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Saturday Cinema - May 11, 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

On the latest episode of ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel celebrates moms, grandmas and mother figures — human and otherwise — with music from ‘Steel Magnolias,’ ‘Forrest Gump,’ ‘Dumbo’ and more. Listen now!


Saturday Cinema

Mother's Day at the movies

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

Rhapsody in Black Billie Holiday Strange Fruit

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

Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit' is an unforgettable and mesmerizing classic that speaks to racial violence and anti-lynching legislation.  Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast. 


Rhapsody in Black Ella Fitzgerald Strange Fruit

Billie Holiday performs in New York, Feb. 1947

Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra - Strange Fruit (Audio)

Rhapsody in Black

William P. Gottlieb Collection / U.S. Library of Congress

Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit' speaks to us about racial violence

Extra Eclectic - May 8, 2024

The Oxford Dictionary defines “gallimaufry” as “a confused jumble or medley of things.” It’s that kind of grab-bag of selections we enjoy on the latest episode of ‘Extra Eclectic,’ with works from Ying-Hsueh Chen, Juri Reinvere and Rob Deemer. Listen now with host Steve Seel!


Extra Eclectic

Provided

Miscellany, hodgepodge or mishmash?

New Classical Tracks (extended interview) - Jonathan Tetelman

New Classical Tracks -Jonathan Tetelman

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,’ tenor Jonathan Tetelman pays tribute to Giacomo Puccini, whose 100th death anniversary falls in 2024. Find out more!


Tenor Jonathan Tetelman at a stone staircase

Puccini: Turandot, SC 91: Nessun dorma

New Classical Tracks® 

Tenor Jonathan Tetelman pays tribute to Puccini on latest album

Listen to the Story

Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon talks with composer Jeff Beal about his new collection of solo piano works, "The New York Etudes," and about living and working with multiple sclerosis.


Jeff Beal's new collection of solo piano work speaks to living with multiple sclerosis

Saturday Cinema - May 4, 2024

On the latest episode of ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel features an overview of the all-time greatest films as tallied by the American Film Institute and the British Film Institute. Selections include ‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Citizen Kane.’ Listen now! 


AFI and BFI's best of the best

Friday Favorites - April 26, 2024

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

Spencer LaMott — known to his fans as Skippy Stone — is a gifted singer and songwriter. He lives to make music, creating songs about self-discovery and, of course, love. Spencer brought all his talents to co-hosting the latest ‘Friday Favorites’ with Steve Staruch. Listen now! 


Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites: Listener requests and Project DJ co-host Spencer LaMott

Extra Eclectic - May 1, 2024

The first day of May is considered the first day of summer in Celtic tradition. Whether you’re giving thanks for spring or summer, there’s little doubt that things are greening outside — and we celebrate that on this episode of ‘Extra Eclectic,’ with host Steve Seel. Listen now!


A woman with short blonde hair in a grey t-shirt.

May Day music

Folk Classics Across the Globe

Ines Guanchez is an associate digital producer for classical. An accomplished pianist, she founded Dúo Ávila with fellow Venezuelan violinist Sofia Schutte. The ensemble focuses on music by composers outside of the classical canon and has performed in venues in Minnesota and Costa Rica. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with master’s degrees in mass communications and piano performance. She previously interned for Minnesota Public Radio in 2018.


Ines Guanchez

Host Ines Guanchez explores classical pieces inspired by folk music from composers and cultures that have often existed on the fringes of the classical canon, including three world premieres recorded at MPR’s headquarters. Listen now to ‘Folk Classics Across the Globe.’


Classical Feature: folk-classics-across-the-globe

'Folk Classics Across the Globe'

Cantus and Canadian Brass

Steve Seel is the host of YourClassical’s weekly SymphonyCast and the trailblazing music show Extra Eclectic. He possesses a broad knowledge of many musical genres, having hosted radio programs ranging from classical to jazz and even avant-garde music at radio stations around the country. Steve began his love affair with public radio at 24 working whatever shifts he could at his hometown station of WUSF-FM in Tampa, Florida, and from there worked his way to snowy Buffalo, New York, and its renowned classical station WNED-FM, where he hosted middays and the weekly experimental-music show Present Tense.  In 2005, Steve became one of the founding voices on Minnesota Public Radio's eclectic station, the Current. While there, he hosted afternoons and mornings, and conducted in-depth interviews with pop music luminaries ranging from Brian Eno to David Byrne to Tori Amos. Steve is a basement composer obsessed with all things both minimalist and slow, and might actually be incapable of writing anything that exceeds 75 beats-per-minute.


Steve Seel

When Cantus and Canadian Brass got together for a one-off show this past February, they delighted the audience at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Steve Seel hosts this special two-hour concert event featuring folk music, classical standards, tangos, spirituals and more! Listen now.


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