This activity is made possible in part by the 

Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.


Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment logo

Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment

Michael Hersch full interview

Music in the Making: Steve Seel talks with Steve Staruch

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

The next season of Music in the Making (formerly Composer Conversations) kicks off November 4, 7 p.m. in the UBS Forum! Classical MPR's Steve Seel hosts a discussion with composer Michael Hersch and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja.


The SPCO

Music in the Making Launches November 4th

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Luke Taylor

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Principal Cellist Julie Albers explains how she found her cello, an 1872 Vuillaume. She didn't love it at first, but grew to love its sound over time. 'I spent about a year really learning this instrument,' Albers says. 'It was a very good decision.' Watch her complete interview.


Giving a cello a chance

Starting Friday, Sept. 11, Classical MPR will air concert highlights by from the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra on Fridays at 11 a.m. This week's highlight comes from the SPCO's Ordway Concert Hall-opening night in March 2015.


The SPCO onstage at the Ordway's Concert Hall

SPCO Highlights: Ordway-opening music

Lileks on MwM

Steve Staruch can be heard on Classical Minnesota Public Radio on Monday mornings and at other times during the week. 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, New York. 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

It's not that James Lileks sees different things than you or me, he just sees them differently. Lileks is Steve Staruch's guest on Music with Minnesotans


Music with Minnesotans

Smartypants with a Romantic Heart

Carl Lundstrom

Carl Lundstrom is a specialist in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. A cancer survivor, Carl has a special place on his playlist for choral music. Carl is Steve Staruch's guest on this week's Music with Minnesotans.


Doctor, Doctor, Detective, Detective

gary lee joyner

Gary Lee Joyner has the heart of a teacher. His classical playlist is filled with music that transports him. Gary is Steve Staruch's guest on this week's Music with Minnesotans.


Finding the Joy: A Guitar Connection

Alison Young

The virtuosic pianist and conductor -- and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra artistic partner -- leads the SPCO in works by Dvořak and Schumann on Saturday, June 6. Alison Young hosts the live broadcast of the concert, airing Saturday at 8 p.m. on Classical MPR.


Christian Zacharias, Pianist and Conductor

Christian Zacharias has no time to be nervous

Rex Levang

Listen to Classical MPR on April 3 at 10 a.m. for a Good Friday special: Belgian conductor Philippe Herreweghe leads a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. Alison Young hosts the broadcast.


Bach's St. Matthew Passion

This week, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra inaugurates a new chapter in its history. The SPCO stays at the Ordway in downtown St. Paul, but now they'll be playing in the brand-new Concert Hall -- a visually and acoustically striking space, specially designed to complement the sound and intimacy of a chamber orchestra. On Morning Glories, we'll join in the celebration with five SPCO performances, in recordings from the archive of Classical Minnesota Public Radio.


Morning Glories: Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Join host Alison Young for a live broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m., as the SPCO Chorale and Dale Warland return with a cast of talented soloists to present a program of works composed for orchestra and voice, including Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Andrew Manze conducts.
