Can one choice change everything? Edgar, just the second opera that Giacomo Puccini ever composed, tells the story of a man torn between the promise of virtue and the allure of vice, where love and desire collide with devastating consequences. Moments of striking lyricism underscore a tale of indecision, self-delusion, and betrayal that leads to ruin. This rare concert presentation offers a tantalizing glimpse into the mind of a master still discovering his voice, just a few years before his greatest triumphs. Principal Conductor Christopher Franklin leads the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and the Minnesota Opera Chorus onstage behind the cast of principal artists.

Host Steve Staruch speaks with three members of the production’s cast: soprano Karin Wolverton, tenor Diego Torre and mezzo soprano Kara Morgan, as well as Head of Music Mario Antonio Marra, in preparation for opening night on Friday, April 17, at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Listen to their conversation through the player above, as well as a sneak peek of their performances in the videos below, recorded here at Minnesota Public Radio’s Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser studio.

Act II Duet: Orgia, chimera dall’occhio vitreo/Edgar, sulla tua fronte with Diego Torre and Kara Morgan (Mario Antonio Marra, piano)

Act III Aria: Addio, mio dolce amor! with Karin Wolverton (Mario Antonio Marra, piano)

Find out more about the production and how to purchase tickets on the Minnesota Opera’s official site.

A musician of multiple hats and genres, Damien Sneed is recognized today as a pianist, vocalist, organist, composer, conductor, arranger, producer and arts educator in high demand. Find out more in the latest episode of the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ pianist Jonathan Biss delivers the final recording of his Beethoven Piano Concerti project: a recording featuring composer Caroline Shaw’s response to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

Earth Day might not be until next week, but because many now observe all of April as Earth Month, we’re getting a jump on our celebrations this week on Extra Eclectic. In the first hour, Steve Seel brings us modern works on themes of water — including Anna Clyne’s Restless Oceans, Jake Runestad’s Waves, and cellist Maya Beiser’s own idiosyncratic setting of Olivier Messiaen’s “Water” from his Fete des Belles Eaux. The second hour is taken up primarily with one large work: John Luther Adams’ epochal evocation of our natural world, An Atlas of Deep Time.

Playlist

The Waves
Composer: Ludovico Einaudi
Conductor: Angele Dubeau
Orchestra/Ensemble: La Pieta
Soloists: Angele Dubeau, violin
Analekta 8748

Itaipu: To the Sea
Composer: Philip Glass
Conductor: Robert Shaw
Orchestra/Ensemble: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Sony 46352

Bays of Huatulco
Composer: Michael Torke
Soloists: Charlie Albright, piano
Steinway & Sons 30079

Restless Oceans
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Waves
Composer: Jake Runestad
Conductor: Craig Hella Johnson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Conspirare
Soloists: Michael Jones, tenor
Delos 3578

Water
Composer: Olivier Messiaen
Soloists: Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 1

River Song II
Composer: Eple Trio
Orchestra/Ensemble: Eple Trio
NOR-CD 40585

On Behalf of Nature: Memory Zone
Composer: Meredith Monk
Orchestra/Ensemble: Meredith Monk Ensemble
ECM 2473

An Atlas of Deep Time
Composer: John Luther Adams
Conductor: Delta David Gier
Orchestra/Ensemble: South Dakota Symphony Orchestra|
Cantaloupe 21199

Dream
Composer: John Cage
Soloists: Bruce Brubaker, piano
Arabesque 6744

Minnesota Orchestra and YourClassical MPR's broadcast partnership continues for the 2025-26 season. This page features a schedule of the upcoming concerts that you can hear on YourClassical MPR, and when possible, on-demand audio of the performance available for 30 days after the broadcast. Bookmark this page for updates throughout the season!

Although Leila Josefowicz cut her teeth on standard repertoire, the biggest transformation of her professional life has been the chance to collaborate with living composers. Near the top of that impressive list is John Adams, who she says “changed my life totally.” This Minnesota Orchestra program begins with a treat for American history buffs and ends with Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky’s emotions riding high. Listen to the concert now!

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
John Storgårds, conductor
Leila Josefowicz, violin *

GEORGE ANTHEIL McKonkey’s Ferry Overture
JOHN ADAMS Violin Concerto *
PYOTR ILYCH TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique)

Yo-Yo Ma at Orchestra Hall

A guiding principle for Yo-Yo Ma is to make the listener feel like the most important person in the room. The fact that he’s done that for more than 60 years is a testament to his commitment. Ma’s performance of Elgar’s soulful Cello Concerto on Tuesday, March 3, was part of an all-English program that was tailor-made for Thomas Søndergård and the Minnesota Orchestra. Enjoy pictures of the event below!

Gallery

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Meet YourClassical MPR's Melissa Ousley

Previous Concerts

Inon Barnatan and the Minnesota Orchestra perform Rachmaninoff

If you love a lush melody, this Minnesota Orchestra program is for you. After a lean and powerful showpiece for strings, you’ll hear how Sergei Rachmaninoff looks at a violin caprice by Niccolò Paganini from 24 different angles as he reimagines it for piano and orchestra. Then, the orchestra closed the program with epic storytelling from the well-read and clever Scheherazade. Listen to the concert now!

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Anna Sułkowska-Migoń, conductor
Inon Barnatan, piano *

GRAŻYNA BACEWICZ Concerto for String Orchestra
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade

March 20: Minnesota Orchestra performs Lena Frank and Beethoven

Pachamama is the word for Mother Earth in the Inca-Quechua language. The ode that Pachamama meets is from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Along with it is a connection to the Industrial Revolution of Beethoven’s time. Composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s message is that “Gifts from the past—especially odes—must be looked at with new and searching eyes.” On Friday, March 20, the Minnesota Orchestra welcomed Earl Lee to the podium to lead this monumental program. He conducted the concert in place of Eun Sun Kim, who was unable to appear due to illness. Listen to the concert now!

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Earl Lee, conductor
Mei Gui Zhang, soprano
Taylor Raven, mezzo
Jack Swanson, tenor
Jarrett Ott, baritone
Minnesota Chorale

GABRIELA LENA FRANK Pachamama Meets an Ode
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Ah! Perfido
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 (Choral)

Upcoming Broadcasts

Friday, April 24 — Brahms Symphony No. 4

You know when you’re asked to do something and your gut reaction is, “Absolutely not!” and then you can’t get the idea out of your head? That’s exactly what happened to 80-year-old Richard Strauss when a young American oboist suggested he write a concerto. Thank goodness he gave it more thought.

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård, conductor
Anthony Ross, cello *

JULIA ADOLPHE Underneath the Sheen
RICHARD STRAUSS Oboe Concerto
JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 4

Friday, May 8 — Søndergård Conducts Wagner and Bartók

Opera love stories tend to unfold quickly, leaving the composer with the task of supporting a plot with music that speaks volumes. The chord progression at the beginning of Richard Wagner's Tristan and Isolde is a textbook example of musical foreshadowing. In Béla Bartók's psychological thriller Bluebeard's Castle, two extraordinary artists portray a doomed couple.

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård, conductor
Anthony Ross, cello *

RICHARD WAGNER Prelude to Lohengrin
RICHARD WAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
BÉLA BARTÓK Bluebeard’s Castle

Friday, May 29 — Hindoyan and Rieppel

As principal timpani of the Minnesota Orchestra, Erich Rieppel can usually be found near the back of the stage. Sometimes he sits quietly, waiting to make a subtle mark or a grand entrance, and sometimes there’s a lot happening. He’ll take center stage in this concert to play a brand-new concerto by a composer who’s also a virtuoso percussionist.

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Domingo Hindoyan, conductor
Erich Rieppel, timpani *

ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK An American Port of Call
ANDY AKIHO Timpani Concerto *
CÉSAR FRANCK Symphony in D minor

Friday, June 5 — Søndergård, Barton and Prokofiev

Jamie Barton was raised on her family’s farm in Georgia, where “pickin’ and grinnin’s” happened all the time. Friends showed up with their instruments, a potluck dish and a desire to make music. Although she began her musical journey with Bluegrass, Barton has become a musical omnivore. She’ll bring the Neruda Songs to life in her Minnesota Orchestra debut.

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård, conductor
Jamie Barton, mezzo *

SAMUEL BARBER Adagio for Strings
PETER LIEBERSON Neruda Songs *
SERGEI PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 7

Friday, June 12 — Søndergård and Tchaikovsky

When Jennifer Higdon began to compose blue cathedral, she imagined a journey through a glass cathedral in the sky. Her creativity leaves the door wide open for you to explore “humanity’s perennial question of existence” with Charles Ives, and be drawn into Alexander Scriabin’s own brand of musical mysticism.

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård, conductor
Alexander Gavrylyuk, piano *

JENIFER HIGDON blue cathedral
PYOTR ILYCH TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 *
CHARLES IVES The Unanswered Question
ALEXANDER SCRIABIN The Poem of Ecstasy

Friday, June 19 — Juneteenth with the Minnesota Orchestra

This can’t-miss concert is a celebration and exploration of Black ritual and spirituality through the music of the African diaspora. A wide array of instruments, traditions and guests take center stage in this powerful program.

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Kedrick Armstrong, conductor
Melody Betts, vocals
Brian Raphael Nabors, Hammond Organ

SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR The Bamboula
BRITTANY J. GREEN Testify!
NKEIRU OKOYE Voices Shouting Out
BRIAN RAPHAEL NABORS Concerto for Hammond Organ

Friday, July 17 — Beethoven Triple Concerto

Archduke Rudolph of Austria was the pianist for the premiere of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Triple Concerto—and he also happened to be one of the composer’s most important patrons. To make him shine, Beethoven brought in two of the best players of the day. We’ve got our own trio of all-stars on tap for this program, which includes Robert Schumann’s reflection of life in the Rhineland.

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Stephanie Childress, conductor
Sarah Grimes, violin
Silver Ainomäe, cello
Alessio Bax, piano

BENJAMIN BRITTEN Sinfonia da Requiem
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Atlas (Piano Concerto) *
ROBERT SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3 (Rhenish)

Minnesota Orchestra - Listening Project will be recorded to be post produced on another date.

When the Minnesota Orchestra launched its Listening Project in 2021, our goal was to present and record top-notch performances of music by underrepresented composers—in other words, to share music that many of us were not hearing. The project continues this season with Music Director Thomas Søndergård and soprano Janai Brugger.

‘Thomas Søndergård: Taken by the Sound’

Melissa Ousley joined Minnesota Orchestra music director Thomas Søndergård in his native Denmark last year to explore some of the most important places in his life. Join them as they walk through his memories, musical and otherwise, in this documentary short.

‘Celebrating a Century on the Airwaves’

On most Friday nights, no matter where you are in the state — or in the world, for that matter — you can look forward to tuning into YourClassical Minnesota Public Radio to hear a live concert. From a radio debut in 1923 under Bruno Walter to television transmissions in the 1950s and the ensemble’s unprecedented international broadcast from Havana in 2015, the orchestra has always been on the forefront of finding new ways to connect audiences with music.

Reflecting on 100 years of radio broadcast history, MPR host Melissa Ousley sat down with historian John Michel, technical director Michael Osborne and former broadcast host and current orchestra staffer Brian Newhouse for a spirited retelling of this vital history.

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, host Lynne Warfel shares music from classic comedies and films that feature great comic actors, including Modern Times, The Great Race, Mrs. Doubtfire and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Victor/Victoria: End Credits
Composer: Henry Mancini
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
GNP 8038

Coffee and Cakes
Composer: Charlie Chaplin
Orchestra/Ensemble: Duo Intermezzo
Genuin 10531

The Great Dictator: Napoli March
Composer: Charlie Chaplin
Conductor: Francis Shaw
Orchestra/Ensemble: Munich Symphony Orchestra
Silva 1021

Modern Times: Smile
Composer: Charlie Chaplin
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
Soloists: Itzhak Perlman, violin
Sony 60773

City Slickers: Main Title
Composer: Mark Shaiman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Varese Sarabande 66460

Beetlejuice: Main Titles
Composer: Danny Elfman
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80342

The Inspector Clouseau Theme
Composer: Henry Mancini
Conductor: Henry Mancini
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Pops
Denon 2320

A Shot in the Dark: A Shot in the Dark
Composer: Henry Mancini
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
RCA 59882

Mrs. Doubtfire: Main Title
Composer: Howard Shore
Conductor: Howard Shore
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Arista 11015

Big: Opening
Composer: Howard Shore
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Varese Sarabande 67059

Ghostbusters
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Conductor: Elmer Bernstein
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Pops
Denon 75288

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World: Main Theme
Composer: Ernest Gold
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Rykodisc 10704

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World: The Big W
Composer: Ernest Gold
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Rykodisc 10704

Singin’ in the Rain: Good Morning
Composer: Nacio Herb Brown
Orchestra/Ensemble: MGM Studio Orchestra
Soloists: Gene Kelly, vocals
Sony 63829

The Odd Couple: Theme
Composer: Neal Hefti
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1309

The Apartment: Main Theme
Composer: Charles Williams
Conductor: Arthur Fiedler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
RCA 60393

The Great Race: Pie in the Face Polka
Composer: Henry Mancini
Conductor: Henry Mancini
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: James Galway, flute
RCA 60917

La Cumparsita
Composer: Gerardo H. Matos Rodriguez
Soloists: Milos Karadaglic, guitar
DG 17000

Young Frankenstein: A Transylvanian Lullaby
Composer: John Morris
Conductor: Nic Raine
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1111

Topkapi: The Palace Museum (Main Title)
Composer: Manos Hadjidakis
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Sirius 20019

Philadelphia Story: Suite
Composer: Franz Waxman
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 708

We’ll Meet Again
Composer: Ross Parker/Hughie Charles
Soloists: Vera Lynn, vocals
Decca 2715983

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines
Composer: Ron Goodwin
Conductor: Rumon Gamba
Orchestra/Ensemble: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Chandos 10262

This National Poetry Month, join host Andrea Blain for Words and Music of Black America, a special featuring music with texts by Black poets. These works raise issues of civil rights, social justice, racial divides, and freedom in diverse and sometimes surprising ways. Listen now!

Playlist

• Jake Runestad: “Why the Caged Bird Sings” - Conspirare; Craig Hella Johnson, conductor

• Florence Price: “Sympathy” - Louise Toppin, soprano

• Valerie Coleman: Portraits of Langston: I. Prelude (Helen Keller) - Anthony McGill, clarinet; McHale Trio

• Langston Hughes: Portraits of Langston: Introduction No. 1 (“Helen Keller”) - Mahershala Ali, narrator

• Margaret Bonds: Three Dream Portraits: “I, Too” - Malcolm J. Merriweather, baritone

• Jessie Montgomery: Break Away - PUBLIQuartet

• Damien Geter: Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow: “The Resolve” - Washington Chorus; Eugene Rogers, conductor

• Jeff Scott: Homage to Paradise Valley: IV. Paradise Theater Jump! - Akropolis Reed Quintet

• Marsha Music: The Valley, the Bottom, and Hastings Street: Pt. 1 “Long Ago but Not Forgotten” - Marsha Music, narrator

• Rosephanye Powell: “Still I Rise” - Twin Cities Women’s Choir; Mary Bussman, conductor

• Damien Sneed: “The Gift to Sing” - Lawrence Brownlee, tenor

• Margaret Bonds: “Credo” – Janinah Burnett, soprano; Dessoff Choirs; Malcolm J. Merriweather, conductor

• Bernice Johnson Reagon: “Beatitudes” - Sweet Honey in the Rock

• Richard Farina Arr. Will Liverman: “Birmingham Sunday” - Will Liverman, baritone

• Aaron Copland: Lincoln Portrait - Maya Angelou; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Louis Langrée, conductor

• Joel Thompson: “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed” - Tyrese Byrd, soloist; EXIGENCE; Eugene Rogers, conductor

• John Stephens, Lonnie Lynn and Che Smith: Selma: “Glory” - LaVonte Heard, soloist; EXIGENCE; Eugene Rogers, conductor

• Regina Harris Baiocchi: Piano Poems - Sarah Cahill, piano

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ composer Sarah Kirkland Snider presents an album of only orchestral works. The recording features the Metropolis Ensemble and Artistic Director/conductor Andrew Cyr. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

It’s a rhapsodic reflection on the idea of time in the first hour of the latest episode of Extra Eclectic. Host Steve Seel shares Chris Rogerson’s Thirty Thousand Days — roughly the length of time in the average human lifespan — and Paul Fowler’s Breath reminds us how yoga and meditation use breathing as a way to free the mind from the constraints of time. In the second hour, Steve explores music by some rock-adjacent composers, including Bryce Dessner, Jon Lord and Todd Reynolds. Listen now!

Playlist

365: I don’t know beforehand how I will appear to anyone
Composer: Aidan O’Rourke
Soloists: Aidan O'Rourke, fiddle
Reveal 74

Free the Mind: Innocence
Composer: Johann Johannsson
Soloists: Alice Sara Ott, piano
DG 4866742

Breath
Composer: Paul Fowler
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Navona 5845

Thirty Thousand Days
Composer: Chris Rogerson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dover Quartet
Soloists: David Shifrin, clarinet
Delos 3576

String Quartet No. 11 “Reykjavik”: Long Night
Composer: Elena Ruehr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Quartet ES
Avie 2798

End of Day
Composer: Todd Reynolds
Soloists: Todd Reynolds, viola
Innova 741

Nocturne
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Soloists: Katia Labeque, piano
DG 4876947

To Notice Such Things
Composer: Jon Lord
Conductor: Clark Rundell
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Jon Lord, piano
Avie 2190

Known By Heart
Composer: Christopher Tignor
Soloists: Christopher Tignor, violin
Western Vinyl 200

The Things Left Unsaid
Composer: Caleb Burhans
Conductor: Caleb Burhans
Orchestra/Ensemble: Tarab Cello Ensemble
Cantaloupe 21094

Join Steve Seel for an Easter celebration with the complete performance of George Frideric Handel's sacred oratorio Messiah, with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Led by conductor Dinis Sousa, an all-star roster of vocal soloists and the renowned vocal ensemble the Singers, led by Matthew Culloton, the concert was recorded live in December at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Listen to the concert now!

Credits

Dinis Sousa, conductor

Liv Redpath, soprano

Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, countertenor

Hugo Hymas, tenor

Ashley Riches, bass-baritone

The Singers — Minnesota Choral Artists, chorus

Matthew Culloton, artistic director

Find out more about the performance through the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s digital program book.

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, host Lynne Warfel shares music from Biblical and historical epic films, including The Ten Commandments, The Story of Ruth, Demetrius and the Gladiators and more. Listen now!

Playlist

The Greatest Story Ever Told: Theme
Composer: Ken Darby/Alfred Newman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Prague Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
Primary Wave 500609

King of Kings: Theme
Composer: Miklos Rozsa
Orchestra/Ensemble: Prague Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
Primary Wave 500609

Ben-Hur: Suite
Composer: Miklos Rozsa
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80631

The Robe
Composer: Alfred Newman
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 184

Demetrius and the Gladiators: Opening Titles/Finale
Composer: Franz Waxman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1170

Quo Vadis
Composer: Miklos Rozsa
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80631

The Story of Ruth: Finale
Composer: Franz Waxman
Conductor: Franz Waxman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Franz Waxman and His Orchestra
Disques Cinemusique 2024

The Ten Commandments: Prelude
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80319

Julius Caesar: Overture
Composer: Miklos Rozsa
Conductor: Bruce Broughton
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sinfonia of London
Intrada 7165

Spartacus
Composer: Alex North
Conductor: Eric Stern
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Nonesuch 79446

Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture
Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Conductor: Andre Previn
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
MCA 11000

Jesus Christ Superstar: John Nineteen: Forty-One
Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Conductor: Andre Previn
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
MCA 11000

Jesus of Nazareth: Suite
Composer: Maurice Jarre
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 324

The vocalists in the experimental choral group Roomful of Teeth can sing just about anything. They tested out yodeling, Tuvan-inspired throat singing and modernist classical traditions on their Grammy-winning debut album from 2012. The singers are so outside the box that for them to jump into it, on their new album Elevator Songs is, in itself, practically an act of the avant-garde.

What they've jumped into is a collaboration with the gifted songwriter Gabriel Kahane, who has written a suite of songs especially for the group that nudge the singers towards the edges of their comfort zones. In order to test an ensemble accustomed to the unconventional, the music leans heavily towards pop. Each song was written for an individual voice in the ensemble to sing solo, while the rest provide expressive backup.

Elevator Songs is a high concept album. The elevator in question is a feature of an imaginary, multidimensional hotel. It takes us through time and space, stopping on floors to meet a collection of guests, some troubled, others merely caught up in their complicated lives. Think The White Lotus meets Everything Everywhere All at Once. The songs are built on melodies that pop, and they go down easy, but the vivid portraits they paint linger.

Kahane, an expressive vocalist himself, sings the opening and closing tracks on the album, acting as a kind of metaphysical doorman. He also provides keys and guitar. "To be honest, this hotel is kind of creepy. The ice machine is speaking in tongues," he chants in the prologue, escorting us into the elevator, up to room 813 and the song "St. Vincent's Hospital."

Here we are transported to the late 1980s. A man is alone in his room with its bible and digital clock, "but not one ballpoint pen." He's drafting a eulogy for an AIDS victim. "Hey, this isn't the first time I've done it, making a map of sorrow in my head," sings Teeth member Steven Bradshaw in an urgent, brightly polished tenor voice.

There's room for a wide range of emotion in Kahane's hotel. In room 1212, a U.S. soldier deals with flashes of PTSD in the song "Not even the Dead," Mingjia Chen's velvety soprano growing increasingly feverish. Down in the lobby bar, a woman contemplates her past, her gin and perhaps a divorce. "Does anyone ever learn the temperature where memory burns," Esteli Gomez sings in an incandescent performance, while Teeth members, in tiny voices, mumble memories beneath.

There are humorous stops on the ride. In room 1832 ("Valise") we encounter a self-absorbed fashionista health guru in the middle of recording a podcast, advising his listeners on everything from "capsule wardrobes" to how to combat "climate grief while flying." Jodie Landau's performance is terrifically tongue-in-cheek, while the refrain (Put it in my valise / Put it in my black bag / Put it in my Cucinelli knapsack), sung by the rest of the Teeth, is supremely addictive.

Kahane is one of today's most insightful and witty wordsmiths. He once used posts from Craigslist to create Schubert-styled lieder. He also boarded an Amtrak train, without his phone or internet connection, for a two-week journey across America, meeting passengers (singing with some of them) and turning his travel diary into a fascinating album.

Over at the hotel's fitness center, Kahane has crafted a mock operatic scene for a skeezy hot tub lurker. Bass-baritone Thann Scoggin sings ridiculous lines ("I slip into the water and chill the f*** out") in an appropriately operatic vibrato.

Gabriel Kahane himself has the last word on the album, back in the elevator, in the song "All That is Solid." He assumes a ghostly presence — suggesting that he has always been here, measuring the pains and desires of the hotel's guests, whose lives reflect nothing less than our own.

In an era when we tend to emphasize singles — if not 10-second clips — over albums, I welcome the immersive experience of Elevator Songs. But even if you don't buy the conceit, or just want to cherry pick, the album offers poignant depictions of our emotionally messy lives in arresting, bespoke performances by Roomful of Teeth, a group that proves it can wrap its individual and collective voices around any music and any concept.

Copyright 2026, NPR

Nearly every American knows "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Or they think they do.

Fans have been belting out the chorus during the seventh inning stretch of Major League Baseball games ever since announcer Harry Caray started the tradition in Chicago 50 years ago.

But there's a lot more to this early 20th century song than "peanuts and Cracker Jack."

The most popular baseball song of its time…and ever

Written in 1908 in response to an epic baseball season — a dramatic, three-way National League tie-breaker led to the Chicago Cubs vanquishing the Detroit Tigers to win the World Series — "Take Me Out" was by far the most popular of the many new songs that hoped to capitalize on the sport's immense and growing popularity.

"There was so much hype that it really boosted the sales of the songs," said Susan Clermont, a retired Library of Congress senior music reference specialist and expert on baseball songs.

The rollicking waltz by lyricist Jack Norworth and composer Albert von Tilzer was an instant vaudeville theater favorite. It was performed by such well-known singers of the day as Edward Meeker, who recorded the track for the Edison Phonograph Company. Millions of copies of the sheet music were sold, displaying portraits of the top artists who'd sung it on their covers.

"Take Me Out" was not only catchy, "it also had very unusual lyrics," Clermont said. At a time when women did not yet have the right to vote, but were playing in women's leagues and filling the stands at occasional "Ladies Days," "Take Me Out" celebrates a fictional young woman's deep and abiding passion for baseball:

Katie Casey saw all the games.
Knew the players by their first names.
Told the umpire he was wrong.
All along, good and strong.

"She didn't want to just go to the ballpark, sit in the bleachers and be silent or whatever," Clermont said of the song's hard-hitting protagonist. "She wanted to participate."

The real Katie Casey?

One baseball music expert has even worked to identify the specific, real-life woman who may have inspired Katie Casey.

"Trixie Friganza was a major vaudevillian star and a noted suffragist," said George Boziwick, the author of the recent book The Music of Baseball. "She was putting ads in the paper and getting people to show up for suffrage rallies in New York City."

Boziwick said there's no way of knowing for certain if Friganza served as the song's muse. But he said she was having an affair with "Take Me Out" lyricist Jack Norworth at the time. And her portrait appears on some versions of the sheet music.

"She was not necessarily a baseball fan, but she was independent and modern," Boziwick said. "And I think she just fit the bill."

From Katie Casey to Nelly Kelly

In 1927, Norworth wrote a different version of "Take Me Out" and changed the name of its leading lady from Katie Casey to Nelly Kelly. The lyrics in the updated version are still quite punchy, but Boziwick said the song's new protagonist isn't as strong-minded as her predecessor.

"In the 1927 lyrics, Nelly Kelly 'frets and pouts' to be taken to a game. In the 1908 lyrics, Katie Casey was more self-assured and just confidently asserted her preference to be taken to a ballgame," Boziwick said.

Still, it was Nelly and not Katie whom Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly immortalized in their rendition of the song in the 1949 movie Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

After organs started to appear at ballparks in the 1940s, '50s and '60s, "Take Me Out" gradually made its way from the vaudeville stage and silver screen to the stands. Today the song — or at least its chorus — is among the three most recognized tunes in the U.S., alongside "Happy Birthday" and that other obligatory game day song, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Jennifer Vanasco edited this story for broadcast and digital. Chloee Weiner mixed the audio.

Copyright 2026, NPR

Randall Goosby has been playing violin since he was 7, including studying with legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman, and the trajectory of his career shows no signs of slowing down. Find out more in the latest episode of the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.

On March 29, the Bach Society presented a concert featuring Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and his lesser-known Gloria RV 588. The program offered a captivating journey through the creative mind of the famous Red Priest and featured violinist Alan Choo, as well as the luminous voices of the women’s choir of the Bach Society. Listen to the concert now!

Find out more about the concert on the Bach Society’s official website.

Interviews

Listen below as host Tom Crann speaks to Artistic Director Matthias Maute and soloist Alan Choo about the performance.

Interview: Artistic Director Matthias Maute, conductor and recorder

Interview: Alan Choo, violin

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ conductor JoAnn Falleta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra present the premiere recording of Iranian-American composer Behzad Ranjbaran’s Violin Concerto. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, we wrap up our celebration of Women’s History Month with another full program showcasing how women composers are leading classical music into the 21st century. Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz was just announced as Performance Today’s Classical Woman of the Year, and we enjoy her Six Pieces for Violeta, as well as works by flutist/composer Allison Loggins-Hull — one for solo cello and one performed by Loggins-Hull and her partner Nathalie Joachim in their guise as the flute duo Flutronix. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Composer: Billie Eilish
Soloists: Peter Gregson, cello
London/Decca 5730093

Hymn for Everyone
Composer: Jessie Montgomery
Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
CSO Resound 9012301

Parallel Play
Composer: Sarah Kirkland Snider
Soloists: Lina Andonovska, flute
Navona 6759

Solais
Composer: Clarice Assad
Soloists: Elisabeth Remy Johnson, harp
Navona 6644

Six Pieces for Violeta
Composer: Gabriela Ortiz
Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Joanne Pearce Martin, piano
Platoon 2026

Unity
Composer: Clarice Jensen
Soloists: Clarice Jensen, cello

Light in Darkness
Composer: Kerensa Briggs
Soloists: Anna Lapwood, organ
Signum 688

Spark
Composer: Fuse & Gabriella Smith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Fuse
Fusemusic 2024

Stolen
Composer: Allison Loggins-Hull
Soloists: Amanda Gookin, cello
Bright Shiny Things 135

Black Being: Moonpies and Stardust
Composer: Flutronix
Conductor: Mei-Ann Chen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Flutronix
Cedille 241

Honeyed Words
Composer: Anna Meredith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ligeti Quartet
Mercury KX 4845720

To the Hands: Ever Ever Ever
Composer: Caroline Shaw
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Innova 912

Soli Deo Gloria
Composer: Courtney Bryan
Orchestra/Ensemble: Duo Noire
New Focus 210

Insight
Composer: Dobrinka Tabakova
Orchestra/Ensemble: Black Oak Ensemble
Cedille 237

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, host Lynne Warfel shares listeners’ requests for their favorite film music. Selections include music from Steel Magnolias, Hamnent, The Lord of the Rings and more. Listen now!

Playlist

The Thomas Crown Affair: Windmills of your Mind/La valse des lilas
Composer: Michel Legrand
Conductor: Angele Dubeau
Orchestra/Ensemble: La Pieta
Soloists: Angele Dubeau, violin
Analekta 8743

Steel Magnolias: Suite
Composer: Georges Delerue
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Varese Sarabande 66460

Victor/Victoria: Main Title
Composer: Henry Mancini
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
GNP 8038

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg: I Will Wait for You
Composer: Michel Legrand
Soloists: Jessye Norman, soprano
Philips 422401

The Cider House Rules: Suite
Composer: Rachel Portman
Conductor: David Snell
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Sony 89031

Hamnet: On the Nature of Daylight
Composer: Max Richter
Conductor: Hugh Brunt
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
London/Decca 2025

The Fountainhead: Suite
Composer: Max Steiner
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 136

Grumpier Old Men: End Credits
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80440

Into the West: Into the West
Composer: Patrick Doyle
Soloists: Patrick Doyle, piano
Varese Sarabande 67343

Spider-Man: Theme
Composer: Danny Elfman
Soloists: Lang Lang, piano
Sony 533292

Tora! Tora! Tora! Main Title
Composer: Jerry Goldsmith
Conductor: Jerry Goldsmith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Scottish Orchestra
Varese Sarabande 66225

True Grit: Suite
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1037

A Man and a Woman: Main Theme
Composer: Francis Lai
Conductor: Arthur Fiedler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
RCA 60393

Logan’s Run: End of the City
Composer: Jerry Goldsmith
Conductor: Jerry Goldsmith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Warner 10410158

Seven Years in Tibet
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Soloists: Yo-Yo Ma, cello

The Lord of the Rings: Concerning Hobbits
Composer: Howard Shore
Conductor: Howard Shore
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Reprise 48110

Peter Gunn: Theme
Composer: Henry Mancini
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80183

Medicine Man: The Trees
Composer: Jerry Goldsmith
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Varese Sarabande 66460

The Alamo: The Green Leaves of Summer
Composer: Dimitri Tiomkin
Conductor: John Scott
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Pops
Denon 75470

Henry V: Non Nobis Domine
Composer: Patrick Doyle
Conductor: Simon Rattle
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
EMI 49919

Composer Julia Perry for years existed only in the margins. Lost to time because of structural racism and sexism in America, her works are finally getting renewed attention. Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra has named Gramophone Award-winning violinist Alina Ibragimova as its newest Artistic Partner. Recognized for the “immediacy and honesty” of her performances by The Guardian, Ibragimova first made her SPCO debut in February 2024, leading the orchestra in performances of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. She returned in January 2026 for nearly sold-out performances of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Third Violin Concerto.

Listen to YourClassical MPR’s broadcast of her Jan. 17 performance through the player above and find out more about the performance below.

World-renowned violinist Alina Ibragimova returns to the Ordway to lead the SPCO on a journey through lighthearted, spirited works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn and those they inspired. Alfred Schnittke’s Moz-Art à la Haydn is an out-of-the-box take on an unfinished musical fragment by Mozart, written in the humorous spirit of the two titular composers known for their humor. The work involves dueling violinists, lighting effects, and an ending reminiscent of Haydn’s Farewell Symphony — hang on tight for this program full of whimsy à la Mozart.

Program

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Alina Ibragimova, conductor and violin
Steven Copes, violin *
Alicia McQuerrey, flute **
Cassie Pilgrim, oboe **
Sang Yoon Kim, clarinet **
Andrew Brady, bassoon **

ALFRED SCHNITTKE Moz-Art à la Haydn for Two Violins and Strings *
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Violin Concerto No. 3
JEAN FRANÇAIX Quartet for Winds **
JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 45 (Farewell)

For more information regarding this concert, please visit the official website.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ the Neave Trio highlights the music of three women composers that were also performers: Dora Pejačević, Clara Schumann and Cécile Chaminade. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

Did you miss Bach's Birthday Bash on Saturday with Pipedreams host Michael Barone? This year's celebration included five free, hourlong concerts at venues in St. Paul. Listen to the first concert now!

Bach's birthday comes around every year on March 21. The occasion calls for a celebration of this most remarkable of musical talents, and Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Barone (host of Pipedreams) decided that Johann Sebastian Bach deserved something special. A number of years ago, he and colleagues from the Twin Cities chapter of the American Guild of Organists arranged a Bach's Birthday Bash, and the idea blossomed.

The event has become something of a local tradition, with enthusiasts from all parts of the state participating or just listening.

This year's activities featured five free, hourlong public concerts of Bach's music, presented at five venues and churches in St. Paul during the morning and afternoon of Saturday, March 21.

Co-sponsors include the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and YourClassical MPR.

9 a.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (700 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul): The first concert was aired live at 9 a.m. Central by YourClassical MPR. You can hear listen to it through the player above. Performers included organists Brenda Sevcik, Dean Billmeyer and Celina Kobetitsch; pianists Gideon Scheeler; and guitarist Lukas Murdych.

Other concerts will follow in St. Paul:

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church (1900 Stanford Ave., St. Paul): Performers included organists Joel Anderson and Bruce Jacobs; flutist Jeeyoun Kang; pianists Sujin Cho and Jeana Ogren; the Elm Ensemble; conductor Sally Messner; and saxophonist David Milne.

1 – 2 p.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish (Summit Avenue at Lexington Avenue, St. Paul): Performers included organists Samuel Libra, Emily Roth, Noah Strom and Daniel Schwandt; and violist Samantha Lee.

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. at St. Clement Episcopal Church (901 Portland Avenue, St. Paul): Performers included organists Catherine Rodland, Amy Maakestad, Graeme Schields and Nicholas Kees.

4 – 5 p.m. at House of Hope Presbyterian Church (797 Summit Ave., St. Paul): Performers included organists Wolfgang Rübsam, David Jenkins and Nils Halker; and pianist Jacob Marvets.

Enjoy pictures from Bach’s Birthday Bash!

Pictures from Bach's Birthday Bash

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March is Women's History Month, and we're celebrating women who have changed the face of classical music. Learn more about women who have contributed to classical music as composers, performers, conductors and educators.

Jessie Montgomery

Violinist and composer Jessie Montgomery knows the power of music. Since 1999, she’s been involved with the Sphinx Organization, a non-profit which is dedicated to transforming lives through music. She won the organization’s competition for young Black and Latino musicians twice, and then went on to become the first composer-in-residence for the Sphinx Virtuosi. In 2020, she was awarded the Sphinx Medal of Excellence. She continues to give back to the organization that did so much for her as a young musician and is thrilled to see its impact. Montgomery grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and lives there still. Her neighborhood is a kaleidoscope of cultures and music. And while her music contains multitudes, her musical credo is simple: “Be committed to the art and committed to having it serve you and others.” — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Jessie Montgomery

Sharon Isbin

Sharon Isbin became a world-class guitarist, quite by accident. It all started when she began playing guitar after inheriting guitar lessons from her brother. These lessons were with none other than Aldo Minella, a highly respected guitarist. To this day, she continues to refine her art form. As a teacher, a cross-cultural collaborator, and an advocate for the guitar, her goal is to demonstrate the beauty of her instrument. As a woman, she feels inspired and gratified that there are more and more women who are becoming acclaimed as classical guitarists, and she feels proud to have been able to break glass ceilings on many levels, such as becoming the woman who started the first-ever guitar program at Juilliard. For Isbin, it’s all about discovery. — Julie Amacher, program director

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Sharon Isbin

Simone Dinnerstein

American pianist Simone Dinnerstein is a distinctive musical voice with strikingly original ideas. Her 2005 recording of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which she began learning during her first pregnancy, became the turning point in her career. It was extremely well received, and she’s had a busy performing career since. She’s also recorded fifteen more albums, all of which have topped the Billboard classical charts. Dinnerstein is motivated by a desire to find the musical core of every work she approaches. Every recording, every performance, is a journey of discovery for her and her audience. — Julie Amacher, program director

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Simone Dinnerstein

Hildegard von Bingen

Hildegard von Bingen was perhaps the first woman to be recognized as a composer. Born in the year 1098 as the tenth child of a noble family, she was sent to an isolated monastery when she was eight and took a vow as Benedictine nun when she was 14. When she was in her late 30s, she became the abbess of a monastery she founded and began writing music for her nuns to sing. She then proceeded to create what would become the largest existing music collection from a medieval composer. She was also prolific in many other areas, including science, poetry, and theology. Her research was so respected, that she was consulted by kings, bishops, and popes for medical advice. In 2012 — 900 years after her death — Hildagard von Bingn was appointed a saint and Doctor of the Church by the Pope — one of only four women in history to be given that special title. — Jillene Khan, classical host

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Hildegard von Bingen

Gabriela Lena Frank

Pianist and composer Gabriela Lena Frank was born in Berkeley, California, to an American father of Lithuanian Jewish descent and a Peruvian mother of Chinese descent. Frank says that all of those identities are part of who she is and part of her music. Having worked previously as composer-in-residence for both the Houston and Detroit Symphonies, she currently has a residency with the Philadelphia Orchestra and receives many commissions. A Latin Grammy winner and recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, Frank has been honored “for breaking gender, disability and cultural barriers in the classical music industry, and for her work as an activist on behalf of emerging composers of all demographics and aesthetics.” — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Gabriela Lena Frank

Hazel Scott

In 1939, Time magazine said, "The darling of cafe society, Hazel Scott, commits arson while playing the classics." She amazed audiences with her unique takes on classical music, infusing boogie-woogie and jazz into her playing. A child prodigy, she started studying at Juilliard at 8. By 19, she had her own radio show, performed on Broadway and would be seen on the silver screen. She fought for racial and social justice throughout her life and was one of the first Black performers to refuse to play to segregated audiences. — Meghann Oglesby, producer for Performance Today

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Hazel Scott

Jeannette Sorrell

Harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell founded the early-music ensemble Apollo’s Fire in 1992, thinking she’d do it for a couple years before moving on to something else. More than three decades later, it’s still going strong. Sorrell and her band bring fire and emotion to baroque music. They’re dedicated to AFFEKT — the baroque ideal that music should evoke the various passions in listeners, including joy, contemplation, rage, despair and triumph. Sorrell says, “As musicians, our job is to communicate — to take the listeners with us on an emotional journey. If at the end of two hours the audience is moved to tears, or joy, or laughter, or prayer, then we have done a good night’s work.” — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Jeannette Sorrell

Joanne Polk

Joanne Polk has been playing the piano since she could walk. After completing her studies in Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music, she’s now on the faculty of the latter. Throughout her career, in both concert performances and recordings, she has championed the music of women composers. In fact, it was her 1998 recordings of the complete piano works of Amy Beach that “catapulted her into the public eye.” 25 years and more than a dozen albums later, Polk is still dedicated to elevating and advocating for women composers. — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Jeanne Polk

Marin Alsop

Even though Marin Alsop knew from 9 that she wanted to conduct, she was told again and again that “girls can’t do that,” and was turned down — multiple times — when she applied to the conducting program at Juilliard. Since the establishment’s doors were closed to her, she knew she’d have to knock down some walls to get in. She was the first female principal conductor of an English orchestra and the first woman to conduct at La Scala. She has continued to conduct many orchestras since. “The old boys’ network — that’s been there for centuries,” Alsop says. “We have to create the old girls’ network, so that we can really be there for each other and support each other.” — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Marin Alsop

Valerie Coleman

As a baby, Valerie Coleman pretended to play the flute with sticks she found in her back yard. By the time she was 14, she was playing a real flute in her school band and had already written three full-length symphonies. As a student, she became the founder of the now-acclaimed ensemble Imani Winds. She is now an in-demand composer, a Grammy-winning artist and entrepreneur who continues to break down cultural and social barriers in classical music. — Jillene Khan, classical host

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Valerie Coleman

More ‘Distinguished Rebels’

Maud Powell

At the turn of the 20th century, Maud Powell picked up the violin as a young child and never really put it down. She believed her duty as an artist was to excite the novice and the expert alike. She performed music that was appealing to all and was sought out by composers to premiere their violin concertos. She also included African-American spirituals in her recitals, to uplift the legacy and music of Black Americans. A slogan from her husband encapsulates her energy as a performer and musician: "the arm of a man, the heart of a woman and the head of an artist." — Julie Amacher, program director

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Maud Powell

Florence Price

Florence Price was tireless in her pursuit of excellence, a task made even harder by the discrimination she faced as a Black woman. She wrote a massive catalog of works for a variety of ensembles and instruments, and she was the first Black woman to have a work performed by a major American orchestra. She had to fight to be taken seriously as a composer, all while raising two kids and dealing with an unsupportive husband. Her music illustrates the depth of American musical identity and the tenacity of the American spirit. — Siriana Lundgren

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Florence Price

Fanny Mendelssohn

From a young age, Fanny Mendelssohn was composing songs and piano pieces. Although not afforded the same opportunities as her younger brother, Felix, she wrote hundreds of works and was looked up to by him — so much so that she was given the nickname Minerva: the goddess of wisdom. She published works under her brother's name until 1846, when a collection of her pieces under her name was published. — Andrea Blain, former national host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Fanny Mendelssohn

Gabriela Montero

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1970, Gabriela Montero is a pianist, an improviser, a composer and an outspoken advocate for human rights. As an honorary consul for Amnesty International, she's dedicated to using her voice as an artist to call out the corruption and humanitarian crisis in her home country. Even when it's come at some cost to her career, she has never wavered from her advocacy or her personal integrity. She has consistently made choices and made music based on her deepest values. — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Gabriela Montero

Chiquinha Gonzaga

Born in Rio de Janeiro on October 17, 1847, Chiquinha Gonzaga had such a profound impact on the musical culture of Brazil that her birthday is celebrated every year as the National Day of Popular Music. A descendant of nobility on one side and slavery on the other, she became a brilliant and prolific composer with over 2,000 songs to her credit. She was Brazil’s first woman conductor and a fighter for the protection of copyright for artists and composers, for women’s right to vote and for the abolitionist cause. — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Chiquinha Gonzaga

Lara St. John

Canadian violinist Lara St. John started playing violin when she was only 2 and entered the Curtis Institute of Music at 13. Praised for her powerful presence with fearless and fiery chops, she is a champion for music off the beaten path, including reimagined Eastern European folk tunes and an entire album of works for solo violin written by women composers. She also is an outspoken advocate for survivors of sexual abuse in the world of classical music, a role she stepped into bravely after her own horrific experiences as a music student at Curtis. — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Lara St. John

Tine Thing Helseth

Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth fell in love with the instrument at 7 and promptly joined her school band. She began earning awards for her performances and won newcomer of the year in the Norwegian Grammys, the first classical musician to be nominated in that category. In 2007, she released her first album featuring the four major classical trumpet concertos, reminding the world that classical trumpet was not a boys’ club. That same year, she and some friends founded the 10-woman brass ensemble tenThing. Together with her all-female band, she is helping to build a musical future where “10-woman” is an unremarkable lineup and “all-female” an unnecessary descriptor. — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Tine Thing Helseth

Lara Downes

When pianist Lara Downes was a little girl, she came across a picture of the young Clara Wieck, later known as Clara Schumann, and was thrilled to see someone finally who looked like her in classical music, someone she could relate to and be inspired by. She would go on to become that person for a new generation of musicians. After studying in Europe, she returned to the United States to teach at the University of California, Davis. There, her signature approach to music making really blossomed. She has always performed music by traditionally underrepresented composers, but the extent of her advocacy has continued to grow. She also is a producer, storyteller, arts advocate, radio host and collaborator. — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Lara Downes

JoAnn Falletta

When American conductor JoAnn Falletta had her first concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic in 1999, there were no other women leading orchestras in major American cities. In the 25 years since, she’s won multiple Grammys and multiple ASCAP awards, conducted 150 world premieres and recorded well over 100 albums, focusing on underrepresented or forgotten composers and commissioning new works for the concert stage. She even founded her own label with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Beau Fleuve. — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: JoAnn Falletta

Ethel Smyth

Born in 1858, Ethel Smyth was introduced to music by her mother as a child. Despite disapproval from her father, she made music her career, studying at the Leipzig Conservatory and brushing elbows with the likes of Antonin Dvorak, Edward Grieg and Clara Schumann. Her opera, Der Wald, was the first opera written by a woman to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera, in 1903. — Andrea Blain, former national host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Ethel Smyth

Germaine Tailleferre

Germaine Tailleferre was a power player in 1920s Paris as a musician and composer. She became the only female member of Les Six, a group of six composers who exemplified the modern French sensibility at that time. She attended the Paris Conservatory without the encouragement or financial support of her family, determined to learn and compose. Her music is known for its charm, wit, elegance and grace. — Katie Condon, Class Notes manager

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Germaine Tailleferre

Caroline Shaw

Violinist, violist, vocalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw describes her work as, “the edges getting wider and the middles getting smaller." Collaboration is at the core of her music making, and violist Nadia Sirota says Shaw recognizes that what happens in a performance is actually part of the composition. Shaw exploded into public awareness when she won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for her Partita for 8 Voices, a stunningly electric work that evokes ecstatic response. When asked for her advice for younger creators, she says, “be kind to everyone around you.” — Valerie Kahler, host/producer

LISTEN — Distinguished Rebels: Caroline Shaw

If you look at the world around you, it may seem like it’s been created for men. Where is a woman’s place? For centuries, it was at home.

On Distinguished Rebels, you’ll meet women composers, conductors, and performers who have made their mark in a genre mostly dominated by men since the first note was played. Distinguished Rebels celebrates women who have changed the face of classical music, in a classy, yet rebellious way.

Meet the first woman to be recognized as a composer, hear stories of bravery from violinist Lara St. John and conductor Mei-Ann Chen, and enjoy performances by Grammy-winning performers Michelle Cann and Sharon Isbin. Listen now!

Playlist

• Hildegard of Bingen: Wisdom and Her Sisters - Anonymous 4

• Fanny Mendelssohn: Notturno - Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano

• Anna Clyne: Within Her Arms - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Marin Alsop, conductor

• Florence Price: Piano Sonata - Michelle Cann, piano

• John Duarte: Joan Baez Suite - Sharon Isbin, guitar

• Valerie Coleman: Red Clay and Mississippi Delta - Imani Winds

• Jessica Meyer: Confronting the Sky - Lara St. John, violin

• Reena Esmail: Black Iris - Chicago Sinfonietta; Mei-Ann Chen, conductor

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, enjoy music of nocturnal calm and comfort — often in the form of lullabies, but sometimes, dreams and night-time journeys. Eric Whitacre’s The Seal Lullaby sets Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The White Seal,” while Reena Esmail's Jhula-Jhule finds its inspiration in Indian folk songs she recalls from her childhood, and Arvo Part’s Spiegel im Spiegel isn't technically a lullaby, but definitely has the gentle, tender quality of one. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Harp Concerto: Lullaby
Composer: Jennifer Higdon
Conductor: Ward Stare
Orchestra/Ensemble: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
Azica 71327

Skylark Lullaby
Composer: Jennifer Bellor
Conductor: Chien-Kwan Lin
Orchestra/Ensemble: Eastman Saxophone Project
Innova 45

The Currents
Composer: Sarah Kirkland Snider
Soloists: Orli Shaham, piano
Pacific Symphony 2026

Song for Octave
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Soloists: Mari Samuelsen, violin

Concerto Duo: Mama Dee's Song for Joel
Composer: Joel Puckett
Conductor: Allen Tinkham
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Anthony McGill, clarinet
Cedille 187

Before Sleep and Dreams: Lullaby
Composer: Aaron Jay Kernis
Soloists: David Tanenbaum, guitar
Naxos 574298

The Seal Lullaby
Composer: Eric Whitacre
Orchestra/Ensemble: Voces8
Soloists: Lavinia Meijer, harp

Lullaby for Lise
Composer: Meredith Monk
Soloists: Katie Geissinger, voice
ECM 2751

Prince of Clouds
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Vinay Parameswaran
Orchestra/Ensemble: Curtis 20/21 Ensemble
Soloists: Jennifer Koh, violin
Cedille 146

Whispered Lullaby
Composer: Dobrinka Tabakova
Soloists: Maxim Rysanov, viola
Avie 2111

Estonian Lullaby
Composer: Veljo Tormis
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hilliard Ensemble
ECM 1700

Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in the Mirror)
Composer: Arvo Part
Soloists: Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Koch 7762

Midnight Sun Variations
Composer: Outi Tarkiainen
Conductor: Nicholas Collon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Ondine 1432

Jhula-Jhule
Composer: Reena Esmail
Soloists: Dawn Dongeun Wohn, violin
Delos 3547

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, join guest host Ward Jacobsen for a program full of the most celebrated film scores of all time. Selections include music from Citizen Kane, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Godfather and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Lawrence of Arabia: Overture
Composer: Maurice Jarre
Conductor: Tony Bremner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Philharmonia Orchestra
Silva 1047

Citizen Kane: selections
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano
RCA 707

King Kong: Suite
Composer: Max Steiner
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 136

The Sound of Music: Prelude and The Sound of Music; Overture and Nun’s Chorus
Composer: Richard Rodgers
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
RCA 2005

The Best Years of Our Lives: Theme
Composer: Hugo Friedhofer
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Sony 62788

The Bridge on the River Kwai: Prelude
Composer: Malcolm Arnold
Conductor: Richard Hickox
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Chandos 9100

We’ll Meet Again
Composer: Ross Parker/Hughie Charles
Soloists: Vera Lynn, vocals
Decca 2715983

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Fantasy
Composer: Frank Churchill
Conductor: Arthur Fiedler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
Philips 454736

The Valkyrie: Ride of the Valkyries
Composer: Richard Wagner
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80170

To Kill a Mockingbird: Main Title
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80708

E.T.: Bicycle Chase (Flying Theme)
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic
DG 4861706

It’s A Wonderful Life: Suite
Composer: Dimitri Tiomkin
Conductor: David Newman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Telarc 88801

On the Waterfront: Love Theme
Composer: Leonard Bernstein
Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
Orchestra/Ensemble: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
DG 459552

Sunset Boulevard: Selections
Composer: Franz Waxman
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 708

Singin’ in the Rain: Main Theme
Composer: Nacio Herb Brown
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
Philips 411037

Singin’ in the Rain: Good Morning
Composer: Nacio Herb Brown
Orchestra/Ensemble: MGM Studio Orchestra
Soloists: Gene Kelly, vocals
Sony 63829

The Godfather: Godfather Waltz
Composer: Nino Rota
Orchestra/Ensemble: I Salonisti
Sony 61731

Casablanca Suite
Composer: Max Steiner
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 422

On the latest episode of the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast, we learn about Jessie Montgomery, a composer, violinist and educator whose music helps her connect with the world. Listen now.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ cellist Dan Ryan and flutist Suzanne Stumpf, the Music Directors of Musicians of the Old Post Road, talk about the ensemble’s latest recording featuring music by Christoph Graupner and more. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

Down through the centuries, composers have written music about children, for children, and occasionally, for children to actually perform (and sometimes all three at once). On this week’s episode of Extra Eclectic, contemporary composers explore themes of childhood, from Angelica Negron’s Drawings for Meyoko and Thomas Ades’ Marchentanze — both evoking the sound of childhood innocence and wonder — to Osvaldo Golijov's Um Dia Bom (A Good Day) and Terry Riley’s Simone;s Lullaby, which capture the melancholy of adults observing childhood from the outside.

Playlist

A Paper, A Pen, A Note to a Friend
Composer: Shara Nova
Orchestra/Ensemble: yMusic
New Amsterdam 32

Drawings for Meyoko
Composer: Angelica Negron
Orchestra/Ensemble: Janus
New Amsterdam 24

Four Folk Songs: Children’s Dance
Composer: Gabriela Lena Frank
Orchestra/Ensemble: Claremont Trio
Tria 2022

Marchentanze
Composer: Thomas Ades
Conductor: Nicholas Collon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Ondine 1411

A Whistle, A Tune, A Macaroon
Composer: Shara Nova
Orchestra/Ensemble: yMusic
New Amsterdam 32

Youth
Composer: Edmund Finnis
Soloists: Clare Hammond, piano
Pentatone 7197

Lullaby for Natalie
Composer: John Corigliano
Soloists: Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Avie 2386

Fairytale Poem (Marchenbild)
Composer: Sofia Gubaidulina
Conductor: Bernhard Klee
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hannover Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
CPO 999164

Dreamcatcher
Composer: Marcos Balter
Soloists: James McVinnie, piano
Pentatone 7404

Harmonielehre: Meister Eckhardt and Quackie
Composer: John Adams
Conductor: Edo de Waart
Orchestra/Ensemble: San Francisco Symphony
Nonesuch 79453

Um Dia Bom (A Good Day): Plim (Feather)
Composer: Osvaldo Golijov
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brooklyn Rider
In a Circle 25

Child: Sweet Air
Composer: David Lang
Conductor: Carlo Baccadoro
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sentieri Selvaggi
Cantaloupe 21013

Simone’s Lullaby
Composer: Terry Riley
Orchestra/Ensemble: ZOFO Duet
Dorian 92189
Julie Amacher

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, join host Lynne Warfel for an early St. Patrick’s Day, celebrating Irish actors and filmmakers and films set or made in Ireland. Selections include music from Far and Away, Braveheart, The Informer and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Angela’s Ashes: Angela’s Prayer
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra

The Quiet Man: Suite
Composer: Victor Young
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1037

Far and Away: Suite
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic

My Left Foot
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Conductor: Elmer Bernstein
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Pops
Denon 75288

Angela’s Ashes: Main Theme
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Sony 89009

The Secret of Roan Inish: Return to Roan Inish
Composer: Mason Daring
Soloists: Ensemble
Daring 3015

Finian’s Rainbow: How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
Composer: Burton Lane
Soloists: Fred Astaire, vocals
Warner Bros 2550

The Informer: Suite
Composer: Max Steiner
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 136

Braveheart: Main Title
Composer: James Horner
Conductor: Keith Lockhart
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
Soloists: Jerry O’Sullivan, Uilleann pipes
RCA 68901

Little Women: Dr. March’s Daughters
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Conductor: Alexandre Desplat
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Sony 702752

Little Women: Christmas Breakfast
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Conductor: Alexandre Desplat
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Sony 702752

The Wind that Shakes the Barley/The Reel with the Beryle
Composer: Traditional
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Chieftains
RCA 75398

The Women of Ireland/The Morning Dew
Composer: Sean O'Riada/Paddy Moloney
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Chieftains
RCA 75398

P.S. I Love You: To Eire
Composer: John Powell
Conductor: Brett Weymark
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sydney Scoring Orchestra
Varese Sarabande 6891

Mrs. Doubtfire: Main Title
Composer: Howard Shore
Conductor: Howard Shore
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Arista 11015

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: Main Title/The Flag Parade
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80535

The Molly MacGuires: Theme
Composer: Henry Mancini
Soloists: Gregg Nestor, guitar
Cambria 1069

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Christmas at Hogwarts
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Warner 83491

Lawrence of Arabia: Main Title
Composer: Maurice Jarre
Conductor: Maurice Jarre
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Sony 42307