Click on Classical: A Composer Quest, a "House of Cards," and the resurrection of a legend

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Each Monday morning at 9:15, I join John Birge on Classical MPR to talk about stories we're featuring on our website. Here's what we'll be discussing today.

A new joint project by local film organization MNKINO and the podcast Composer Quest is pairing filmmakers and composers to create original short films inspired by the theme "quest." Created as an experiment in cross-pollination between the worlds of DIY movies and music, the exercise will culminate on August 14 when the films will be premiered — with scores performed by a live orchestra. Read Sheila Regan's report to learn more about this challenge, and what historic St. Paul venue will be the site of the films' premiere.

Garrett Tiedemann interviewed Jeff Beal, the composer who's written music for both — soon to be all three — seasons of the acclaimed Netflix drama House of Cards. Not only does Beal discuss the nuts and bolts of writing for this innovative series, he talks about how he's hoping to present House of Cards​ music on the concert stage in hopes of attracting new audiences to orchestral music. He also reveals how his House of Cards score has taken inspiration from Puccini's Madame Butterfly.

Fans of the BBC Proms — the summer concert series hosted at the Royal Albert Hall and elsewhere in London — will recognize, perhaps even venerate, the name of Sir Henry Wood, the Proms' founding conductor. A new application by BBC Music Magazine​ allows music fans to put themselves on the cover of the magazine, posing with a bust of Sir Henry. Click here to see some of our Classical MPR staff pictured with the great musician, and listen in next month as we broadcast a number of concerts from what's considered by some to be the greatest classical music festival in the world.