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Historic German-language choir in Texas prepares for Christmas concert

Patrick Davis

The Austin, Texas, choir has been in operation since 1879. This year, NPR joined the choir as they prepped for their annual Christmas concert.


Provided

Alfred Reed: 'Russian Christmas Music' (Dallas Wind Symphony/Junkin)

Randy Salas is the senior digital producer of classical music for Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. He oversees all classical digital content, including the website, social media, videos, e-newsletters and podcasts.


Senior Digital Producer, Classical

Randy Salas

Alfred Reed's 'Russian Christmas Music' has become a majestic mainstay of the concert band repertoire since its debut in 1944. As the work marks its 80th anniversary, it's worth retelling how remarkable its world premiere was. Listen now to this timeless piece.


Dallas Wind Symphony/Junkin: Russian Christmas Music

Concert Band

Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images

Celebrating 80 years of 'Russian Christmas Music'

Saturday Cinema - Dec. 14, 2024

Lynne has been at this radio thing since 1984 when she fell into an historic job at KFAC AM and FM, the commercial classical station in Los Angeles.  She was the first woman staff announcer in the station's history, and it was such big news back then, it made the LA newspapers and national radio publications.  She is thrilled women in radio is no longer newsworthy.


Lynne Warfel

This week on ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel keeps the holiday spirit going with music from classic and newer films that celebrate the holidays, including ‘Elf,’ ‘White Christmas,’ ‘Babes in Toyland,’ ‘Klaus,’ ‘The Polar Express’ and ‘A Christmas Story.’ Listen now!


Saturday Cinema

More Hollywood Holiday

How Syria's 'musician of the revolution' feels after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime

Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Syrian-American composer Malek Jandali about the fall of the dictatorship in Syria and his hopes for his homeland's future.


Friday Favorites - Dec. 13, 2024

Steve Staruch can be heard on Classical Minnesota Public Radio from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays, including hosting Music with Minnesotans, Regional Spotlight and Friday Favorites. Prior to joining the staff of MPR in 2004, Steve presented a variety of radio programs on WCAL in Northfield, Minn., where he created an immensely popular call-in program, and on WXXI in Rochester, N.Y. Outside radio, Steve also enjoys work as a freelance tenor and violist. Steve and his wife, Naomi, enjoy traveling, gardening and hosting dinner parties.


Steve Staruch

Guest host Steve Seel fills in for Steve Staruch on the latest episode of ‘Friday Favorites,’ playing listeners’ requests for their favorite classical music. Listen now! 


Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites: Listener requests with guest host Steve Seel

Where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music, with host Vernon Neal.

Rhapsody in Black - RZA

Vernon Neal is the host of the podcast ‘Rhapsody in Black,’ where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music.


Host/Producer

Vernon Neal

Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known in the hip-hop world as RZA, is a founding member of the hip-hop collective Wu Tang Clan. Nowadays, he’s taking things a step further by writing a ballet. Find out more on the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.


Rhapsody in Black - 20241212

Rhapsody in Black

Amanda Tipton/Infamous PR

RZA’s 'Ballet Through the Mud'

Extra Eclectic - Dec. 11, 2024

As we get closer to the longest nights of the year, Steve Seel brings us some atmospheric modern works for clear, cold night skies on this week’s episode of ‘Extra Eclectic,’ including Michael Ippolito’s ‘Big Sky, Low Horizon,’ Elena Ruehr’s ‘Cloud Atlas’ and more. Listen now!


Extra Eclectic

Aynsley Floyd

Lights in a dark sky

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): Ray Chen

New Classical Tracks - Ray Chen

Julie Amacher's desire to introduce others to great music is what led her to radio. She began her professional broadcast career at a station in Sun Prairie, Wis. She went from rock 'n' roll to the Rocky Mountains, where she found her niche in public radio at KUNC in Greeley, Colo. Julie spent 13 years at KUNC, where she managed the announcers and their eclectic music format. During that time, she earned four national awards for best announcer. She joined Minnesota Public Radio in 1997 as an on-air host and also produces New Classical Tracks, a weekly podcast critiquing a new release each week. It airs locally at 7:15 a.m. Wednesdays and 5:15 p.m. Fridays.


Julie Amacher

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks’ with host Julie Amacher, violinist Ray Chen explores the immersive nature of video game music on his new album ‘Player 1,’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Listen now!


New Classical Tracks (Extended Interview) - Ray Chen

Main Theme (Arr. Skeet for Violin & Orchestra)

New Classical Tracks® 

Violinist Ray Chen blends the worlds of classical music and video games

In 'Beethoven Blues,' Jon Batiste reimagines classical compositions

Terry Gross

Batiste re-imagines Beethoven compositions in his new album. It's "not that the original wasn't great and transcendent..." he says. "But there's also a lot of things since then that have happened."


Netflix

Jon Batiste finds the Blues in Beethoven

Candles Burning Brightly

Mindy Ratner is a host and producer on the Classical Music Service of Minnesota Public Radio, where she is heard on weekends. She began her career in public broadcasting following her graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working first for the local public television station and then for Wisconsin Public Radio. She moved on to stations in Cincinnati and Philadelphia before joining Minnesota Public Radio in 1983. In 1998 and '99, Ratner took a leave of absence to work as a music host and producer for China Radio International in Beijing. Her spare time is devoted to international travel; folk, ballroom and contradancing; singing in the Minnesota Chorale; her two cats, and trying to stay ahead of the weeds in her garden.


Mindy Ratner

A new, delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Hosted by Mindy Ratner, ‘Candles Burning Brightly’ features lots of music from Jewish communities worldwide, a hilarious lesson on preparing a classic Hanukkah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home.


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