Since MPR was founded in 1967, our studios have been a regular stop for the world's master musicians, composers, and conductors. Additionally, in partnership with Minnesota Orchestra and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, MPR has recorded interviews and performances with many incredible visiting musicians and leaders in the classical music world, such as Bobby McFerrin, Osmo Vänskä, and Neville Marriner, to name a few. The Archive at MPR has preserved these interviews to make them accessible to you. Enjoy this collection which includes unique conversations occasionally combined with performance highlights and excerpts, as well as reports on the local classical scene.
Please note: Most content related to this topic that is contemporary or created after 2005 can be found on our main content pages of YourClassical MPR and MPR News
October 2, 1992 - Worldview Host Mike Maus has a conversation with Latin composers Arthur Kampela & Carlos Sanchez. The two composers detail their compositional process and present music audio examples.
August 6, 1993 - Mainstreet Radio’s Leif Enger shares a story from Ken Amundson, a third-generation violin repairman in Alexandria, Minnesota. His shop has customers from near & far…and Amundson finds some classical friends along the way.
August 13, 1993 - MPR’s Joelle Audette reports on a week long camp at Hoot Owl Resort in Bemidji, where The Borderline Philharmonic gather and perform every summer.
January 22, 1994 - MPR’s Chris Roberts talks with American composer Dominick Argento about his opera “The Dream of Valentino,” a chronicle of the life of silent movie star Rudolph Valentino.
March 26, 1994 - MPR Classical Host Stephanie Wendt interviews the famous pianist Van Cliburn. He talks about his career, faith, and has advice for young musicians.
November 4, 1994 - MPR’s John Rabe chats with pianist Robert Henry as he prepares for an upcoming concert performance. Henry discusses and performs examples on his viewpoint of varying the sound within music. Henry also comments on his musical path and late start as a pianist.
December 17, 1994 - William Eddins, assistant conductor for Minnesota Orchestra, plays the piano and answers listener questions about music appreciation, broadcast from MPR's Maud Moon Weyerhaueser Music Studio.
March 31, 1995 - MPR’s John Rabe presents The South Minneapolis Bassoon Quartet, who are promoting their all-bassoon radio station. The group perform various ‘world-premiere’ pieces and discuss the potential programming of “WMBQ” station for elite double reed aficionados.
May 10, 1995 - MPR’s Mindy Ratner visits Minnesota Orchestra Hall, where young flute players attend auditions for the Pied Piper Fantasy.
May 23, 1995 - Midmorning’s Paula Schroeder interviews Gilbert Levine, conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the historic "Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah (Holocaust)." The performance marked the first official Vatican commemoration of the Nazi genocide of World War II.