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Friday Favorites - Jan. 17, 2025

Steve Staruch can be heard on Classical Minnesota Public Radio on Monday mornings and at other times during the week. 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, New York. 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

An early St Patrick’s Day? Irish music was featured prominently on the latest episode of ‘Friday Favorites.’ It was music to chase the cold away. Listen now with host Steve Staruch!


Theme & Variations

James Napoli/APM

Friday Favorites: Listener requests for a chilly weekend

Can James McVinnie change your mind about the pipe organ?

Tom Huizenga

On his new album, the British keyboardist offers both engaging and entertaining contemporary works for the misunderstood instrument.





Graham Lacdao

Extra Eclectic - Jan. 15, 2025

This week’s episode of Extra Eclectic examines memory through music. Host Steve Seel features works by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Christopher Tignor, Meredith Monk and Steven Mackey’s ‘Mnemosyne’s Pool,’ honoring the Greek goddess of memory. Listen now!


Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen

Extra Eclectic

Andrew Eccles

An evocation of memories

The Magic of Joe Hisaishi, Part 1

The Magic of Joe Hisaishi, Part 2

For 40 years, Studio Ghibli’s world-class animated films have enchanted global audiences, including Joe Hisaishi’s unforgettable film scores. Join us as we celebrate the legacy (and 75th birthday) of this legendary composer with host Akshaj Turebylu. Listen now!


Listen to 'The Magic of Joe Hisaishi'

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): Jeannette Sorrell

New Classical Tracks - January 15, 2025

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 sharing behind-the-scenes stories about a new release each week. It airs locally at 7:15 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesdays and at 9 a.m. on Saturdays.


Julie Amacher

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ with host Julie Amacher, Jeannette Sorrell from Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra talks about the ensemble’s latest album inspired by J.S. Bach’s performances at Gottfried Zimmerman’s Coffeehouse. Listen now!


Members of the baroque orchestra, Apollo's Fire.

Telemann Don Quixote (excerpts) - Apollo's Fire, LIVE at Tanglewood

New Classical Tracks® 

Roger Mastroianni

Jeannette Sorrell and Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra bring Bach to the coffeehouse

Saturday Cinema - Jan. 11, 2025

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 shares music from films with big dance scenes and numbers, including ‘West Side Story,’ ‘La La Land,’ Astaire films and ‘An American in Paris.’ Listen now!


Saturday Cinema

Dance 'til you drop

Friday Favorites - Jan. 10, 2025

This week’s ‘Friday Favorites’ is an exploration of styles. From a gospel version of a chorus from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ to a piece that celebrates the sea and all its ferociousness, “eclectic” is ‘Friday Favorites’’ middle name! Listen now with host Steve Staruch!


Friday Favorites: Listener requests for mid-January

Extra Eclectic - Jan. 8, 2025

Steve Seel presents a unique installment on this week’s episode of ‘Extra Eclectic,’ with the help of YourClassical MPR Fellow (and anime enthusiast) Akshaj Turebylu: two hours of music from the world of anime. Listen now!


Aniplex USA

The music of anime

Saturday Cinema - Jan. 4, 2025

This week on ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel shares music from movies that give you a boost to start the New Year, including ‘E.T.,’ 'The Princess Bride,’ ‘Mary Poppins’ and more. Listen now!


Feel-good flicks

Friday Favorites - Jan. 3, 2025

The first Friday Favorites of 2025 was celebratory, eclectic, and fun! Here's to another great year of listener requests. Listen now with host Steve Staruch!


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