Saturday Cinema - March 8, 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, in celebration of International Women’s Day, host Lynne Warfel hightlights the accomplishments of women in film, including Greta Gerwig, Rachel Portman, Barbra Streisand and more. Listen now!


Women in film

Friday Favorites - March 7, 2025

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

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

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

Rhapsody in Black - 20250306

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

From the first performance of ‘Porgy and Bess,’ George Gershwin stipulated the opera had to feature an all-Black cast, not white performers in blackface. This benefitted Black opera singers, but their fear was being typecast. Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.


Shiel/Getty Images

'Porgy and Bess' paved the way for integration in opera

Extra Eclectic - March 5, 2025

This week on ‘Extra Eclectic,’ we kick off Women’s History Month with a celebration of how women composers are at the forefront of the present in classical music. Steve Seel brings us two hours of music from Missy Mazzoli, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Tania Leon and more. Listen now!


Hrafn Asgeirsson

Women composers define the moment

New Classical Tracks (Extended Interview) - Simone Dinnerstein

New Classical Tracks - Simone Dinnerstein

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

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ with host Julie Amacher, pianist Simone Dinnerstein combines Charles Ives’ ‘Concord Sonata’ with her father’s most famous painting to create her latest recording, ‘The Eye Is the First Circle.’ Listen now!


Provided

Simone Dinnerstein performs Ives through the lens of her father's art

Saturday Cinema - March 1, 2025

This week on ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel hightlights Welsh actors, filmmakers and more in celebration of St. David’s Day. Also, hear a special tribute to Gene Hackman in the second hour of the show. Listen now!


St. David's Day

YourClassical Storytime - 'Sivka Burka: The Magic Horse'

What happens when a foolish young man is gifted a magical horse with fantastical powers? Find out in 'Sivka-Burka: The Magic Horse' — the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, with narration by Inés Guanchez, illustrations by E.J. Thompson, and music by Aida Isakova and Nikolai Medtner.


E.J. Thompson for MPR.

'Sivka-Burka: The Magic Horse'

Friday Favorites - Feb. 28, 2025

The Project DJ co-host this week is Ben Shermock. He took his first voice lesson two years ago, and it changed the trajectory of his life. Hear Ben’s story — and your requests, too — on this week’s episode of ‘Friday Favorites.’ Listen now with host Steve Staruch!


Friday Favorites: Listener requests with Project DJ co-host Ben Shermock

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When William Dawson was 12, he ran away from home to study music at the Tuskeegee Institute. In 1930, he returned to his roots as director of the Tuskeegee School of Music, a post he held for 25 years. Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.


William Dawson's Tuskegee Institute legacy

Extra Eclectic - Feb. 26, 2025

This week’s episode of ‘Extra Eclectic’ showcases a host of modern classical works featuring instruments picked, plucked and strummed — including the guitar, harp, theorbo (a kind of giant bass lute) and more. Listen now with host Steve Seel!


Listen

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