Friday Favorites - May 16, 2025

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

Steve Staruch is joined by Tom Crann on the latest episode of ‘Friday Favorites,’ playing listeners’ requests for their favorite classical music. Listen now! 


James Napoli/APM

Friday Favorites: Listener requests with Steve Staruch and Tom Crann

Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of 'Annie' and 'Bye Bye Birdie,' has died at 96

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Jeff Lunden

The Broadway composer of Annie and Bye Bye Birdie died Thursday at 96.


Andy Kropa/Getty Images

Charles Strouse, Broadway composer of 'Annie' and 'Bye Bye Birdie,' dies at 96

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

Rhapsody in Black - March 23, 2023

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

Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis redefined the genre in subtle and caustic ways. While he had great success he was always restless for innovation.  Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast. 


Hulton Archive | Getty Images

Miles Davis reinvented the jazz scene 

Extra Eclectic - May 14, 2025

This week’s episode of ‘Extra Eclectic’ is a musical garden, with contemporary classical works about flowers, rain, and sun. Steve Seel plays us Yoko Kanno’s ‘Flowers Will Bloom,’ Takashi Yoshimatsu’s piano concerto ‘Memo Flora,’ Terry Riley’s ‘Sun Rings,’ Caroline Shaw’s ‘Let the Soil Play its Simple Part’ and much more. Listen now!


Yosuke Torii

Let our garden grow

Recorders, the woodwind music instruments, are on the decline in British classrooms

Ayesha Rascoe

A British music education organization reports that use of recorders are declining in the classroom. We wonder: Why were they there to start with? And why is "Hot Cross Buns" such a banger?


Photo by Sushmita Chatterjee on Unsplash

Kevin Olusola discusses his album 'Dawn of a Misfit'

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with music artist Kevin Olusola about his new album, "Dawn Of A Misfit," and his love for mixing it up with classical music.


Jeremychanphotography/Getty Images

Saturday Cinema - May 10, 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,’ join host Lynne Warfel for a celebration of movie moms and mother figures. Selections include music from ‘Steel Magnolias,’ ‘Little Women,’ ‘The Sound of Music’ and more. Listen now!


Mother's Day

Composer John Adams' opera 'Antony and Cleopatra' opens in New York

John Adams has been called America's greatest living composer. His adaptation of Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" opens at the Metropolitan Opera, in New York, next week.


David Ruano

Friday Favorites - May 9, 2025

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: Listener requests with guest host Steve Seel

Rhapsody in Black - Jessie Montgomery

On the latest episode of the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast, we learn about Jessie Montgomery, a composer, violinist and educator whose music helps her connect with the world. Listen now.


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