,” Diane recalled, “and he listened for a little bit, and then he started — ‘chirp, chir-oo!’ — you know, the happy, excited bird [sound], and attempting to whistle along to the song.”

Paul said Rascal seemed to respond to different voices, instrumentation and rhythms, adding that what made it particularly special were Rascal’s attempts to mimic and imitate the music he was hearing. “It was like [the Met Opera cast] were part of his flock,” Paul said. “He wasn't just listening, he wasn't just chirping. He was interacting.”

Diane and Paul tell us Timneh parrots can, in some cases, live up to 50 years, and Rascal had turned 41 in January. In the days before his passing, Diane and Paul noticed YourClassical MPR had been “coincidentally playing all of Rascal's favorite tunes: lots of waltzes, Raiders of the Lost Ark, several tunes from Carmen, Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and The Barber of Seville. … He loved it!”

Rascal died peacefully in his sleep on his favorite perch. “He lived a lot longer than most!” Diane and Paul explained in an email to host Jillene Khan. “We will miss him fiercely.”