Classical Minnesota Stories

After a year of no performances, tenor David Portillo returned to the stage in the spring for Minnesota Opera’s production of Benjamin Britten’s ‘Albert Herring.’ Listen now to YourClassical MPR’s encore broadcast of this remarkable production.

Philip Brunelle, the founder and mastermind of VocalEssence, takes the bench Sunday at the Historic Heights Theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ to accompany ‘Safety Last,’ Harold Lloyd’s most famous film.

If you love music, there's one genre that's cool to hate: holiday music. 'Nutcrackers' are derided. 'Sleigh Ride' is harrumphed at. In the classical music world, conductors abandon Mozart and Mahler in favor of Santa hats and simple sing-a-longs. But this writer refuses to give in to the musical Scrooges. Here's why.

Edina’s Patricia Langer, 79, is being honored for a lifetime of distinguished piano teaching. Steinway & Sons recently inducted her into its Music Teacher Hall of Fame.

‘Guns n' Rosenkavalier’ is a zanily original show conceived by St. Paul-based baritone Andrew Wilkowske, combining the worlds of opera and rock music. It plays Saturday at the historic Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing.

The scholastic marching arts returned in a big way Saturday as the Youth in Music Championships hosted 33 of the top high school marching bands from Minnesota and beyond at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Relive the excitement and pageantry of the event through our huge photo gallery.

The prestigious U.K. classical music magazine Gramophone has selected the Minnesota Orchestra as its 2021 orchestra of the year. This win comes as part of the final season of music director Osmo Vänskä's 19-year tenure with the orchestra.

Two of Minnesota's biggest brands teamed up Sunday for an unlikely partnership. Just before kickoff of the Seattle Seahawks-Minnesota Vikings game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the Vikings unveiled a new video mashup featuring their players and the Minnesota Orchestra.

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra is responding to a recent reckoning in classical music by diversifying its programming with more music by underrepresented composers and composers of color. This weekend’s concerts — which you can hear live at 8 p.m. Saturday on YourClassical MPR — include pieces by 18th-century dynamo Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, and contemporary composer Valerie Coleman.

The Women's Drum Center in St. Paul was founded 32 years ago to challenge vigorously the long-standing assumption that percussion is intrinsically a male activity. Novices can try their hands at percussion in a series of free Drumming Test Drive events, starting Saturday, Sept. 11.