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From now until June 23, vote for your favorite American composers. We’ll take the results and count them down on Friday, July 3.


YourClassical's American Composers Countdown

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

Rhapsody in Black - Herbie Hancock

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

Herbie Hancock helped rewrite post-bop language and reimagined the rhythm section as a conversational engine. But his musical imagination wouldn’t stop at jazz. He has continued composing for film and the concert hall alike. Find out more in the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast.


Rhapsody in Black - 20251016

Rhapsody in Black

Herbie Hancock is a musical innovator

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): Jan Lisiecki

New Classical Tracks - Jan Lisiecki

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

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ pianist Jan Lisiecki presents two piano concerti by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his latest recording with conductor Manfred Honeck and the Bamberg Symphony. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!


A musician in casual clothing poses for a portrait

Jan Lisiecki - Piano Concerto No. 9 "Jeunehomme" - Mozart

New Classical Tracks® 

Jan Lisiecki presents two Mozart piano concerti on latest recording

Extra Eclectic - June 8, 2026

On this episode of ‘Extra Eclectic,’ we hear works featuring unorthodox instruments and compositional approaches, including Echo Collective’s ‘Unknown Gates’ and Molly Joyce’s ‘It Has Not Taken Long for You to Break.’ Listen now with host Steve Seel!





Black-and-white photo of a woman with her hands clasped over her chest

Extra Eclectic

Extra-musical elements

SymphonyCast - June 8, 2026

Steve Seel is the host of YourClassical’s weekly SymphonyCast and 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 is a basement composer obsessed with all things both minimalist and slow, and might actually be incapable of writing anything that exceeds 75 beats-per-minute.


Steve Seel

On this episode of ‘SymphonyCast,’ contralto Jasmin White joins the Pacific Youth Choir, sopranos and altos from Portland State University Choirs, the Oregon Repertory Singers, and the Oregon Symphony for Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 under the baton of David Danzmayr. Listen now with host Steve Seel!


SymphonyCast - June  8, 2026

A person in a black lace top sits in front of a gray background

SymphonyCast® 

Oregon Symphony

Rhapsody in Black - Miles Davis

Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis redefined the genre in subtle and caustic ways. While he had great success he was always restless for innovation. Find out more in the latest episode of the ‘Rhapsody in Black’ podcast. 


Rhapsody in Black - March 23, 2023

Miles Davis - Blue In Green (Official Audio)

Miles Davis reinvented the jazz scene 

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): Yolanda Kondonassis

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On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ harpist Yolanda Kondonassis releases her latest project, ‘Terra Infirma,’ featuring world premiere recordings of new works by composer Reena Esmail. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!


Terra infirma: I. bone-colored branches

Yolanda Kondonassis and Reena Esmail reflect on Earth and the environment

Extra Eclectic - June 1, 2026

“Row, row, row your boat,” “Frere Jacques”: rounds are familiar to us all. Make a round a little more complex, and you might get a canon or a fugue. On the latest episode of Extra Eclectic, host Steve Seel explores a host of such works. Listen now!





Person in black dress with city street in the background

Rounds, canons and reflections

SymphonyCast - June 1, 2026

On the latest episode of ‘SymphonyCast,’ the Lakes Area Music Festival offers a concert rich with magical characters and riveting storytelling. At the heart of the program, a journey from the heights of unrequited love to the depths of a fiery inferno: ‘Symphonie Fantastique,’ by Hector Berlioz. Listen now with host Steve Seel!


SymphonyCast - June  1, 2026

A man flips through Mozart sheet music while holding a conductor's baton

Lakes Area Music Festival Orchestra

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three

New Classical Tracks - Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ the Time for Three ensemble and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato bring the poetry of Emily Dickinson to life with music by Kevin Puts. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!


Four musicians performing together onstage

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