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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

Betsy Jolas’ “bTunes” is about how tech has radically changed music.


A pair of headphones against a black background.

Extra Eclectic

Frank Septillion/Unsplash

Technology continues to change music

New Classical Tracks - Claire Bryant (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Claire Bryant

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

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, cellist Clair Bryant talks about her work with incarcerated musicians who gave her the courage to release her debut album, ‘Whole Heart.’ 


Delta Sunrise by Jessica Meyer; film by Carleen Maur

New Classical Tracks® 

Courtesy of artist

Cellist Claire Bryant uses her voice to uplift incarcerated musicians

1939: A Year to Remember

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’s episode of Saturday Cinema, with host Lynne Warfel, explores what is still considered one of the greatest years in American film history with a look at the outstanding films of 1939 including ‘Stagecoach,’ ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ‘Wuthering Heights’ and more. Listen now!


Saturday Cinema

Turner Entertainment Co. and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

1939:  A Year to Remember

Listen to the Story

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Ifedayo Gatling of the Harlem Gospel Travelers, and the group's producer and mentor Eli "Paperboy" Reed, about their second album Look Up! which is out Friday.


Provided

Harlem Gospel Travelers' album has a '70s vibe but subject material is of this moment

Rob Schmitz

Since its founding over 1,000 years ago, this Catholic music school and song group in Regensburg, Germany, has been boys only. Until now.


Lena Mucha

Lena Mucha for NPR

Struggling with its past, Germany's 1,000-year-old choir admits girls for the 1st time

Chloe Veltman

One of the world's greatest living composers, John Adams, has a new opera, and the prompter keeps Anthony and Cleopatra from flying off the rails.


Chloe Veltman/NPR/Chloe Veltman/NPR

The hidden world of an opera prompter

Violinist and conductor Pekka Kuusisto is heard in two live recordings this week. 


Ronald Knapp

Pekka Kuusisto in concert

New Classical Tracks - Orli Shaham (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - Orli Shaham

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, pianist Orli Shaham continues her project of recording all of Mozart’s piano sonatas with her latest album, ‘Mozart: Piano Sonatas Vol. 2 & 3.’ 


Orli Shaham: Mozart K576 III, from Canary Classics Vol 2&3 Complete Mozart Sonatas

Aleks Karjaka

Pianist Orli Shaham continues her Mozart piano sonatas project

Terry Gross

Shires' album, Take it Like a Man, includes songs she wrote during a difficult period in her marriage to musician Jason Isbell. She sings and plays fiddle throughout this interview.


Amanda Shires - The Problem (feat. Jason Isbell) – Official Video ft. Jason Isbell

Michael Schmelling

Amanda Shires examines the fault lines in her marriage on her new album

Ines Guanchez is an assistant 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

Jeffrey Yelverton is a digital producer of classical music for Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. He supports the digital portfolio of MPR/APM by creating original content and providing production support for YourClassical Storytime, New Classical Tracks and various seasonal events.


Digital Producer, Classical

Jeffrey Yelverton

On Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor passed away at 96. She was the longest-serving British monarch in history and was a tremendous supporter of music in the United Kingdom during her reign. Here are nine classical music pieces to honor her memory and celebrate her life.


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