Minnesota Orchestra and YourClassical MPR's broadcast partnership continues for the 2025-26 season. This page features a schedule of the upcoming concerts that you can hear on YourClassical MPR, and when possible, on-demand audio of the performance available for 30 days after the broadcast. Bookmark this page for updates throughout the season!
Grammy-winning mandolinist, singer, songwriter and composer Chris Thile brings his singular artistry to the Minnesota Orchestra in ATTENTION!, his playfully bold autobiographical work for mandolin and orchestra. Part narrative song cycle, part musical self-portrait, ATTENTION! blends virtuosity, humor and storytelling. Whether you know Thile from Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek, or from his tenure as host of public radio’s Live from Here, you’ll be dazzled by his wit, invention and restless imagination. Listen to the live broadcast with host Melissa Ousley at 8 p.m. Friday, July 31, on YourClassical MPR.
Program
Minnesota Orchestra
Chris Thile, mandolin and vocals
Alex Sopp, vocals
Susie Park, violin
David Stevens, drums
Members of the Minnesota Chorale
Jerry Rubino, special projects conductor
SAMUEL BARBER Overture to The School for Scandal
CAROLINE SHAW And So
DUKE ELLINGTON Selections from The River Suite
CHRIS THILE ATTENTION!
Yo-Yo Ma at Orchestra Hall
A guiding principle for Yo-Yo Ma is to make the listener feel like the most important person in the room. The fact that he’s done that for more than 60 years is a testament to his commitment. Ma’s performance of Elgar’s soulful Cello Concerto on Tuesday, March 3, was part of an all-English program that was tailor-made for Thomas Søndergård and the Minnesota Orchestra. Enjoy pictures of the event below!
Meet YourClassical MPR's Melissa Ousley
Previous Concerts
Minnesota Orchestra presents John Williams' greatest scores
On Friday, July 24, Sarah Hicks led the Minnesota Orchestra in a salute to composer John Williams, living legend of Hollywood! This all-new program features some of Williamsʼ most beloved and unforgettable music of the silver screen, including E.T., Harry Potter, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and more. Listen to the concert now!
Program
Minnesota Orchestra
Sarah Hicks, conductor
JOHN WILLIAMS
Welcoming the World
Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Slice of History: World War II
March from 1941
Theme from Schindler’s List
Leading Women
Sayuri’s Theme, from Memoirs of a Geisha
Devil’s Dance, from The Witches of Eastwick
Momentous Meetings
Symphonic Suite form Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Duel of the Fates, from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Epic Battles
March of the Resistance, from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Theme from The Patriot
Flights of Fancy
Love Theme, from Superman
Flying Theme, from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Heroes’ Homecoming
Raiders March, from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Harry’s Wondrous World, from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Throne Room and End Title, from Star Wars: A New Hope
Minnesota Orchestra and special guests perform Beethoven's 'Triple Concerto'
Archduke Rudolph of Austria was the pianist for the premiere of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Triple Concerto — and he also happened to be one of the composer’s most important patrons. To make him shine, Beethoven brought in two of the best players of the day. The Minnesota Orchestra has its own trio of all-stars on tap for this program, which includes Robert Schumann’s reflection of life in the Rhineland and a Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten. Listen to the concert now!
Program
Minnesota Orchestra
Stephanie Childress, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano *
Silver Ainomäe, cello *
Sarah Grimes, violin *
BENJAMIN BRITTEN Simple Symphony for String Orchestra
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra, Triple *
ROBERT SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3 (Rhenish)
Minnesota Orchestra - Listening Project will be recorded to be post produced on another date.
When the Minnesota Orchestra launched its Listening Project in 2021, our goal was to present and record top-notch performances of music by underrepresented composers—in other words, to share music that many of us were not hearing. The project continues this season with Music Director Thomas Søndergård and soprano Janai Brugger.
‘Thomas Søndergård: Taken by the Sound’
Melissa Ousley joined Minnesota Orchestra music director Thomas Søndergård in his native Denmark last year to explore some of the most important places in his life. Join them as they walk through his memories, musical and otherwise, in this documentary short.
‘Celebrating a Century on the Airwaves’
On most Friday nights, no matter where you are in the state — or in the world, for that matter — you can look forward to tuning into YourClassical Minnesota Public Radio to hear a live concert. From a radio debut in 1923 under Bruno Walter to television transmissions in the 1950s and the ensemble’s unprecedented international broadcast from Havana in 2015, the orchestra has always been on the forefront of finding new ways to connect audiences with music.
Reflecting on 100 years of radio broadcast history, MPR host Melissa Ousley sat down with historian John Michel, technical director Michael Osborne and former broadcast host and current orchestra staffer Brian Newhouse for a spirited retelling of this vital history.
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment‘s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
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