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!

This Friday, July 24, Sarah Hicks leads 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 live broadcast with host Melissa Ousley at 8 p.m. Friday, July 24, on YourClassical MPR.

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

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!

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Meet YourClassical MPR's Melissa Ousley

Previous Concerts

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)

Upcoming Broadcasts

Friday, July 31 — Chris Thile with the Minnesota Orchestra

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.

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!

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.

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.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ glam-rock artist and composer Kip Winger reveals his love for the classical music genre on his latest album, featuring conductor Giancarlo Guerrero and the Nashville Symphony. Listen now with host Julie Amacher.

Steve Seel presents another week of purely American sounds on the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, and this time, it’s works written by musicians associated primarily with jazz. We hear works by Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, Pat Metheny and more.

Playlist

Vocalise
Composer: Andre Previn
Soloists: Sylvia McNair, soprano
Sony 62004

‘Round Midnight
Composer: Thelonious Monk
Soloists: Andrew Litton, piano
Bis 2034

Meeelaan: Bebop
Composer: Wynton Marsalis
Orchestra/Ensemble: Callisto Quartet
Soloists: Frank Morelli, bassoon
Musica Solis 202602

Trumpet Concerto
Composer: Joel Puckett
Conductor: Joseph Young
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Sean Jones, trumpet
Avie 2751

Inspired By Wayne Shorter: Infant Eyes
Composer: Curtis Stewart
Soloists: Natalie Oh, violin
Bright Shiny Things 243

Terra Incognita
Composer: Wayne Shorter
Orchestra/Ensemble: Imani Winds
Koch 7782

Little Song
Composer: Fred Hersch
Soloists: Fred Hersch, piano
ECM 2799

“Trinity” Fantasy for Solo Violin
Composer: Ornette Coleman
Soloists: Jennifer Koh, violin
Cedille 73

Saxophone Concerto
Composer: John Adams
Conductor: David Robertson
Orchestra/Ensemble: Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Timothy McAllister, saxophone
Nonesuch 541356

Come Sunday
Composer: Duke Ellington
Orchestra/Ensemble: PUBLIQuartet
Soloists: Lara Downes, piano
Rising Sun 74227

Passion for Bach and Coltrane: Psalm
Composer: Jeff Scott
Orchestra/Ensemble: Imani Winds
Soloists: Alex Brown, piano
Imani Winds 2023

Letter from Home
Composer: Pat Metheny
Soloists: Mark Small, guitar
Channel Productions 3301

A soloist and a symphony! St. Paul Chamber Orchestra violinist Eunice Kim takes center stage in one of the most enduring violin concertos of all time, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3, paired with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. You’ll also hear Jean Françaix’s colorful and delightful dances for ten winds, taken from his ballet Les malheurs de Sophie (Sophie’s Misfortunes), which he wrote after the famed 19th century French book of parables for children. The book follows the adventures of Sophie, a young and curious girl known for misbehaving. Listen to the concert now!

Program

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Eunice Kim, violin *

JEAN FRANÇAIX Seven Dances after the Ballet Les malheurs de Sophie
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS Violin Concerto No. 3 *
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1

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

Sing Democracy 250 is a collective of musicians, singers, artists and advocates, whose mission is to “bring people together, to celebrate our shared humanity, and to recommit to the promise of a ‘more perfect union.’“ The ensemble recently marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 with a powerful message of hope for democracy through music that honestly represents American history, reflects America’s diversity, and calls all Americans to fulfill their obligations to America — to build together that more perfect union! Listen now to this one-hour special, hosted by John Birge, featuring performances by Sing Democracy 250.

Playlist

A playlist for this feature will be added soon.

Conductor Kedrick Armstrong uses both archives and youth education to serve the longevity of classical music by working to represent everyone in the concert hall. Find out more on the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ pianist Simone Dinnerstein and the Baroklyn ensemble prepare for Philip Glass’ 90th birthday in 2027 with their latest album, featuring his ‘Tirol Concerto,’ selections from ‘The Hours’ film, and more. Listen now with host Julie Amacher.

Violinist Leonidas Kavakos is recognized across the world as an artist of rare quality, acclaimed for his matchless technique, captivating artistry, superb musicianship, and the integrity of his playing. His program for the Minnesota Beethoven Festival includes Franck’s Violin Sonata, as well as works by Stravinsky, Mozart and Beethoven. Listen to the live broadcast with host Steve Staruch at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 12, on YourClassical MPR.

Program

Leonidas Kavakos, violin
Enrico Pace, piano

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 4, Op. 23
IGOR STRAVINSKY Divertimento for Violin & Piano
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Violin Sonata, K. 304
CÉSAR FRANCK Violin Sonata

Find out more about the concert and program on the Minnesota Beethoven Festival’s official site.

Previous Concerts

Joshua Bell and Academy of St. Martin in the Fields return to the Minnesota Beethoven Festival

Returning to the Minnesota Beethoven Festival after their triumphant 2023 performance, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and its music director Joshua Bell presented two different programs this summer. Enjoy the second of these performances, featuring music by Ives, Mendelssohn and Beethoven. Listen to the concert now!

On-demand audio from this concert will be added soon.

Program

Joshua Bell, violin
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

CHARLES IVES ARR. IAIN FARRINGTON Variations on America
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto, Op. 64
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5, Op. 67

Find out more about the concert and program on the Minnesota Beethoven Festival’s official site.

Stephen Hough kicks off the Minnesota Beethoven Festival

Pianist Stephen Hough is a multifaceted artist. He’s known for combining the distinguished career of a concert pianist with that of a composer and writer. This weekends, he joins audiences in Winona for the Minnesota Beethoven Festival, where he’ll open the season with a program featuring selections by Schubert, Brahms, Beethoven and more. Listen to the live broadcast with host Melissa Ousley at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 28, on YourClassical MPR.

Program

Stephen Hough, piano

FRANZ SCHUBERT Klavierstück D 946/2
JOHANNES BRAHMS Klavierstücke Op. 118, No. 6
ARNOLD SCHOENBERG Six Little Piano Pieces, Op.19
KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN Klavierstücke III
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Bagatelle, Op. 119, No. 10
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 21, Op. 53 “Waldstein”
ROBERT SCHUMANN Carnaval, Op. 9
RICHARD AND ROBERT SHERMAN ARR. STEPHEN HOUGH Mary Poppins Suite

Find out more about the concert and program on the Minnesota Beethoven Festival’s official site.

The American rail system is a metaphor for how culture has changed over the centuries. Movement is freeing, because one can escape certain oppressions, but it also leaves holes in one’s personal memory that can be hard to overcome. For violinist and composer Curtis Stewart, creation is a way of overcoming.

To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Stewart looked to his own family's American story and used it as inspiration for his new set of 24 American Caprices.

Join Stewart as he hosts I Am the Migration, an hourlong program featuring his newly recorded caprices where he interviews his father about how the movement of their family shaped a sense of identity and reinvention.

Stewart’s 24 American Caprices was co-commissioned by American Public Media, the Juilliard School Kayden commissioning program, the Kaufman Music Center, the Royal Conservatory of Music, and Deborah Buck.

Playlist

This playlist features selections from Stewart’s 24 American Caprices. The composers and songs listed below are the inspiration for each respective caprice. To read the complete program notes for this composition, visit Curtis’ official website.

• xiv. James Weldon Johnson: Lift Every Voice and Sing - D major

• xv. Sister Rosetta Tharpe: This Train - B-flat major

• xvii. Billy Strayhorn: Take the A Train - C major

• xx. Nina Simone: Young Gifted and Black - Eb major

• viii. Taylor Swift: Shake it Off - G major

• iii. John Coltrane: Giant Steps - B major

• iv. Bob Dylan: Blowing in the Wind - A major

• x. Joni Mitchell: Big Yellow Taxi - E major

• ix. Oscar Peterson: Hymn to Freedom - C major

• xvii. Billy Strayhorn: Take the A Train - C major

• xi. Kendrick Lamar: Complexion - B-flat major

• xxii. Duke Ellington/ Ella Fitzgerald: Mood Indigo - A-flat major

To listen to the complete album, visit Stewart’s official website.

We're extending the July Fourth weekend just a little bit more on this week's episode of Extra Eclectic, as Steve Seel presents two hours of works by contemporary American composers. Derrick Skye's American Mirror holds up a reflection on "the coming together of cultures (...) which is essential to the wellbeing of American society," while Jennifer Higdon's American Canvas presents musical impressions of the work of American painters. We also enjoy music by Jessie Montgomery, Shelley Washington, Curtis Stewart and much more. Listen now!

Playlist

Aramaic Fuel Tube
Composer: Paul Schoenfield
Soloists: Min Kwon, piano
Delos 3629

Can You See?
Composer: Allison Loggins-Hull
Conductor: Franz Welser-Most
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cleveland Orchestra
TCO Media 17

The Block
Composer: Carlos Simon
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda
Orchestra/Ensemble: National Symphony Orchestra

Stay On It
Composer: Julius Eastman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Wild Up
New Amsterdam 164

Middleground
Composer: Shelley Washington
Orchestra/Ensemble: PUBLIQuartet

Inspired By James Weldon Johnson: Lift Every Voice and Sing
Composer: Curtis Stewart
Soloists: Curtis Stewart, violin
Bright Shiny Things 243

Let Freedom Ring
Composer: Shara Nova
Conductor: Dianne Berkur Menaker
Orchestra/Ensemble: Brooklyn Youth Chorus
New Amsterdam 105

Ye, Who Seek the Truth
Composer: Julia Perry
Conductor: James Blachly
Orchestra/Ensemble: Experiential Orchestra

Statue of Liberty
Composer: Laurie Anderson
Soloists: Lara St. John, violin
Ancalagon 145

Starburst
Composer: Jessie Montgomery
Orchestra/Ensemble: String Orchestra

American Mirror, Part 1
Composer: Derrick Skye
Orchestra/Ensemble: Sphinx Virtuosi
DG 4867758

Amazing Grace
Composer: H. Leslie Adams
Soloists: Will Liverman, baritone
Cedille 200

Air for Violin
Composer: Aaron Jay Kernis
Conductor: Eiji Oue
Orchestra/Ensemble: Minnesota Orchestra
Soloists: Truls Mork, cello
Virgin 45464

American Canvas
Composer: Jennifer Higdon
Orchestra/Ensemble: Dolce Suono Trio
Innova 991

Introducing YourClassical’s American Composers Countdown: the top American composers, as ranked by you. Thank you for voting! On Friday, July 3, host Tom Crann took the results and counted them down on the air to kick off the Fourth of July weekend. Listen to on-demand audio from that Friday below!

The results

Here are the top 10 American composers, as voted by you:

10. Philip Glass

9. John Philip Sousa

8. Florence Price

7. Duke Ellington

6. Scott Joplin

5. Samuel Barber

4. John Williams

3. Leonard Bernstein

2. George Gershwin

1. Aaron Copland

Who are our host’s favorite American Composers?

American violinist and music educator Aaron Dworkin saw a need to diversify classical music and made it his life’s work. Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ pianist Lara Downes describes how her project aimed at uniting American communities informed the music on her latest recording. Listen now with host Julie Amacher in anticipation of the country’s 20th anniversary.

The first hour of this episode of Extra Eclectic highlights international composers and cross-cultural collaborations, including Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz’ Six Pieces for Violeta — honoring Chilean singer and musician Violeta Parra — as well as works by Shane Shanahan, Arooj Aftab and Johann Johannsson. In the second hour, host Steve Seel begins our tribute to contemporary American classical music as we look forward to the Fourth of July holiday next weekend, including works by Caroline Shaw, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Nico Muhly and more. Listen now!

Playlist

Englaborn
Composer: Johann Johannsson
Soloists: Alice Sara Ott, piano
DG 4867514

Audacity
Composer: Shane Shanahan
Soloists: Ariana Kim, violin
Saffron Soul 519061

Our Friend Adam
Composer: Ryan Brown
Orchestra/Ensemble: SOLI Chamber Ensemble
Soloists: D.J. Sparr, electric guitar
SOLI Sound Works 3038

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

Udhero Na
Composer: Arooj Aftab
Soloists: Ashley Jackson, harp
London/Decca 4879986

The Book of Never: Names of things I once believed...
Composer: Aaron Helgeson
Conductor: Donald Nally
Orchestra/Ensemble: The Crossing
Navona 6871

Goiza Larrunen
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Soloists: Marielle Labeque, piano
DG 4848960

Breathturn: Part 1
Composer: John Zorn
Soloists: Mika Stoltzman, marimba
Avie 2807

Forward Into Light
Composer: Sarah Kirkland Snider
Conductor: Andrew Cyr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Metropolis Ensemble
New Amsterdam

The Light After
Composer: Caroline Shaw/Andrew Yee
Soloists: Caroline Shaw, vocals
Platoon 30842

Watermark
Composer: Caroline Shaw
Conductor: Malin Broman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Jonathan Biss, piano
Orchid 100433

Recordare, Domine
Composer: Nico Muhly
Orchestra/Ensemble: Tallis Scholars
Linn 790

The United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary as a nation on July 4, 2026. Fifty years ago, the U.S. marked its 200th during a national celebration called The Bicentennial. There were speeches, community celebrations, fireworks displays, even a commemorative quarter from the U.S. Mint — and naturally, there were concerts.

In Minneapolis, the Minnesota Orchestra did something remarkable: It invited none other than Aaron Copland, the composer-conductor known as the Dean of American Music, to conduct three concerts spanning July 3, 4 and 5, 1976, at Orchestra Hall.

The 20th Century had already been dubbed “The American Century” when Copland visited Orchestra Hall in 1976, and, having been born on November 14, 1900, Copland’s life paralleled that timeline. Four months shy of his 76th birthday when he visited Minneapolis, “I certainly don't feel 76," Copland told The Minneapolis Star. "Of course, conducting is a big help in that regard. You come off the stage all wet, like an athlete. You keep your mind busy. So I recommend conducting to anyone over 70."

For its part, the Minnesota Orchestra dubbed the Bicentennial concert series, “Copland on America,” and the program across the three nights variously included Leonard Bernstein's Overture to Candide, Charles Ives' Decoration Day, William Schuman's New England Triptych, and Copland's own works, Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (featuring the Boston Symphony's organist Berj Zamkochian) and Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes. Copland approved the program but was less taken by the concert name. "Why ‘Copland on America’?” he mused aloud to The Minneapolis Star. “I can understand 'Copland' and I can understand 'America,' but why 'on'?"

The Minnesota Orchestra rolled out the red carpet — or more accurately, it invited the audience to sit on the carpet. Advertisements for the concerts promoted "informal rug seating on the main floor — bring your own pillows,” priced at $4.50 for adults ($26.50 in 2026 dollars), and $2.50 ($14.75) for kids.

Moreover, audio engineers from Minnesota Public Radio were at Orchestra Hall for the July 4 concert, which was broadcast live on MPR and shared nationwide on public radio stations. A camera crew from Twin Cities Public Television also captured the concert, and it was televised on channel 2 in the Twin Cities on July 7.

In preparation for the broadcast, MPR’s Dennis Rooney had a chance to interview Aaron Copland. The interview aired during the intermission of the July 4, 1976 broadcast. Thanks to MPR Archives, you can listen to that interview using the audio player above, and read a transcript below.

Copland’s insights on American music and what he saw as the over-availability of music are interesting to hear in 2026. It’s also endearing to hear him talk about fellow composers Charles Ives and George Gershwin. Of particular note is Copland’s descriptor for his genre; specifically, he refers to it as “serious music,” only once conceding, “classical, so called.” But overall Copland is affable and self-effacing, and the interview has aged well.

Interview Transcript

Dennis Rooney: Aaron Copland will be celebrating his 76th birthday on the 14th of November of this year, and at 75, is known as the dean of living American composers. He must hate this title very much, but even so, he seems to wear it very lightly, and is our special guest during intermission on this Minnesota Orchestra Bicentennial holiday concert, as well as being the concert's conductor. Mr. Copland, on this July 4, our nation's bicentennial, have you any feeling about the health of the creative arts in this country, particularly with regard to how they relate to the life of the nation? That's kind of a good question to get off with here.

Aaron Copland: Well, I think considering the fact that I've been around for the last half-century as a mature practicing artist, I have a very definite sense of the development of the arts in our country during these past 50 years. And I must say, it's a very impressive picture from where I sit. If I think back to the [19]20s, we didn't have the number of orchestras we have, just to confine our remarks to the musical field, and the number of schools that now occupy themselves with the teaching of music, I'm thinking now of our universities and colleges, has increased enormously in these last 50 years, so that I think it makes a very optimistic picture. I think we're on our way now, and don't have to look to Europe anymore for our artistic musical life. We have a highly developed one right here.

Dennis Rooney: Well, to a certain extent you anticipated a later question, because I wanted to ask you, since your life and this century do coincide, what are some of the most significant ways in which the world of music would appear different to a child of, let's say, age 10 or so, living today than they did — or it did — to Aaron Copland at the age of 10 or so?

Aaron Copland: Well, it's the enormous availability of "serious," as we call it — classical, so called — music. Just imagine, when I was a kid at, let's say, 15, it would have been very difficult to find recordings of even the major works, and when you listen to them, they sound rather tinny and uninviting. The availability of serious music, or classical music, however you want to call it, is so much greater. I mean, anybody who owns a radio, by mistake might hear a symphony nowadays; that was absolutely unheard of when I was a child. So that the spread of the more serious kinds of music, not only in America but all over the world, is really unthinkable without the development of these non-concert situations where you're at home by yourself and are able to either, through the radio or through recordings that you own, take personal contact, so to speak, with these great works.

Dennis Rooney: Much in the way that this broadcast has been tuned into, either on purpose or by accident, by people all across the country.

Aaron Copland: Exactly.

Dennis Rooney: In what way, though, has the benison [i.e. benefit] of these electronic developments been a mixed one? Is there any way in which they have served, in your opinion, to debase music?

Aaron Copland: Well, I suppose there is a danger in over-availability. I mean, you can get blasé if you forget to turn off your radio or whatever in your car, and it just goes on and on and on. You're debasing the art. I tell people, "If you don't want to listen to music, shut the darn thing off!" Don't just keep it in the background just to make pleasant sounds without anybody listening to it. We composers feel very strongly about that. If you want to listen to our music, we want you to give us your full attention. We don't like the idea of our music being used merely to dress up the silence with pleasant sounds that you're not really listening to. I can see that that could be a pleasant sensation for some less musical people, but those of us who really love music don't want to have it on just for pleasant sounds. We want to listen to it when we have it on, and we want to take contact with it in an important way.

Dennis Rooney: It's often very hard for some of us who want to listen to music under controlled circumstances, simply to get away from it in certain public ...

Aaron Copland: That's a great danger nowadays. It's really too — there's too much of it around! And I would like to encourage everybody to turn the darn thing off if you're not in a musical mood, and if you don't really want to listen to what's going on.

Dennis Rooney: You mentioned earlier the fact that you felt that America no longer depended on Europe for its artistic direction or its creative nourishment, and your generation of American composers certainly is recognized now as the first to end a dependence on European norms and to succeed in finding a uniquely American style of musical expression, but in the light of an increasingly internationalist tendency in the world of creative music in recent years, do you still think that it's important for American composers to sound American?

Aaron Copland: Well, I don't think it's important for them to think about it consciously, like I used to 50 years ago. But I think it's rather nice to have the artistic expression anywhere in the world somehow reflect the country of its origin. It gives a little more local-color feeling. A Russian novelist sort of has a Russian feeling to the novel; though the emotions expressed may be universal, it gets a Russian tinge. I don't see why our music, our serious music, can't have a little bit the same effect on our audiences. It's sort of pleasant to feel you're listening to a work which somehow reflects the life that we live here, and our serious music, I think needs that, since it hasn't really been firmly established. After all, it was Ives, Charles Ives, who was generally credited with having written the first recognizably American-flavored music. I suppose you could find some of McDowell's pieces that may sound more American than others, but Ives really did it in a very original and special way.

Dennis Rooney: When you were a young man, how aware were you and how aware were others in your same discipline, aware of the music and the influence of Charles Ives?

Aaron Copland: Well, I knew his name as a man who had occasional performances at the modern music series that Edgar Varese ran in the '20s in New York City. But I didn't have any idea of the range, the artistic range, creative range of the man, until one morning I got a package in the mail, opened it, and it was 114 songs by Charles Ives, which he had published at his own expense, privately, and was nice enough to send me a copy. I had never met him and didn't know the man, and I was enormously impressed that anybody could write 114 songs. That's a lot of songs! And of the greatest variety, from the baby-simple ones to the wildly modern and avant-garde ones, so that the range was enormously impressive. I was so impressed that I wrote an article about those 114 songs and published it in the Modern Music magazine. Got a very nice letter in reply from Ives, thanking me, but we never did meet. I'm sorry to say.

Dennis Rooney: When you read so much of his writing has been made available to a large audience in recent years, and when you read it today, it's almost as if there was some streak in Ives that made him think that — or made him equate sensitivity or poetry with weakness or with sentimentality.

Aaron Copland: Yes, I know.

Dennis Rooney: Do you feel that that may have injured him in terms of his full artistic development?

Aaron Copland: I don't think so. It gives him a rather special quality of his own. And there's a quite a lengthy discussion of that in a new book about Ives by, I believe it's Frank Rossiter.

Apparently, in a small New England town like the one he was brought up in, it was sort of shameful for a little boy to take piano lessons. Only girls took piano lessons. So that he must have been frightened of being sissy-ish, because he was interested in music. And some of the later stuff that carried over into his manhood, I think had its origin there. According to Rossiter's book, he definitely had his origin in the small-town atmosphere where music was thought to be a thing that ladies occupied themselves with.

Dennis Rooney: He's always making reference to the nice ladies.

Aaron Copland: Yes, he is.

Dennis Rooney: And to Rollo, the simple...

Aaron Copland: That's right. See, he really had a case on that. It's slightly Freudian!

Dennis Rooney: You would talk about the way that you consciously thought half a century ago about how you were going to make your music sound American. And that was apparently a preoccupation of many young composers at that time, and to a very large extent, you succeeded, particularly in works composed in the '30s and '40s, which are still to this day, thought of as the most American sounding of, if you will, mature American orchestral or instrumental pieces. And yet that tradition, just at the point where it seemed to have really taken root, vanished, and we have not had a continuation of it. What do you think, looking back, is the reason why no younger composers seemed interested in continuing in this vein?

Aaron Copland: Well, perhaps because of the fact that we had done that and were interested in that, they thought it didn't have to be done again and they could do something else. It is, in a certain sense limiting, of course, if you're going to write in the 12-tones method, naturally, it's harder to suggest an American atmosphere than if you quote American folk tunes. So that I can understand a lack of interest, if they think an older generation has kind of taken care of that particular aspect of our music, and they go on to other things. But when I was in my 20s, I was very interested in the latest thing, which was Debussy and Ravel and Stravinsky.

Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky

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Debussy and Ravel were very French in my mind, and Stravinsky was very Russian. And that put it into my head that I'd like to be quite American in my serious music. After all, our jazz composers and Ragtime composers had accomplished exactly that; the whole world recognized their music as having been invented in America. I wanted to apply that to the serious field, and the fact that I spent three years in Paris as a student in the early '20s reinforced that notion: If the French can do it in the French way, why can't we Americans do it in our way?

Dennis Rooney: Now we heard just before intermission, your organ symphony, which was composed for Nadia Boulanger, your teacher, and when it was first performed by the New York Symphony Orchestra, certainly was viewed as the work of a very avant-garde composer. Did you ever think of yourself as an avant-garde composer?

Aaron Copland: Oh yes, I wanted to be an avant-garde. I didn't want to be in the rear guard! Well, we were using harmonies that you didn't find in the textbooks, and we got some pretty bad writeups in the New York papers in the '20s and '30s as "wild guys." But that was part of the fun. I mean, a young fellow starting out doesn't want to be approved of all the time. He wants to really startle people.

Dennis Rooney: Was there any point at which you wanted approval, where your attitude changed? Or were you at least, if you didn't want approval, no longer thought of yourself as avant-garde?

Aaron Copland: Well, it depends on who's doing the approving. You know, if you get an approval from the mob, that's a little dangerous. It might not be so good 20 years later. If you're approved of by people you respect, that's very satisfying.

Dennis Rooney: You were the first American composer to be the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, and in the last 25 years or so, that relationship between the foundations and the creative artists has become more and more commonplace. Do you think that that's been good by and large in terms of the kind and the quality of music that's resulted from that sort of association?

Aaron Copland: By and large, I certainly think, I certainly do think it's good. Yes, I think the fact that so many composers have been helped in the early stages of their career by fellowships or prizes of one kind or another has been a great stimulus and a great aid. I profited by that. And I don't know what I would have done if the Guggenheim people hadn't founded their foundation in 1925. I was really hard up for it. I could take a job in Wall Street, I suppose, but that wasn't what I was thinking about doing. So to be freed at that point in your career, before you are known, and when just a few people believe in you, and a board says, "OK, we'll give them a fellowship," that's very important and a great help in the arts.

Dennis Rooney: One of your colleagues and contemporaries whom you knew well, George Gershwin, had, however, succeeded in carving out, certainly, a great monetary success in the marketplace, and was on the way to, at least seemingly, the attainment of true eminence as an American composer when he died. And yet, no one else in this century seems to have had that kind of magic, that kind of key to success in that fashion. Was that uniquely the result of Gershwin's genius, or was that just a temporary aberration in the world of the composer and the public?

Aaron Copland: No, I think you can put it down to Gershwin's great gift. It was rather special, the fact that there wasn't a second Gershwin around; hasn't been really in that sense, it shows how special it was. He filled a niche, a place in the musical world, that nobody else seems to have been able to rival. And I knew him slightly. We spent an afternoon or two together, but we didn't really speak the same language. And he was thinking about show business and popular songs. I was thinking about the symphonic field.

Dennis Rooney: Were the serious composers who were about his same age a little disdainful or a little envious of his success, would you say, looking back?

Aaron Copland: I don't think so, because we weren't really trying to appeal to the same public. He really, in our minds, was a popular composer who occasionally wrote something for the concert hall, but by and large, he was busy doing shows — I mean, musical shows — and occasionally films, so that he wasn't primarily writing for the concert hall, and therefore he didn't see ... he certainly didn't bother me, and I don't think the other composers in my field were thinking about him too much.

Dennis Rooney: On the Fourth of July, 1976, we naturally tend to think of big questions, questions that range over decades and centuries, rather than just the course of months or years. We talked earlier about the influences that formed Charles Ives' musical character, the way in which in the small New England milieu of his boyhood, music had not really taken roots in terms of its meaningfulness to everyone, but rather seemed to be some sort of applique that young ladies had added to their trousseau. After the last 30 years, with all of the changes in technology and all of the things that have happened to music in your lifetime, do you think that music has taken, in truth, deeper roots in this country in terms of its impact on the population as a whole? Is it still a nice accomplishment, or is it still something that can be enjoyed and taken part in, without shame, without any kind of second thought or guilt or twinge that somehow this is a waste of time or is in any way un-American?

Aaron Copland: No, I think that's a thing of the past. I really do. In the first place, the availability of the serious field of music has been so enlarged through the use of phonograph and stations around the country that broadcast serious music, the accessibility of the serious field of music is so much greater to the ordinary citizen who, in his car might, by a mistake, turn on his radio and hear a Beethoven symphony. That fact alone, you see, makes for a completely unprecedented situation, as far as I can see, if you compare it to the 19th century in music. So that we're living really in a very special time, speaking from a musical standpoint. And obviously you can overdo it. I mean, there can be an over availability; too many performances of Beethoven's Fifth can use the old thing up too fast. So I would advise music lovers to go easy on it, to watch what they listen to. Don't overdo the listening to certain special pieces, and spread their tastes as much as they possibly can, especially into the contemporary field where we need their interest.

Dennis Rooney: Well, you've done much to make music understandable and meaningful to the layman in a series of books, your lectures at the New School in New York in the '30s, and your own music itself. How ... What are Aaron Copland's tips to the music lover in order to develop that discrimination that you find so all important?

Aaron Copland: Well, I don't have any secret tips to give. My advice, of course, is to listen to the stuff. Listen to it as much as you can. Read about it. It doesn't hurt to read a book about music. And I try to be helpful in writing what to listen for in music. The other title of my book. I would like to encourage people to think of their contact with music as a developing thing, not as a thing that you casually turn on and listen to or don't listen to. We're interested in listeners who are more deeply involved than that, and who want to enlarge their understanding of the art through actual contact with it, and reading an occasional book and going out to a concert. The casual music listener who can take it or leave it doesn't interest us much. But there are enormous numbers of people in our country who basically, I think, are more musical than they think themselves. And I would like to involve those people more and encourage them to make contact in a field where they can get great enjoyment if they lend their ears more seriously and not so casually.

Dennis Rooney: Well, I hope we've made contact with a few people tonight for whom your comments and the opportunity to talk with you has been of great value to them. It's been of great value to me and to millions of other people as well. And I am looking forward to the remainder of this concert, which you'll be conducting in just a moment. Thank you very much. Aaron Copland.

Aaron Copland: Thank you, sir.

Contributing to this feature were Senior Digital Producer Reed Fischer, who provided newspaper research, and Scott Adamson of the MPR Archives, who provided the Copland interview audio.

All classical music started with a blank page. Before any piece is played or heard, someone has to create it. What does it take to organize all those notes into a final composition? In this episode, composers Shruthi Rajasekar, Janika Vandervelde, and Dan Nass take a seat at the Composers Roundtable to share how they turn their ideas into music.

Despite being a fundamental part of life on earth, change is difficult for everybody. The human condition naturally pushes and pulls against the tides of life. And when these tides rise, you’re suddenly surrounded by the unpredictable waters of change. For members of the Queer and trans community, music can be a lighthouse upon those unpredictable waters. Join host Zuzu Black for Transitioning: The Music of Change, an hourlong special featuring Queer and trans musicians that explores the many complex and interwoven facets of change. Listen now!

Playlist

• Angela Morley: The Liaison

• Mari Esabel Valverde: Darest O Soul

• Bach (Sara Davis Buchner): Sleepers Awake

• Ziggy Merrill: Afraid

• Rosśa Crean: Politeness

• Joseph Rubinstein: Possibility

• Richard Strauss: Metamorphosen

• Phillip Glass: Metamorphosis II

At his core, Quincy Jones was a composer and arranger whose voice was shaped by the world of classical music. His ability to weave Black musical traditions into classical frameworks opened doors for new generations of Black and Brown composers. Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ pianist Orli Shaham collaborates with members of the Pacific Symphony on her latest chamber music recording: ‘American Tapestry.’ Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

However you measure the beginning of summer (Memorial Day weekend? June 1? The solstice?), one thing’s certain: summer is now officially underway. Steve Seel features contemporary classical sounds for summer on this episode of Extra Eclectic, including Jonathan Bailey Holland’s Halcyon Sun, Peteris Vasks’ Music for a Summer Evening, and the late Michael Tilson Thomas’ Sunset Soliloquy. In the second hour, it’s works specifically for a summer night, including pieces by Elena Ruehr, Aaron Jay Kernis and others. Listen now!

Playlist

Midsummer Song
Composer: Arturs Maskats
Conductor: Maris Sirmais
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kamer Choir
Soloists: Rihards Zalupe, percussion
Quartz 2065

Music for a Summer Evening
Composer: Peteris Vasks
Soloists: Ieva Jokubaviciute, piano
Dorian 92251

Upon Further Reflection: Sunset Soliloquy
Composer: Michael Tilson Thomas
Soloists: John Wilson, piano
Pentatone 7355

Halcyon Sun
Composer: Jonathan Bailey Holland
Conductor: Paavo Jarvi
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
CSOM 945

Akhnaten: Hymn to the Sun
Composer: Philip Glass
Conductor: Jonathan Cohen
Orchestra/Ensemble: The King’s Violins
Soloists: Anthony Roth Costanzo, countertenor
London/Decca 28648

String Quartet No. 10 “Long Pond”: Moonrise
Composer: Elena Ruehr
Orchestra/Ensemble: Quartet ES
Avie 2798

Sandhiprakash
Composer: Reena Esmail
Soloists: Yolanda Kondonassis, harp
Azica 71392

Horizon: True Horizon
Composer: John Luther Adams
Conductor: Richard Tognetti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Australian Chamber Orchestra
Cold Blue 71

Moonlight Sonata: Adagio
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Soloists: Maya Beiser, cello
Islandia 1

Musica Celestis
Composer: Aaron Jay Kernis
Conductor: Eiji Oue
Orchestra/Ensemble: Minnesota Orchestra
Virgin 45464

Pride Month is a wonderful time to celebrate our unique identities and to reflect on how pride and authenticity show up in our lives. We asked classical musicians in the LGBTQIA community about their thoughts on Pride. The answers we got were incredibly diverse and thought-provoking. For some, Pride means dignity, the opposite of shame; for others, it means surviving despite the odds. All the artists we spoke to said authenticity and identity directly connected to their musicmaking. Explore this special series, Proud to Be — listen to the one-hour special above with host Kevin O’Connor and the extensive individual segments below — and help us celebrate the lives and accomplishments of LGBTQIA+ artists in classical music.

Programming is supported by Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

Craig Hella Johnson (he/him/his), conductor/composer

Craig Hella Johnson is the founding artistic director of Conspirare, a Grammy-award-winning vocal ensemble based in Austin, Texas. As a composer and arranger of choral music, he blends together music and poetry, as well as sacred and secular styles. His 2016 oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard, is a contemplation on compassion and understanding in response to the 1998 murder of gay college student Mathew Shepard; the oratorio has been performed by hundreds of choirs around the world. Johnson feels deep gratitude for the creative and musical gifts he says he’s received from being gay and from coming to know himself: “It’s been one of my greatest teachers to be on this journey, and it’s opened so many parts of my mind and my heart. I don’t know if they'd have been opened in this way had I not had this unique wiring as a gay man.”

Clarice Assad (she/her/hers), composer/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist

Born and raised in a musical family in Brazil, Clarice Assad’s music abounds with creativity, color, and experimentation across genres. As a firm believer in play and life-long learning, she holds long-term positions as Composer-Educator in Residence with both the Allentown Symphony Orchestra and the Albany Symphony. Recent commissions include “Total Eclipse,” a concerto for pianist Lara Downes and ROCO, and “The Evolution of AI” for a consortium of orchestras. Assad says growing up queer in Brazil in the 1980s and ‘90s was incredibly challenging, but she found a warm and welcoming community in music and theater: “It was liberating. That made you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin, and that is what I needed as a young person. Those two worlds were the safe havens for me. They still are.”

Andrew Yee (she/they) cellist/composer

Cellist and composer Andrew Yee is a founding member of the Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet and is also an avid soloist and chamber musician. As a curator and creator, her solo project “Halfie” draws on her experience as a biracial trans woman. Yee is also a co-founder of ChamberQueer, a New York-based chamber music collective. As a composer, they’ve written for film and television, including the BBC show We Might Regret This and Wu Tsang’s Moby Dick. In 2024, her quartet “Something Golden” won the Best Commission/New Work of the Year award from Chamber Music America. Yee says for them, pride goes beyond a personal feeling: “On one hand it’s about being able to lift myself up enough to exist in the world as trans, but also it’s a way of bolstering the queer community so that we all have the strength to show up for each other.”

Blake Pouliot (he/him/his), violinist

Blake Pouliot takes great pride in his work and growth as a young professional violinist. Equally excited about chamber music and solo performance, he’s performed with orchestras around the world, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Houston Symphony, and the London Philharmonic. In 2017, Pouliot was a Young Artist in Residence on APM’s Performance Today. Pouliot says music gives him the tools to analyze and understand his emotions: “Music’s almost like the formula in order to help me fix the equation. It doesn’t give me the answer and it doesn’t create the problem, but it does allow access to finding a solution at least.”

Jimmy López (he/him/his) composer/conductor

Jimmy López’s compositions are strongly influenced by his experience as a global citizen. He grew up in Lima, Peru, and moved to Helsinki, Finland, to study at the Sibelius Academy before putting down roots in California. His music reflects issues of our time, from a symphony about space to an oratorio about Dreamers. In 2023, López’s orchestral work, Loud, received its premiere in San Francisco by the International Pride Orchestra. López says music has been a life force for him through many difficult times, and he values music’s capacity to appeal to our feelings: “The most important thing for me is to always appeal to people’s feelings and to create empathy … If we’re able to connect with that humanity of ours, I think we’ll have a better chance of communicating.”

Meg Rohrer (they/she), violinist and violist

Based in Detroit, Meg Rohrer is a violinist and violist with interests ranging from nature-based music to improvisation and experimental music. They’re a member of contemporary chamber ensemble Hub New Music and Virago, a quartet that explores liminal spaces of improvisation, deep listening and inter-arts collaborations. Rohrer finds alignment between creating experimental chamber music and thriving as a queer, nonbinary person. “Queerness is an existence in which you’re making your own scripts as you move through the world and finding things that truly work for you and resonate,” they say. “Pride means embracing that process, digging in and finding that way of moving that aligns.”

Brandon Patrick George (he/him/his), flutist

Brandon Patrick George is a Grammy winning chamber musician, flute soloist and member of Imani Winds. He serves on the flute faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. He is also a mentor of young musicians of color embarking on performance careers. George greatly appreciates the support and unconditional acceptance of his fellow members in Imani Winds. He says, “Being accepted for who I am and being able to live my truth in my personal life allows me to give my best performance because I feel really supported by my colleagues.”

Thomas Søndergård (he/him/his), conductor

Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård is the music director of the Minnesota Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. His previous appointments include principal conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. In January of 2022, he was decorated with a Royal Order of Chivalry, The Order of Dannebrog by Her Majesty Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark. Søndergård believes Pride is not just for young people or for people within the community, but for allies of all ages. He urges families to embrace their queer family members with an open heart and more open language. “I really think it’s very important to [involve] the parents,” he says. “For them to also act differently and try to embrace the young people with different ways of talking about who your partner will be, because there’s a lot of expectation in the way we phrase these questions to our kids.”

Jonathan Biss (he/him/his), pianist and author

Pianist and writer Jonathan Biss is an internationally renowned soloist and chamber musician, especially praised for his interpretation of Beethoven’s works. He recently created a project pairing solo works by Schubert with new commissions. Biss was not open about his sexuality for many years, but after he came out, he felt a huge burden lift off his shoulders. “Pride means embracing the totality of who I am, being happy about it and wanting to share it with the world,” he says. “Feeling that there’s no part of me that needs to be protected from view has been the greatest gift to my life, and it’s made music making just feel bigger and more generous and wonderful.” Biss says living authentically is important as an artist because it allows him to access all parts of himself. “Finding the courage to live that authentic life is the best and most important thing you could ever do for yourself, and I know that’s a really difficult, big ask for a lot of people depending on what circumstances you’re living in. But there is a world out there—a community out there—that will embrace you.”

Seth Parker Woods (he/him/his), cellist and innovator

For cellist and innovator Seth Parker Woods, Pride is, “Being comfortable in my body, existing in multiple spaces and trying to show up as wholly and fully as myself.” Woods actively chooses to perform works that push classical norms, tell stories that have long been untold, and put his identity—especially his queerness—on full display. His Grammy nominated autobiographical project Difficult Grace includes bold expressions of queerness, sexuality, race and identity. In addition to his celebrated solo work, Woods collaborates with Hilary Hahn, the American Modern Opera Company and Chamber Music Detroit. His latest project with the ensemble Wild Up celebrates the work of pioneering gay composer Julius Eastman.

Michael Abels (he/him/his), composer

Pulitzer Prize-winning and Emmy- and Grammy-nominated composer Michael Abels is perhaps best known for his film scores. He has won various awards for his work with director and actor Jordan Peele, and his scores have been nominated for critics awards, shortlisted for the Oscars and named “Score of the Decade” by the Wrap. He also composes classical works and has worked alongside musicians and ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, Hilary Hahn, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Rhiannon Giddens. He also is a co-founder of the Composers Diversity Collective, an advocacy group whose goal is to increase the visibility of composers of color in film, gaming and streaming media. “Pride means courage,” he says. “To risk that judgement and live powerfully in that freedom takes courage.”

Sharon Isbin (she/her/hers), guitarist

Born in Minneapolis, multiple Grammy- and award-winner Sharon Isbin was named the 2020 Musical America Worldwide Instrumentalist of the Year, the first guitarist to receive the coveted honor in its 59-year history. Having appeared as a soloist with more than 200 orchestras and performed in sold-out performances across the globe, Isbin has been described as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time.” She also was the founder of the Juilliard School’s guitar department in 1989. Boasting a catalog of more than 35 albums and a one-hour documentary on American Public Television, she also is an active chamber musician and has been acclaimed for expanding the guitar repertoire through the premiere and commissioning of pieces by new or rarely performed composers. “Pride to me means celebrating the freedom to live and love in an open and nurturing environment,” she says, “It means encouraging diversity, individuality and creativity.”

Jonathan Howard (he/him/his), bass

Having grown up in London, England, bass vocalist Jonathan Howard became a member of the Grammy and awards-winning vocal ensemble the King’s Singers in 2010. Now in his second decade with the group, he says he has found joy in slowing down and enjoying life at a more leisurely pace compared with his busy years as a student at New College, Oxford. “For me, Pride means that I’m able to live my life without having to think about things which don’t matter,” he says. “It’s an ability to live fully and unapologetically, and without unwanted interruption, so I can be my best self.”

Emmanuel Ceysson (he/him/his), harpist

French harpist Emmanuel Ceysson holds the post of principal harp of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and tours as an international soloist and recitalist. He was previously principal harp of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Paris Opera. He also teaches harp at the Mannes School of Music and is a visiting professor at the Helsinki Sibelius Academy. In his performances, he challenges the cliches often associated with the harp and pushes his instrument into thrilling new territory. “I consider myself as a human being with a lot of facets to myself,” he says. “Of course, there is the gay man, but there is also the musician. … And so I express different parts of my life experience through music.”

Jennifer Higdon (she/her/hers), composer

Pulitzer Prize- and three-time Grammy-winner Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most frequently performed living composers. In 2022, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the highest recognition of artistic merit in the United States. She publishes all her music under her own publishing imprint, Lawdon Press, which she runs with Cheryl Lawson, her spouse of more than 40 years. She describes her relationship with Lawson as “absolutely everything.” She also stresses how valuable it is to live as an out lesbian: “For people who are younger who are not so sure about how visible they can be, I think it’s important for all of us who are out … to show that, yes, it can be a safe way to live, but also it’s important to be able to be yourself.”

Mari Esabel Valverde (she/her/hers), composer/singer

Mari Esabel Valverde is a transgender Mexican-American composer and singer who lives in Minnesota. She has been commissioned by organizations that include the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the American Choral Directors Association, the Seattle Men’s and Women’s Choruses, and Cantus. In 2016, she was the featured composer at the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses Festival, where her work, Our Phoenix, was premièred by six collective ensembles from the United States and Canada. She also sings in multiple professional ensembles, and she has built a reputation as an educator and translator. For her, Pride is much more than a celebration in June: “For trans people, there is a concern for our survival and a feeling that we do not belong in public. And Pride is basically an attitude to reform that narrative. We do belong, indeed. We belong in spite of the odds.”

Conrad Tao (he/him/his), pianist/composer

Conrad Tao is known worldwide for his dynamic performances and imaginative compositions. He performs as a soloist as well as part of the Junction Trio. He is the recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, was named a Gilmore Young Artist in 2012 and won eight consecutive ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards. His first large-scale orchestral work, Everything Must Go, was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in the 2018-19 season. His Violin Concerto, written for violinist Stefan Jackiw, premiered in 2021 with the Atlanta Symphony. Living authentically feels like “a resonance in my gut and a softening in my heart,” he says. “Being authentic means living fully, truly. It means sitting with your own complexity and knowing yourself.”

Davóne Tines (he/him/his), bass-baritone/creator

As a Black, gay, classically trained performer, bass-baritone Davóne Tines blends many art forms and aesthetics to tell stories that resonate with humanity. “Pride means engaging in my own identity … in an ongoing process…,” he says. “I think it’s really wonderful when we have the opportunity to be intentional about self-reflection. … Professionally, this whole idea of continuing to excavate my own identity [and] then allowing that to feature in my work in a pretty direct way is what Pride means to me.” He played the title role in the Detroit Opera revival of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, by Anthony Davis. Other ongoing projects include exploring the works of Julius Eastman; Everything Rises, a multimedia collaboration exploring racial identity and classical music with violinist Jennifer Koh; and Mass, a recital program about the liturgical mass in various traditions. He was named Musical America’s 2022 vocalist of the year and was a winner of the 2020 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, which recognizes extraordinary classical musicians of color.

Sara Davis Buechner (she/her/hers), pianist

Sara Davis Buechner is a pianist and professor of music at Temple University. Assigned male at birth, Buechner won several international competitions and built a strong career before coming out as transgender in the late 1990s. In 1998, she made her “second debut,” under the name Sara Davis Buechner. “I had no choice,” she says. “If I wanted to keep playing the piano for people, I had to stand on the stage and be who I was in all my integrity and all my dignity … and make no more apologies.” Although she faced discrimination early on, she has relaunched her career and regularly performs in Canada, Japan and the United States. She recently premiered an autobiographical theater show, Of Pigs and Pianos, detailing her journey through music and life as a transgender woman. “Pride is authenticity,” she says, “and when you are authentic, you can communicate with people on the highest plane.”

Mark Adamo (he/him/his), composer/librettist

Composer and librettist Mark Adamo is best known for his work as an opera composer, although he has spent the past decade composing chamber and symphonic works, too. In the early 1990s, he volunteered in an ad hoc hospice for people with AIDS. His 1994 work Late Victorians addresses the AIDS crisis. In 2021, the Santa Fe Opera gave the world premiere of The Lord of Cries; he wrote the libretto to a score composed by his spouse, John Corigliano. His Cello Concerto, Last Year, also received its world premiere in 2021. He says, “I think now, as our understanding of sexuality has broadened and deepened, Pride can not only define one set of communities but also build bridges to others … Pride can help all of us interpret who we are and who we can be.”

Ahmed Alabaca (they/them/theirs), composer/conductor

Ahmed Alabaca is a Black nonbinary composer and conductor born and raised in San Bernardino, California. They compose orchestral works, as well as music for the stage and film. In May 2022, the Florida Orchestra premiered their work, “Ode to Liberty.” They also serve as music director of the South Loop Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra based in Chicago. Early on in their life, they turned to music as a refuge of peace and hope; their compositions often follow this theme. They say, “I remember all the folks being themselves who have made sacrifices so that I can even say that I’m nonbinary — strong people out here in our history and our present day that are doing it. … And that helps me fight through the anxiety and fight through the fear. I have a lot of friends that are composers that are also nonbinary, trans and queer. And I see them, and I’m like, ‘Wow! Oh, I can do it, too!’”

Stephen Hough (he/him/his), pianist/composer

Stephen Hough is a pianist, composer and author. His performance career includes more than 70 recordings, 29 appearances at the BBC Proms, and concerts with top orchestras around the world. In addition to the frequent articles he contributes to news publications, he has published a novel, a book of essays, and a memoir. He also has composed many works, including pieces commissioned by Westminster Abbey, Wigmore Hall and the Berlin Philharmonic. In 2022, Hough was knighted for his extraordinary contributions to cultural life. He recalls a time when being out was not safe and is incredibly grateful for the advances in LGBT rights. “We should never take something like this for granted,” he says. “The fact that I can walk onto the public street and I can marry and can be open about this is an incredible gift.”

Right after Jon Batiste won the Grammy for album of the year in 2022, he spent three weeks sleeping in a hospital couch as his wife, Suleika Jaouad, received a bone marrow transplant for Lukemia. Now, the couple recounts the ups and down of their recent years through the Netflix documentary, ‘American Symphony.’ Find out more in the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ violinist Ariana Kim sews an ‘(un)common thread,’ connecting a collage of composers through the art of improvisation, on her latest album. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!

It’s been 50 years since Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “the Global Village,” and today, we’re seeing it more than ever, even in classical music. On this episode of Extra Eclectic, Steve Seel brings us examples of composers and performers reaching across cultural lines in their works, including Terry Riley’s The Cusp of Magic, Dan Visconti’s Native Tongues and an original piece by oud player Issam Rafea and pipa virtuoso Gao Hong.

Playlist

Bond of the Beloved
Composer: Layale Chaker
Soloists: Jennifer Koh, violin

Native Tongues
Composer: Dan Visconti
Orchestra/Ensemble: Fifth House Ensemble
Soloists: Yael Badash, vocals
Cedille 164

Walking the Distance
Composer: Issam Rafea/Gao Hong
Soloists: Issam Rafea, oud
Innova 997

Clarinet Concerto
Composer: Malek Jandali
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Orchestra/Ensemble: Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra
Soloists: Anthony McGill, clarinet
Cedille 220

On Anxiety
Composer: Fuse & Kinan Azmeh
Orchestra/Ensemble: Fuse
Fusemusic 2024

Beijing Harmony
Composer: Michael Gordon
Conductor: Pablo Rus Broseta
Orchestra/Ensemble: Seattle Symphony
Cantaloupe 21141

The Cusp of Magic: Royal Wedding
Composer: Terry Riley
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kronos Quartet
Soloists: Wu Man, pipa
Nonesuch 360508

Kaylvi
Composer: Asha Srinivasan
Orchestra/Ensemble: Pan Pacific Ensemble
Albany 1772

Wild Grass on the Riverbank
Composer: Chad Cannon
Conductor: Yuga Cohler
Orchestra/Ensemble: Asia/America New Music Institute Los Angeles Ensemble
Soloists: Davone Tines, bass-baritone
Delos 3555

Beloved (Wa Habibi)
Composer: Traditional
Orchestra/Ensemble: Kronos Quartet
Nonesuch 518349

Gaia Daniel of Minneapolis is the winner of the 2026 Karin Larson YourClassical Prize in the Emerging Artist category. Her entry featuring her piano performance of "Dreaming" and "Fireflies" from Four Sketches opus 15 by Amy Beach was chosen by YourClassical listeners as the submission that best celebrated women in classical music. Daniel receives a cash prize and a recording session in MPR’s renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio.

Gaia Daniel’s winning Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, Emerging Artist category, entry

Share your story of why you selected your piece and how it celebrates women in classical music.

I chose a piece by Amy Beach because I admire how she overcame tremendous hurdles in the male-dominated world of classical music. Throughout her life, her parents disapproved of a performing career and her husband banned her from playing in public more than once or twice a year. So, instead she turned to composition, where she was free to express herself. Performing this piece for a wide-reaching audience on the radio would be empowering for me as a woman because Beach was rarely able to perform her compositions under her confinement. By bringing this piece to light, I hope to encourage others to explore Beach's works and support female composers, past and present.

"Dreaming" holds a special place in my heart, as its sorrow and longing in this piece perhaps reflects the social and musical isolation Beach was subject to. I love how Beach creates a haunting melody with complex harmonies even though most of what she learned about music theory she taught herself from studying scores. "Fireflies," in contrast, demands virtuosity, and the light and fluttery yet brilliant atmosphere hints at the joy and optimism she found in composition. The brilliance of this piece is especially impressive considering her minimal formal piano instruction. Beach persevered, though, and her works still resonate despite having to face more obstacles than men to gain the same recognition. She was instrumental in supporting her fellow female musicians, such as co-founding and serving as the first president of the Society of American Women Composers.

Tell us what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

Both my mom and my grandma are classical musicians, but had to put their career aside for family. Like Amy Beach, they faced obstacles in their performing careers. Yet, they have supported me on my musical journey so much and are a big part of the reason I am where I am today. Winning this prize and getting formal recognition would support me continuing the lineage of female classical musicians in my family. Doing so by playing a woman composer I admire celebrates not only my family's heritage but helps elevate women composers out of obscurity.

The prize money would also support my growth as a performing artist by helping cover the cost of classes and enabling me to attend prestigious music festivals and international music competitions, where I get to perform on major stages and get masterclasses from groundbreaking, world-class artists who inspire and encourage me to continue my journey. By meeting these artists, I get the chance to experience what a professional performing career can look like, something musicians like Amy Beach didn't have the chance to until her husband died. Because many women in the past didn't have the means or support necessary to take part in these kinds of events, it would be especially meaningful to take part in them as a woman myself.

Tina O'Malley of New Brighton, Minnesota, is the winner of the 2026 Karin Larson YourClassical Prize in the Preprofessional Musician category.

Her entry featuring her soprano performance of "When I was a Little Girl" from Kamala Sankaram's chamber opera A.E. Reverie was chosen by YourClassical listeners as the submission that best celebrated women in classical music. O'Malley receives a cash prize and a recording session in MPR’s renowned Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio.

Tina O’Malley’s winning Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, Preprofessional Musician category, entry

Share your story of why you selected your piece and how it celebrates women in classical music.

This piece, excerpted from the one-woman chamber opera A.E. Reverie by Kamala Sankaram, celebrates living women artists who are telling distinctly women-centered stories. Ms. Sankaram is a woman of color who is a member of MN Opera's New Works Initiative Cohort and whose new opera is opening MN Opera's upcoming season. A.E. Reverie is about a young woman who reveres Amelia Earhart and covets the freedom that Ms. Earhart experiences flying around the world, seemingly unrestrained by the same rigid gender norms imposed upon herself and other women in 1929 in the U.S. She feels different from other girls and misunderstood by her family and friends. I performed this piece this past fall and upon my conversations with the director, librettist, and composer, I concluded that this character is queer-coded and celebrates the many facets of gender expression before having the language to express her identity. This entire piece is a celebration of women throughout history who so desperately wanted a voice or tried hard to exercise their voice but felt powerless and unheard. I recognize these queer women of the past with such love and pride as their struggles heralded a time when more women are able to be their authentic selves and have the freedom to pursue the life that they desire for themselves. This queer girl is forever grateful to the bravery of those women who paved the way, and I find such joy in celebrating the legacy of these women onstage through song.

Tell us what winning the prize would mean to you personally.

This past year has been hard. While I have made more progress than ever before, both technically and professionally, challenges in my personal life have begun to hinder my professional success. My disabled brother has been hospitalized on a ventilator since August, and until then, I never would have imagined taking an emergency flight home from a summer opera program in Berlin hoping to make it home in time to say goodbye to my big brother. He miraculously survived, defying the odds, but his health continues to deteriorate. I have poured my entire heart into every single performance this season because every moment spent pursuing this wild career as a classical musician comes with massive sacrifice, but at the core of my artistry is the people I love. Winning this prize would mean that despite this difficult time, I can continue to do what I was put on this earth to do, fund projects in my community and beyond highlighting works of living women composers, and have a financial security net to be able to live close to my brother and help care for him while also having the necessary funds for audition trips to NYC. This is the first major time in my career that I have had to step back, reassess what is most important to me in life and determine how to find balance. I'm feeling a bit lost right now, but it has always been my beloved art form that shows me the way forward.

Karin (CARE-in) Larson was an extraordinary friend to Minnesota Public Radio who died in 2021 at 82. Her generosity fueled the growth of our classical programming and helped our music education initiatives reach more than a quarter-million children. The Karin Larson YourClassical Prize was established in her memory to honor her love of young people and her dedication to women in classical music. Find out more

Remembering Karin Larson

As we prepare for the third edition of the Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, listen as members of the Larson family remember Karin and her love for classical music and uplifting young artists.

Jeff Larson:

Amanda Forsyth:

Herbie Hancock helped rewrite post-bop language and reimagined the rhythm section as a conversational engine. But his musical imagination wouldn’t stop at jazz. He has continued composing for film and the concert hall alike. Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ pianist Jan Lisiecki presents two piano concerti by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his latest recording with conductor Manfred Honeck and the Bamberg Symphony. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!