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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.


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Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment

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Vaughn Ormseth

For the first time since 2014, much-beloved former Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra artistic partner and international pop star Bobby McFerrin returns to Minnesota with his ensemble Voicestra for eight performances at the Dakota in Minneapolis.


Bobby McFerrin: Circlesong for 60,000 (excerpt)

The SPCO

Bobby McFerrin returns to Minnesota with his Voicestra for 8 shows

Hannah Lash - Moth Sketches

Alison Young

This Saturday at 8 p.m., join Alison Young on Classical MPR for our live broadcast of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, featuring compositions by American composer Hannah Lash, Igor Stravinsky and more.


Simple Symphony and Fancy Fiddling with the SPCO and Hannah Lash

Patricia Kopatchinskaja leads the SPCO in 'Fragments'

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

The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra performed with artistic partner Patricia Kopatchinskaja in a program that explored the mystery behind various incomplete musical fragments as well as music from their Grammy-winning album, Schubert's 'Death and the Maiden' Quartet.


Patricia Kopatchinskaja

Patricia Kopatchinskaja explores musical fragments with the SPCO

Here's a calendar with all of the Voices of Spring programming for April.


Choral Stream

Voices of Spring programming calendar

Join Alison Young in celebrating Easter with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's performance of Handel's 'Messiah,' a piece who's message continues to resonate nearly 300 years later.


Listen to Handel's 'Messiah' on Easter Sunday with the SPCO

Pianist Jonathan Biss is back in St. Paul for a sort of Beethoven banquet with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, with four concerts that begin Thursday and culminate Saturday night with a live broadcast on Classical Minnesota Public Radio.


Jonathan Biss returns for more Beethoven with the SPCO

Besides the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's win for best chamber/small ensemble performance, here are the other 2018 Grammy winners for classical-related recordings, as presented Sunday by the Recording Academy.


2018 classical Grammy winners

Tom Huizenga

Charles Dutoit, the Grammy-winning conductor with whom at least seven orchestras have severed ties following allegations of sexual assault and harassment, has now been released early from his post as artistic director and principal conductor of London's Royal Philharmonic. Meanwhile, six more women have accused Dutoit of assault, including one rape, according to the AP.


Charles Dutoit performs during a 2011 rehearsal

London's Royal Philharmonic ends its relationship with conductor Charles Dutoit

Randy Salas is the senior digital producer of classical music for Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. He oversees all classical digital content, including the website, social media, videos, e-newsletters and podcasts.


Senior Digital Producer, Classical

Randy Salas

Pinchas Zukerman, the former conductor of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, will fill in on a U.S. tour for renowned conductor Charles Dutoit, who's facing sexual assault allegations that span decades, according to the New York Times.


Former SPCO conductor Zukerman filling in for disgraced Dutoit

John Holiday joins Steve Staruch in the studio

Countertenor John Holiday

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

A number of seasons ago the SPCO hired countertenor John Holiday for its annual 'Messiah' performances. He's back. Holiday joins Steve Staruch in the studio.


Steve Staruch with countertenor John Holiday