Earlier this summer, longtime collaborator pianist Jonathan Biss reunited with St. Paul Chamber Orchestra musicians, bringing the ensemble’s 25-26 season theme full circle in a concert that honored the lives and music of Robert and Clara Schumann, with Robert’s Piano Concerto as the program’s finale. An accomplished pianist in her own right, Clara is essential to Robert’s music, and she was the soloist who premiered his concerto in 1845 following its completion. In addition to the only piano concerto her husband ever finished, this program features Clara’s Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano, as well as works by contemporary composers Augusta Reed Thomas and György Kurtág, who were both inspired by the music of the Schumanns. Biss intersperses these shorter works within Schumann’s larger works for piano and orchestra throughout the program. Listen to the concert now through the player above!

Program

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Jonathan Biss, piano

ROBERT SCHUMANN Introduction and Allegro appassionato (Konzertstück)
GYÖRGY KURTÁG Hommage à R. Schumann for Clarinet, Viola and Piano
CLARA SCHUMANN Trio in G Minor for Violin, Cello and Piano
AUGUSTA READ THOMAS Clara’s Ascent
ROBERT SCHUMANN Piano Concerto
GYÖRGY KURTÁG Selections from Játékok (Games) for Solo Piano and Signs, Games, and Messages for String Trio

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

Duke Ellington once said, “All arrangements of historic American Negro music have been made by conservatory-trained musicians who inevitably handle it with a European technique. It’s time a big piece of music was written from the inside.” That piece of music premiered in 1943 in Carnegie Hall, and it was titled ‘Black, Brown, and Beige.’ Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black‘ podcast.

The Catalyst Quartet recently released the fourth and final volume of its ‘Uncovered’ project. The album focuses on Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, and features 18 of his string quartets. Listen now with host Julie Amacher.

The trees, the soil, the air — the Earth is our one home, and on this episode of Extra Eclectic, contemporary composers pay tribute in their music. Erland Cooper’s Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence literally incorporates the Earth itself as a collaborator, and Kristine Tjogersen and Jekabs Jancevskis take us into the woods to be one with the trees. We also hear from Clarice Jensen, Stacy Garrop, Mary Jouyoumdjian, and others. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Blue Curve of the Earth
Composer: Tina Davidson
Soloists: Hilary Hahn, violin
DG 19103

Between Trees
Composer: Kristine Tjogersen
Conductor: Edward Gardner
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
BBC Proms 2026 Recording

Carve the Runes Then Be Content With Silence: walking through heather and peat
Composer: Erland Cooper
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Collective
Soloists: Daniel Pioro, violin
Mercury KX 6576069

Lignum
Composer: Jekabs Jancevskis
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kremerata Baltica
Soloists: Alina Vizine, Zane Kalnina, Rakele Chijenaite, svilpaunieki
ECM 2745

Burn as Brightly
Composer: Gala Flagello
Orchestra/Ensemble: Talla Rouge
Bright Shiny Things 202

The Green Fuse
Composer: James Wilson
Conductor: Anthony Parnther
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chineke! Orchestra
NMC 250

The Demise of the Shepard Glacier
Composer: Philip Maneval
Soloists: Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
Azica 71349

String Quartet No. 3 “Gaia”: Dance of the Earth
Composer: Stacy Garrop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Biava String Quartet
Cedille 122

Silent Spring
Composer: Steven Stucky
Conductor: Manfred Honeck
Orchestra/Ensemble: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Reference 747

Aghavni (Doves)
Composer: Mary Kouyoumdjian
Soloists: Lara Downes, piano
Sony 92079

Black Earth
Composer: Fazil Say
Orchestra/Ensemble: Between Worlds Ensemble
Soloists: Avi Avital, mandolin
DG 4867526

Salt Air, Salt Earth
Composer: Clarice Jensen
Soloists: Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 16

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, host Lynne Warfel celebrates graphic designer Saul Bass, whose posters and credit sequences set the tone for films such as Vertigo, The Pink Panther and more. Listen now!

Playlist

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

The Man with the Golden Arm
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Conductor: Elmer Bernstein
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Pops
Denon 75288

Around the World in 80 Days: Theme
Composer: Victor Young
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80319

The Cardinal: Stay with me
Composer: Jerome Moross
Conductor: Arthur Fiedler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
RCA 60393

Vertigo: Suite
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1051

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

The Age of Innocence
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Itzhak Perlman, violin
Sony 63005

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

Grand Prix
Composer: Maurice Jarre
Orchestra/Ensemble: American West Orchestra
Vocacion Musical 2013

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

Psycho: Suite
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1051

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

Cwm Rhondda (Guide Us, O Thou Great Redeemer)
Composer: John Hughes
Conductor: Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble: Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Soloists: Bryn Terfel, baritone
DG 4776686

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

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir: Main Title and Finale
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1051

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

The Court Jester: Overture
Composer: Sammy Cahn/Sylvia Fine
Conductor: Vic Schoen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra
Soloists: Danny Kaye, vocals
London/Decca 8212

The Court Jester: The Maladjusted Jester
Composer: Sammy Cahn/Sylvia Fine
Conductor: Vic Schoen
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra
Soloists: Danny Kaye, vocals
London/Decca 8212

Scrooge: Overture
Composer: Leslie Bricusse
Orchestra/Ensemble: Original Cast Recording
Columbia 1970

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol
Composer: Leslie Bricusse
Orchestra/Ensemble: Original Cast Recording
Columbia 1970

Cassie Kinoshi has taken on the role of musical mad scientist by mixing together Black American jazz, West African and Caribbean rhythms, and Western classical music in a process of compositional nuclear fusion. Find out more in the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ violinist Gil Shaham performs Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Violin Concerto alongside conductor Eric Jacobson and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

It’s a philosophical look at time on this episode of Extra Eclectic, with works considering both fleeting moments and the vastness of eternity. Chris Rogerson’s Thirty Thousand Days honors his father’s way of counting a lifetime in terms of days instead of years, and Steve Reich’s Proverb is based on the Ludwig Wittgenstein quote, “How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life.” We also hear music by Shelley Washington, David Lang, Clarice Jensen and more. Listen now with host Steve Seel!

Playlist

Eternal Present: Now
Composer: Shelley Washington
Orchestra/Ensemble: ~nois
Bright Shiny Things 197

Eternity’s Sunrise
Composer: Howard Skempton
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ensemble 360
First Hand 90

Violin Concerto “Shrink”
Composer: Nico Muhly
Orchestra/Ensemble: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Pentatone 745

Time’s Timeless
Composer: Jason Thomas
Orchestra/Ensemble: Zephyr Quartet
Navona 6275

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

The Fountain: Together We Will Live Forever
Composer: Clint Mansell
Soloists: Feico Deutekom, piano
Zefir 9654

momentary
Composer: Olafur Arnalds
Orchestra/Ensemble: Voces8
Soloists: Olafur Arnalds, electronics
London/Decca 4851870

almost all the time
Composer: David Lang
Orchestra/Ensemble: Jasper String Quartet
Dorian 92212

Unfold
Composer: Skuli Sverrisson
Soloists: Gyda Valtysdottir, cello
Dorian 70012

Proverb
Composer: Steve Reich
Conductor: Paul Hillier
Orchestra/Ensemble: Theater of Voices
Nonesuch 79430

Final
Composer: Clarice Jensen
Soloists: Clarice Jensen, cello
130701 1339

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, host Lynne Warfel features music from movies with summer settings, including Summer of ‘42, A Summer Place, Suddenly Last Summer and Summertime. Listen now!

Playlist

The Third Man: Theme
Composer: Anton Karas
Conductor: Andre Rieu
Orchestra/Ensemble: Johann Strauss Orchestra
Philips 522933

A Summer Place
Composer: Max Steiner
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80168

Summer of ‘42: The Summer Knows
Composer: Michel Legrand
Conductor: Stephane Deneve
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brussels Philharmonic
Soloists: Renaud Capucon, violin
Erato 33936

Picnic: Moonglow and Main Theme
Composer: George Duning
Conductor: Arthur Fiedler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
RCA 60392

Jaws: Main Theme
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
Sony 45997

Jaws: The Barrel Chase
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
Sony 68419

On Golden Pond: Main Theme
Composer: Dave Grusin
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Soloists: William Tritt, piano
Telarc 80474

Rear Window: Intermezzo
Composer: Franz Waxman
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1045

Stand By Me
Composer: King-Glick
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hampton String Quartet
RCA 6675

Lili
Composer: Bronislaw Kaper
Soloists: Bronislaw Kaper, piano
Facet 8101

Carousel: Orchestral Suite
Composer: Richard Rodgers
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80278

Heat Wave
Composer: Irving Berlin
Soloists: Yehudi Menuhin, violin
EMI 47144

In the Heat of the Night
Composer: Alan Bergman/Marilyn Bergman/Quincy Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble: Prague Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
Primary Wave 500609

Field of Dreams: End Credits
Composer: James Horner
Conductor: James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
RCA 3060

A League of Their Own: The Final Game
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80468

Atonement: The Cottage on the Beach
Composer: Dario Marianelli
Conductor: Benjamin Wallfisch
Orchestra/Ensemble: English Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
London/Decca 9828

Little Women: The Beach
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Conductor: Alexandre Desplat
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Sony 702752

Growing up in Louisiana, Jon Batiste barely spoke until he was about 10 years old. Instead, he absorbed and listened closely to everything around him. And there was a ton of material to work with as a member of the storied Batiste musical dynasty that has roots in New Orleans jazz, R&B, funk and brass band.

"With music around me from all different sources, I was like, okay, how do I feel about this?" Batiste said in an interview with Morning Edition host Michel Martin. "Classical music is cool, but what if you took it and you expressed it in this way instead of the way that everybody says you should express it?"

In a trio of new albums, Batiste draws from his early years as a classical piano student and his subsequent jazz studies at Juilliard to share his takes on Mozart and Thelonious Monk.

"This is just an outgrowth of that, just taking the ideas of all this great music — Mozart, Thelonious Monk — and adding to the continuum of it and contributing my own thoughts to it," he tells Morning Edition host Michel Martin. "It would be like us sitting around the piano and trading bars and saying, 'Okay, you did this, and what if we took it this way?'"

The albums are part of a series that began with Beethoven Blues in 2024, where he improvised on works like Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and added some of his own tunes like "Life of Ludwig."

In the largely improvisational Black Mozart, which was recorded in just a day, Batiste grabs the melodies from some of the 18th century Austrian composer's most famous works and spins them off using Black American music traditions like jazz, blues, and folk.

He plays with the melody, harmony and rhythm of Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major (nicknamed Sonata facile), the "alla turca" movement of Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major or even the first movement of Symphony No. 40 in G minor. Sometimes, he creates entirely new pieces.

This omnivorous approach caused friction with traditionalists during Batiste's student years.

"It was rough," he recalled. "I almost didn't make it out of school because every other year they were trying to kick me out. They were like, 'What are you doing? Why are you playing the melodica with your band in the subway for people?' There was a lot of misunderstanding of my sort of precocious and questioning posture toward the administration and toward the classics."

Batiste describes such criticism as "very myopic," limiting a practice he'd like to see freed up instead.

"It is a very group-think phenomenon that is divisive and it separates us, and that shouldn't extend to the arts. It shouldn't extend anywhere. But it's everywhere, as in our politics as a religion. And I just am like, man, why would we make the thing that is the universal language be trapped and boundaried and ismed to death?"

Batiste recalls first being introduced to Monk by community elders in New Orleans who served as some of his first mentors.

"And then I moved to New York and I started hearing Thelonious Monk's music at jam sessions and I was like, 'Oh, wow, I'm trying to be able to play in a way that is very aligned to this music.'"

In Monk Movements, Batiste says he's expressing the virtuosity of the Black American pianistic tradition, "fusing Monk with all the other influences that I love on the piano that make me who I am."

Batiste's joyful, inspired spirit lifts Monk favorites like "In Walks Bud" and "Ugly Beauty," where his exclamations can be heard while playing the piano. Batiste originally wrote the theme in his own "Red Beans" as a child. The unusual chords, dissonance and disjointed melodies are evocative of Monk, but Batiste has said he wasn't familiar with him at the time.

A separate album, Monk Meditations, is more contemplative. Those pieces create "the spiritual underpinning" of Monk's music, Batiste says. "You could meditate to that album, you could chat to that album, you could pray to that album, you could sleep to that album," he adds. It's a soundscape that flirts with new age. The lines are often long, the chord progressions clearly delineated.

Batiste hopes anyone from the casual listener to the seasoned musician will feel a connection to his latest compositional frenzy.

"Our understanding of music and our understanding of who we could be and who we actually are has limited us from knowing our history," Batiste says.

"And all of that is not a negative thing because then it just gives the opportunity for guys like me to come along… You've got to have people that are just like, 'Let me come in, let me carry the torch and spread the depth and the gifts that our ancestors have left us.' And do it with joy and passion."

Copyright 2026, NPR

The award-winning strings duo Black Violin has been mixing classical and hip hop for over twenty years. The group’s goal is to make the violin and viola sound naturally and unabashedly Black. Find out more in the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks’: Jon Batiste’s latest recording, Black Mozart, is about commonality, improvisation, expression and innocence, in that spiritual realm where Mozart lives. Listen now with host Julie Amacher.

Host Steve Seel poses a lot of musical questions on this episode of Extra Eclectic, and you’ll have to decide if you hear any answers. Anna Clyne’s Dance interprets the mysterious words of the poet Rumi as a work for cello and orchestra, and Estonian composer Toivo Tulev’s A child said, what is the grass sets the words of Walt Whitman from his poem “Song of Myself.” Also, Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question is “answered” by Laurie Spiegel’s work The Unquestioned Answer.

Playlist

Live the Questions
Composer: Jake Runestad
Conductor: Joel Rinsema
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kantorei Denver
Naxos 559892

The Unanswered Question
Composer: Charles Ives
Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas
Orchestra/Ensemble: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Adolph Herseth, trumpet
Sony 42381

Dance
Composer: Anna Clyne
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Inbal Segev, cello
Avie 2419

Dancing on Glass
Composer: Victoria Bond
Soloists: Anna Cromwell, violin
Albany 1797

Whosay
Composer: yMusic
Orchestra/Ensemble: yMusic
StorySound 161050

Why?
Composer: Mid-Air Thief/Summer Soul
Orchestra/Ensemble: Attacca Quartet
Sony 15433

Fate
Composer: Felipe Tellez
Orchestra/Ensemble: TakeFive Ensemble
Centrediscs 28721

Where Life and Death May Dwell
Composer: Snorri Sigfus Birgisson
Soloists: Vikingur Olafsson, piano
DG 4863390

A child said, what is the grass
Composer: Toivo Tulev
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Navona 6303

What Was Said
Composer: Ashley Bathgate/Paul Fowler
Soloists: Ashley Bathgate, cello
Curve Blue 2020

The Unquestioned Answer
Composer: Laurie Spiegel
Soloists: James McVinnie, organ
Pentatone 7404

Hip-hop artist and composer André 3000 released his latest album, ‘New Blue Sun,’ in 2023. The album centers around compositions with wind instruments and is result of his need to explore and the many influences around him, both jazz and classical. Find out more in the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, host Lynne Warfel celebrates famous folks born in August, including Jerome Moross, Myrna Loy, Peter O’Toole and more. Selections include music from A River Runs Through It, Rebecca, Spellbound and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Singin’ in the Rain: Singin’ in the Rain
Composer: Arthur Freed/Nacio Herb Brown
Conductor: Lennie Hayton
Orchestra/Ensemble: MGM Studio Orchestra
Soloists: Gene Kelly, vocals
Sony 45394

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

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

Lazy Afternoon
Composer: Jerome Moross
Soloists: Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano
Erato 10789

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Composer: Jerome Moross
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1049

Lawrence of Arabia: Suite
Composer: Maurice Jarre
Conductor: Maurice Jarre
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Milan 35980

Out of Africa: Love Theme
Composer: John Barry
Conductor: Keith Lockhart
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops 4

A River Runs Through It: Main Theme
Composer: Mark Isham
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80440

Family Plot: Finale
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

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

Spellbound Concerto
Composer: Miklos Rozsa
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Promenade Orchestra
Soloists: Earl Wild, piano
Ivory 70801

Murder on the Orient Express: Waltz
Composer: Richard Rodney Bennett
Conductor: John Mauceri
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Philips 438685

Treasure of the Sierra Madre: Suite
Composer: Max Steiner
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 422

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

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ recorder virtuoso Michala Petri presents her latest recording featuring Danish composer Ole Buck’s ‘Concerto Rosignolo,’ a piece composed specifically for her. Listen now with guest host Melissa Ousley.

While classical music — old and new — can sometimes be about frivolous things, this episode of Extra Eclectic is concerned strictly with ideas on a “higher plane,” so to speak. Host Steve Seel brings us Olivia Belli’s Limina Luminis, inspired by the awe that astronauts experience viewing the Earth from space, as well as the reverent sounds of Arvo Pärt’s Tabula Rasa, Gavin Bryars’ Eternity is a Mysterious Absence of Times and Ages from his work The Fifth Century, and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Arcana: Search
Composer: Alex Shapiro
Soloists: Adam Marks, piano
Innova 41

Limina Luminis
Composer: Olivia Belli
Soloists: Anna Lapwood, organ
Sony 80927

Tabula Rasa
Composer: Arvo Part
Conductor: Richard Studt
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Soloists: Tasmin Little, violin
Virgin 45314

The Fifth Century: Eternity Is a Mysterious Absence of Times and Ages
Composer: Gavin Bryars
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
ECM 2405

Code
Composer: Paola Prestini
Orchestra/Ensemble: A Far Cry Orchestra
Soloists: Awadagin Pratt, piano
New Amsterdam 177

And Some Will Fall
Composer: Max Richter
Soloists: Max Baillie, violin
London/Decca 6572991

Lonely Angel
Composer: Peteris Vasks
Conductor: Jonathan Stockhammer
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra
Soloists: Mari Samuelsen, violin
DG 4835869

Drone Mass: Divine Objects
Composer: Johann Johannsson
Conductor: Paul Hillier
Orchestra/Ensemble: Theatre of Voices
DG 4837419

Nightfall
Composer: Meredith Monk
Soloists: Sean Shibe, electric guitar
PentaTone 988

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!

Grammy-winning mandolinist, singer, songwriter and composer Chris Thile brings his singular artistry to the Minnesota Orchestra in ATTENTION!, his playfully bold autobiographical work for mandolin and orchestra. Part narrative song cycle, part musical self-portrait, ATTENTION! blends virtuosity, humor and storytelling. Whether you know Thile from Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, or from his tenure as host of public radio’s Live from Here, you’ll be dazzled by his wit, invention and restless imagination. Listen to the concert now!

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Chris Thile, mandolin and vocals
Alex Sopp, vocals
Susie Park, violin
David Stevens, drums
Members of the Minnesota Chorale
Jerry Rubino, special projects conductor

SAMUEL BARBER Overture to The School for Scandal
CAROLINE SHAW And So
DUKE ELLINGTON Selections from The River Suite
CHRIS THILE ATTENTION!

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

Fullscreen SlideshowPrevious Slide

18 of 18

1 of 18

2 of 18

Next Slide

Meet YourClassical MPR's Melissa Ousley

Previous Concerts

Minnesota Orchestra presents John Williams' greatest scores

On Friday, July 24, Sarah Hicks led the Minnesota Orchestra in a salute to composer John Williams, living legend of Hollywood! This all-new program features some of Williamsʼ most beloved and unforgettable music of the silver screen, including E.T., Harry Potter, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and more. Listen to the concert now!

Program

Minnesota Orchestra
Sarah Hicks, conductor

JOHN WILLIAMS
Welcoming the World
Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Slice of History: World War II
March from 1941
Theme from Schindler’s List
Leading Women
Sayuri’s Theme, from Memoirs of a Geisha
Devil’s Dance, from The Witches of Eastwick
Momentous Meetings
Symphonic Suite form Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Duel of the Fates, from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Epic Battles
March of the Resistance, from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Theme from The Patriot
Flights of Fancy
Love Theme, from Superman
Flying Theme, from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Heroes’ Homecoming
Raiders March, from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Harry’s Wondrous World, from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Throne Room and End Title, from Star Wars: A New Hope

Minnesota Orchestra and special guests perform Beethoven's '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. The Minnesota Orchestra has its own trio of all-stars on tap for this program, which includes Robert Schumann’s reflection of life in the Rhineland and a Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten. Listen to the concert now!

Program

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

BENJAMIN BRITTEN Simple Symphony for String Orchestra
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra, Triple *
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 celebrates famous folks born in the summer, including Bernard Herrmann, Olivia de Havilland, Ginger Rogers and more. Selections include music from The Wizard of Oz, Victor/Victoria, and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Taras Bulba: The Ride to Dubno
Composer: Franz Waxman
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 708

The Wizard of Oz: Suite
Composer: Herbert Stothart
Conductor: John Wilson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sinfonia of London
Chandos 5294

My Week with Marilyn: Suite
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Conductor: Conrad Pope
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Soloists: Lang Lang, piano
Sony 98367

Gone with the Wind: Tara Theme
Composer: Max Steiner
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80168

Since You Went Away: Love Theme
Composer: Max Steiner
Soloists: Gregg Nestor, guitar
Cambria 1030

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Composer: Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Soloists: Judy Garland, vocals
MCA 25988

The Adventures of Robin Hood: Suite
Composer: Erich Korngold
Conductor: Charles Gerhardt
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Philharmonic Orchestra
RCA 912

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

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

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

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir: Main Title and Finale
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1051

Ray Harryhausen Fantasy Film Suite
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1051

The Trouble with Harry: A Portrait of Hitch
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
Conductor: Paul Bateman
Orchestra/Ensemble: City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Silva 1045

The Big Country
Composer: Jerome Moross
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80141

Composer Damien Geter began his musical path as an educator before becoming an acclaimed vocalist. But now, his path as a composer is ‘breaking down the barriers of what classical music should be.’ Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ pianist Stephen Hough talks about his latest recording, featuring music from ‘Mary Poppins,’ along with other songs and melodies from places he’s traveled to over the years. Listen now with guest host Melissa Ousley.

On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, we close out our month-long celebration of 20th- and 21st-century American classical music with a focus on some of the composers who introduced fresh thinking into the genre while also opening up the concert hall to new audiences. Host Steve Seel showcases the music of giants such as Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, and Steve Reich, while also featuring works by Michael Daugherty and Stephen Scott. Listen now!

Playlist

Duet
Composer: Steve Reich
Conductor: Daniel Hope
Orchestra/Ensemble: Basel Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Daniel Hope, violin
DG 4795305

Ellis Island
Composer: Meredith Monk
Soloists: James McVinnie, organ
Pentatone 7404

Tirol Concerto
Composer: Philip Glass
Orchestra/Ensemble: Baroklyn
Soloists: Simone Dinnerstein, piano
Naive 9238

Apartment House 1776: Harmony No. 19. New York
Composer: John Cage
Orchestra/Ensemble: Arditti String Quartet
Mode 144

New York Drones
Composer: Stephen Scott
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Bowed Piano Ensemble
Navona 5937

This Land Sings: Marfa Lights
Composer: Michael Daugherty
Conductor: David Alan Miller
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dogs of Desire
Soloists: Eric Berlin, flugelhorn
Naxos 559889

Inspired By Joni Mitchell: Big Yellow Taxi
Composer: Curtis Stewart
Soloists: Lin-Chi Chuang, violin
Bright Shiny Things 243

This Land Sings: selections
Composer: Michael Daugherty
Conductor: David Alan Miller
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dogs of Desire
Soloists: Annika Socolofsky, soprano
Naxos 559889

Joan Baez Suite
Composer: John Duarte
Soloists: Sharon Isbin, guitar
Sony 45456

Kedron
Composer: Traditional/Sam Amidon
Conductor: Pekka Kuusisto
Orchestra/Ensemble: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Sam Amidon, vocals
Platoon 2026

Saro
Composer: Traditional/Sam Amidon
Conductor: Pekka Kuusisto
Orchestra/Ensemble: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Soloists: Sam Amidon, vocals
Platoon 2026

Silver Dagger
Composer: Stacy Garrop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Heare Ensemble
Innova 40

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, guest host Liz Lyon shares music from beloved films from 1989 to today, including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Black Panther, Dune and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Harry’s Wondrous World
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
DG 29939

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Hedwig’s Theme
Composer: John Williams
Conductor: John Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic

The Lord of the Rings: Suite
Composer: Howard Shore
Conductor: Klauspeter Seibel
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: James Galway, flute
DG 3024

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Into the West
Composer: Annie Lennox/Fran Walsh/Howard Shore
Soloists: Annie Lennox, vocals
Reprise 48521

The Grand Budapest Hotel: Suite
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Conductor: Mark Graham
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
ABKCO 81302

Oppenheimer: Fission
Composer: Ludwig Goransson
Conductor: Anthony Parnther
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra

Black Panther: United Nations/End Credits
Composer: Ludwig Goransson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Hollywood 2018

Avatar: Jake’s First Flight
Composer: James Horner
Conductor: James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Atlantic 521681

Glory: Preparations for Battle
Composer: James Horner
Conductor: James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Virgin 86150

Glory: Burning the Town of Darien
Composer: James Horner
Conductor: James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Virgin 86150

Glory: Brave Words, Braver Deeds
Composer: James Horner
Conductor: James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Virgin 86150

Glory: Closing Credits
Composer: James Horner
Conductor: James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble: Studio Orchestra
Virgin 86150

Dune: Paul’s Dream
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Orchestra/Ensemble: Disruptive Collective
Sony

The Holiday Orchestra Suite
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Conductor: Martin Gellner
Orchestra/Ensemble: ORF Radio Vienna Symphony Orchestra
Sony 89905

Pirates of the Caribbean: One Day
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Soloists: Kian Soltani, cello
DG 4860522

Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Soloists: Kian Soltani, cello
DG 4860522

Vocalist and composer Jeffrey McNeill says it was back in 1987, when he was still a kid, when he first started hearing the links between hip-hop and classical music.

"I was put in flute and piano lessons as a child, and my father introduced me to The Sugarhill Gang, 'Rapper's Delight,'" McNeill explained in an interview with All Things Considered. "One day, my brother brought home the Beastie Boys' 'Paul Revere,' and to me, it sounded like it went perfectly with Beethoven's 5th Symphony."

Nearly 40 years later, the marriage of those two genres — as well as McNeill's literal marriage to fellow artist Andrea Coln McNeill — are manifest in The Illharmonic Orchestra, which has booked shows in major concert venues across the country over the last two decades.

McNeill — who performs as "Thee Phantom" — and Coln McNeill — who is also known as "The Phoenix" — blend hip-hop and R&B vocals with live horns, woodwinds, strings and percussion, performed by all-Black orchestral ensembles. That representation in classical music performance is a key goal for the group's leaders.

"It was really important for us to show that these two genres are not as completely different as people think they are," Coln McNeill told NPR's Juana Summers during a visit to NPR headquarters.

"Even in 2026, some of the major symphony orchestras still are really lacking in diversity. But there's clearly a reflection that those individuals exist. We play with them all the time," she explained. "Folks who look like us, who play these instruments, who have the training, who have been to the conservatory, who have the Ph.D.s, or self-taught — we know that that talent level exists within the folks that look like us."

And for many of their audiences, the experience can be transformative, said McNeill — on top of being a lot of fun.

"It's a house party in a concert hall. It's a community experience," he said. "And it has helped the performances so much that the people actually get it, and they connect with the music and they connect with us, and they see us on stage and they see themselves in us on stage. And that's really kind of what's kept us going for this long."

Ahead of a performance at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C., The Illharmonic Orchestra stopped by NPR to offer a special performance.

Listen to the full interview and their performance by clicking on the blue button above, and you can find their performance schedule here.

Audio for this performance chat was engineered by Andie Huether and Tiffany Vera Castro.

The performers with The Illharmonic Orchestra at NPR were:

Andrea Coln McNeill Vocalist
Jeffrey McNeill - Vocalist
Tauhida Smith - Violin
Leanne Holmes - Violin
Jillian Uzuegbu - Violin
Tara Cuffee - Viola
Kaleb Cabell - Cello
Robert Chittams - Bass
Alissa Gittens - Flute/Piccolo
Ronnal Ford - Saxophone/Flute
Xavier Hendon - Trumpet
Robert McIver - Trumpet
Tim Johnson - Trombone
Ashlei Peoples - Keyboards

Copyright 2026, NPR

Dalia Stasevska is a rising star in the conducting world. On her new album, "Ukrainian Mixtape," she's promoting some of Ukraine's neglected composers.

On the latest episode of the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast, we learn about Omar Thomas, a composer whose music is rooted in topics such as Black liberation and affirmation, including those who are also members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Listen now.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ after six years in the making, pianist Min Kwon presents ‘America/Beautiful,’ a project featuring 82 new piano variations on ‘America the Beautiful’ by 76 commissioned composers. Listen now with host Julie Amacher.

We continue our month-long celebration of American music on this episode of Extra Eclectic by looking this time at how contemporary composers mine American folk idioms in their works, including bluegrass, hymns and lullabies. Steve Seel features Robert Sirota’s American Pilgrimage (featuring a quote from Dvořák’s American Quartet — now that’s meta), as well as Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto 4-3, Daron Hagen’s Songbook, and even an arrangement of the Punch Brothers’ tune “Movement and Location” performed by the group Sybarite 5. Listen now!

Playlist

Kellam’s Reel/Rusty Gully
Composer: Nathan Koci/James Moore/Eleonore Oppenheim/Caroline Shaw
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Hands Free
New Amsterdam 100

Concerto 4-3: Roaring Smokies
Composer: Jennifer Higdon
Conductor: Xian Zhang
Orchestra/Ensemble: Philadelphia Orchestra
DG 35748

Stars in My Crown
Composer: John R. Sweney
Soloists: Caroline Shaw, vocals
Platoon 30842

Songbook
Composer: Daron Hagen
Conductor: JoAnn Falletta
Orchestra/Ensemble: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Soloists: Michael Ludwig, violin
Beau Fleuve 9495

The Cuckoo
Composer: Traditional
Soloists: Renee Fleming, vocals
Thirty Tigers 2026

Movement and Location
Composer: Punch Brothers
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sybarite5
Bright Shiny Things 191

Two Variations: ...alabaster cities...
Composer: Robert Sirota
Soloists: Min Kwon, piano
Delos 3629

Two Variations: ...God mend thine every flaw...
Composer: Robert Sirota
Soloists: Min Kwon, piano
Delos 3629

Shenandoah
Composer: Traditional
Soloists: Yo-Yo Ma, cello
Sony 82237

American Pilgrimage
Composer: Robert Sirota
Orchestra/Ensemble: American String Quartet
American String Quartet 2018

Peccadilloes
Composer: Paul Schoenfield
Soloists: James Tocco, piano
Naxos 559380

On the latest episode of Saturday Cinema, guest host Ward Jacobson highlights two mid-twentieth century icons of film music: Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone. Selections include music from Romeo and Juliet, The Mission, Once Upon a Time in the West and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Romeo and Juliet: A Time for Us
Composer: Nino Rota
Conductor: Angele Dubeau
Orchestra/Ensemble: La Pieta
Analekta 8733

8 1/2: Walking the Gangplank
Composer: Nino Rota
Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Sony 63359

Orchestra Rehearsal
Composer: Nino Rota
Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Sony 63359

The Leopard (Il Gattopardo): Dances
Composer: Nino Rota
Conductor: Riccardo Muti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Sony 66279

Juliet of the Spirits
Composer: Nino Rota
Conductor: Derek Wadsworth
Orchestra/Ensemble: Czech Symphony Orchestra
Silva 1024

La Dolce Vita
Composer: Nino Rota
Conductor: Derek Wadsworth
Orchestra/Ensemble: Czech Symphony Orchestra
Silva 1024

The Mission: Gabriel’s Oboe
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Conductor: Keith Lockhart
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Koch 7792

Bugsy: Act of Faith
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Conductor: Erich Kunzel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Telarc 80440

The Meadow: Main Theme
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Conductor: Marco Serino
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto
Arcana 554

Cinema Paradiso
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Conductor: John Mauceri
Orchestra/Ensemble: Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Soloists: Gil Shaham, violin
Philips 446681

The Mission: Suite
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Conductor: Ennio Morricone
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Virgin 90567

Once Upon a Time in the West: Suite
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Conductor: Ennio Morricone
Orchestra/Ensemble: Czech National Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Susanna Rigacci, soprano
London/Decca 25323

Seth Parker Woods is a cellist who wholeheartedly embraces new compositions, artistic innovation and pushes the boundaries of classical music. Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.