Sonic Explorers brings together a unique mix of experimental music and sound exploration from the archives of Minnesota Public Radio. It features audio recordings that capture artists who push the boundaries of music—using unusual sounds and creative techniques to explore what listening can be.
From early electronic experiments to profiles, live performances and soundscapes, these recordings offer a glimpse into the vibrant world of music experimentation. Whether you're a curious listener, a fan of the unusual, or someone on a journey to discover new music, this collection invites you to experience rich and creative artists that have pushed music-making in bold new ways.
January 17, 1979 - Interview with Eric Stokes, composer and professor of music. Stokes was one of five Minnesotans that won $10,000 grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board for annual fellowships.
November 9, 1979 - MPR’s Nancy Fushan interviews electronic composer Morton Subotnick, who describes how he develops the sounds and forms of his pieces.
May 1, 1993 - MPR’s Annie Baxter interviews an electronic musician who compiled a piece titled August: 1990 as a commentary to politics and media during the Gulf War.
October 16, 1997 - If you're an experimental composer with classical roots, you'll probably face an uphill battle finding performance venues. The problem of getting your music heard may be compounded if you're a woman. Avant Fest, which opened last night at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis, pairs three female-led bands from Minneapolis with three from New York.
November 5, 1997 - MPR’s Lorna Benson interviews Philip Blackburn and Chris Strouth about the creative world of electronic music. Blackburn is with the American Composers Forum in St. Paul, which promotes the work of avant-garde, jazz, classical and new age composers. Strouth works for Twin/Tone records, the label associated with Minneapolis' most famous rock bands, like The Replacements and Soul Asylum. Strouth also runs his own experimental electronica label, called "Ultramodern."
March 17, 1999 - A profile of St. Paul composer Eric Stokes, who died in a car accident at the age of 68. Report includes a portion of Composer’s Voice 1993 interview with Stokes.
February 10, 2004 - Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill profiles Ryan Rapsys, a young composer who has turned Duluth-Superior harbor sounds into music. While most people who visit Duluth spend some time sight-seeing on the waterfront, for Rapsys, sounds of the harbor can be just as inspiring as the sights.
August 27, 2004 - Digital technology has allowed artists to go much, much further in drawing inspiration from nature. One Minneapolis artist uses digitally generated sound designs to create a kind of hypnosis on headphones. The source of the sound?…Water. MPR’s Chris Roberts dives in.
September 8, 2004 - In this episode of Future Tense, reporter Jon Gordon takes a look at Vocaloid, a music software that synthesizes human voice to produce musical results.
February 16, 2005 - DJ Spooky speaks with The Current's Mary Lucia. He tells her about the book Rhythm Science and its companion CD, which features rare recordings of such writers as James Joyce and Gertrude Stein. The art of the DJ has changed a great deal in recent years. With the advent of digital sampling, the DJ has gone from spinning disks to creating sonic mosaics that constitute whole new works of art.