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Alex V. Cipolle​ is a senior arts reporter and critic, covering arts and culture for MPR News.  


Senior Arts Reporter and Critic

Alex V. Cipolle

The vote to authorize a strike came after the musicians’ union said the Minnesota Opera declined cost-of-living increases during contract negotiations.


Minnesota Opera Orchestra musicians vote to authorize strike weeks before season opener

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): María Dueñas

New Classical Tracks - 20261007

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

Violinist María Dueñas’ latest recording pays homage to Jascha Heifetz, one of the greatest violinists of all time, and reunites her with Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. Listen now with host Julie Amacher.


A portrait of a woman with long dark hair looking upward while holding a violin against a solid, muted pink background.

María Dueñas, Gustavo Dudamel - Lalo: Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21: I. Allegro non troppo

New Classical Tracks® 

Maria Dueñas and Gustavo Dudamel pay homage to Jascha Heifetz

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

Rhapsody in Black - Julius Eastman

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

Composer and pianist Julius Eastman’s personal philosophy was ‘to be what I am to the fullest.’ A graduate of the Curtis Institute, his music was highly acclaimed and challenged racist and homophobic stereotypes. Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.


Julius Eastman: Stay on It (1973)

Rhapsody in Black

Julius Eastman composed music that challenged oppressive stereotypes

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): Ariana Kim

New Classical Tracks - Ariana Kim

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ violinist Ariana Kim sews an ‘(un)common thread,’ connecting a collage of composers through the art of improvisation on her latest album. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!


New Classical Tracks (Extended Interview) - June 17, 2026

New Classical Tracks (Extended Interview) - Ariana Kim

Violinist Ariana Kim sits on a staircase with her violin

Migrating Home for Solo Violin and Looper Pedal

Violinist Ariana Kim sews an (un)common thread on latest album

Extra Eclectic - Sept. 28, 2026

As Steve Seel bids farewell to evenings on YourClassical for a new shift in the daylight hours, ‘Extra Eclectic’ completes its decade-long run with a playlist of some of his favorite 21st-century classical music discoveries of over the years. Listen now!


Extra Eclectic

A playlist for the road

There is nothing quite like opera: a full stage production where performers are asked to sing hours of music, in multiple languages, at the very top and bottom of their ranges, and all over a full orchestra. In this episode, Classically Training makes a trip to the Minnesota Opera to find out where this art form came from and how all the pieces come together.  

Classically Training, Episode 6 – What is opera?

Aerin O'Malley

In this episode, ‘Classically Training’ makes a trip to the Minnesota Opera to find out where this art form came from and how all the pieces come together. 


There is nothing quite like opera: a full stage production where performers are asked to sing hours of music, in multiple languages, at the very top and bottom of their ranges, and all over a full orchestra. In this episode, Classically Training makes a trip to the Minnesota Opera to find out where this art form came from and how all the pieces come together. 
 

Classically Training

Classically Training: What is opera?

2026 BBC Proms: Aug. 25, 10 a.m., Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1

The BBC Proms concerts return to YourClassical for the 2026 season. Enjoy live performances featuring world-class ensembles, conductors and soloists from the Royal Albert Hall in London. Listen at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays through Sept. 25 — plus on-demand audio for 30 days afterward.




A collage of musicians and musical instrument illustrations

Listen to the 2026 BBC Proms on YourClassical

The Minnesota Winds presents its first-ever season finale. Hosted by Tom Crann.

Minnesota Winds - Season Finale

Minnesota Winds takes the stage for an unforgettable season finale concert led by guest conductor Cynthia Johnston Turner and featuring a world premiere by Katherine Bergman. Listen to the concert now!


Minnesota Winds poster featuring two bassoonists 

Katherine Bergman and the Minnesota Winds 'Unfurl' together

Listen: Minnesota Winds presents an unforgettable finale concert for its first season

Seel replaces John Birge, who retired in August after nearly 30 years in the host chair


YourClassical MPR announces Steve Seel as next Morning Show host

Steve Seel is the morning host on YourClassical from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays, and host of YourClassical’s weekly SymphonyCast. Until the fall of 2026, he was also host of 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 Seel

Host Steve Seel shares a peek behind the curtain right before Extra Eclectic takes its final bow. Listen on Monday, Sept. 28, at 10 p.m. Central to hear the final episode.


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