September 5, 2005 - MPR’s Tom Crann and Nikki Tundel conclude their ‘battle’ over which state has the best fair - Minnesota or Iowa. The two present competing fair stories…pet surgery and Iowa animals.
September 9, 2005 - MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles West St. Paul jazz saxophonist Irv Williams, who at 86, still plays gigs and has CD releases. Roberts interviews Williams about his music style and longevity, and others in the music industry about Williams’ talent.
September 15, 2005 - Dudley Voigt, co-founder of Teens Rock the Mic, comments on developing young people. The Twin Cities based youth poetry group is trying to raise money for their organization and they're getting some help from several reknowned writers and poets.
September 15, 2005 - Dudley Voigt, co-founder of Teens Rock the Mic, comments on writer benefit.
September 16, 2005 - Voices of Minnesota pays a visit to two of the state's foremost architects. Ralph Rapson, who designed the original Guthrie Theater, shaped two generations of architects as the dean of the University of Minnesota's school of architecture. Rapson also did a stint at MIT, where he mentored his future colleague Leonard Parker, who created the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Humphrey Institute and Minnesota Public Radio's St. Paul studios.
September 23, 2005 - MPR’s Karl Gehrke reports on Seattle composer Stehen Newby’s “Rondo Oratorio,” It is a multi-movement work for large chorus, chamber orchestra, rhythm section, soloists and narrators that captures the spirit of the people who lived in St. Paul's long-gone Rondo neighborhood.
September 23, 2005 - MPR’s Greta Cunningham interviews Minnesota author Louise Erdrich about her book “The Painted Drum.” The story is of a New Hampshire woman, an Ojibwe Indian and a Native American drum.
September 29, 2005 - In 1890, a 19-year-old girl stole her family's savings and ran away from her rural Ireland home to come to America. May Dunigan {DYE-gah-nan} had hopes of creating an exciting new life. She eventually became a prostitute, a grifter and spent time in prison for plotting to kill a jealous lover. May called herself "Queen of the Crooks." After her looks faded and she fell on hard times, a police officer encouraged her to write an auto-biography. It's THIS book that's the basis for Irish writer Nuala O'Faolain's new biography THE STORY OF CHICAGO MAY. O'Faolin's previous books "Are you Somebody?" and "Almost There" are New York Times best-sellers. She told Minnesota Public Radio's Greta Cunningham Chicago May was forgotten by Ireland and her relatives--which is not too surprising considering she left her hard-working family penniless.
October 3, 2005 - Tom Crann interviews Minnesota writer Ann Bauer about her book "A Wild Ride up the Cupboards," a story of how one family struggles with their son's withdrawal, and how his parents, Jack and Rachel, make sense of it in their own ways.
October 11, 2005 - Minnesota has often been called the choral center of the U.S. The state is filled not only with church and school choirs, but also professional choirs with reputations that extend beyond Minnesota's borders. This is a busy time for many of those choirs as they get ready for their season-opening concerts this month. But missing for the second year is one of the best-known choruses in the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Karl Gehrke has more.