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Scott Simon

Scott Simon speaks with composer Danny Elfman about his latest music projects, which include an album, a long-awaited performance at the Coachella festival, and classical music concertos.


Brian Averill

Composer Danny Elfman is delivering an album, a Coachella performance and concertos

The Top 10 female stars of the Golden Age according to The American Film Institute.

Top Ten Classic Women Actors

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

The American Film Institute’s top picks of great female actors. Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe and more.


Top Ten Women Actors of the AFI

Terry Gross

Williams, who died in March 2022 at 73, was a dazzling player and a favorite at Fresh Air. We'll listen back to her 1997 performance and interview. 


Jimmy and Deana Katz

Remembering jazz pianist and composer Jessica Williams

Brian Mann

At Christmas, they performed The Nutcracker. As Easter approaches, they and their mom are among millions who've been scattered by violence, separated from their old lives, facing an uncertain future.


Brian Mann/NPR

Young ballerinas from Kharkiv are now among millions displaced by Ukraine's war

Megan Lim

Patrick Jarenwattananon

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra was just a community orchestra in 1957 when pharmacist Bernard "Billy" Miller was asked to play the triangle. It's grown over the decades to be a professional orchestra.


Provided

After 65 years, percussionist finally says farewell to Bangor Symphony Orchestra

Tom Vitale

Chick Corea loved to collaborate. His former bandmates are honoring his memory with two star-studded concerts.


Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

How the late jazz great Chick Corea is being remembered — in concert

Camilo Garzón

Alex Ariff

Jazz Night profiles drummer, composer, educator, & 2022 NEA Jazz Master Billy Hart. Hear stories from his upbringing, words from his mentees, & a performance from Hart's quartet live at Dizzy's Club.


Jonathan Chimene

Jabali, Drummer Billy Hart – Master Teacher, Forever Student, and NEA Jazz Master

Hope Springs Eternal

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

A rhapsody on themes of spring, peace, birds and more awaits on this week’s episode of Extra Eclectic, with host Steve Seel.


Annie Spratt / Unsplash

Hope springs eternal

New Classical Tracks - The Claremont Trio (Extended)

New Classical Tracks - The Claremont Trio

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

In this week’s New Classical Tracks, violinist Emily Bruskin of the Claremont Trio shares how much fun the musicians had celebrating 20 years of music making with their new album, ‘Queen of Hearts.’ 


Courtesy of artist

Claremont Trio celebrates 20 years of music making

Classical FeatureDominic Argento: “You promised me, my dearest life” from I HATE AND I LOVE and “The Pond” from WALDEN POND.

Dale Warland - Dominic Argento

Morten Lauridsen: “O Magnum Mysterium”  

Dale Warland - Morten Lauridsen

Samuel Barber: “Mary Hynes” and “The Coolin” from  REINCARNATIONS

Dale Warland - Samuel Barber

Stephen Paulus: “Pilgrim’s Hymn” from THE THREE HERMITS

Dale Warland - Stephen Paulus

Herbert Howells: ”Requiem I” and “Requiem II” from REQUIEM  American Choral Catalogue (ACC) 120

Dale Warland - Herbert Howells

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

Happy 90th birthday to choral legend Dale Warland! In the 34-year existence of his Dale Warland Singers, he and the ensemble commissioned 270 works and released 29 recordings. Listen now as he introduces some of his favorite performances.


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