February 19, 2003 - William Gibson's new novel is called "Pattern Recognition." His heroine, Cayce Pollard, is a 'coolhunter'. She spots trends in the making so companies can exploit them. A mysterious stream of videoclips has been popping up on the internet. They have become "cool." So, Cayce is hired by an advertising company to locate their source. She is brought in because she can spot a winner. Her heightened sensitivities tell her when an image or logo will be a success. In fact she's always right. But that gift comes with a cost; an allergy. Cayce Pollard is deathly allergic to some of the logos she comes across in everyday life. William Gibson told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he wanted to create a Swiftian exaggeration of something everybody does.
February 3, 2003 - At the dawn of the 20th century, the Austrian capital Vienna was a hotbed of intellectual and artistic enterprise. Freud was developing psycho analysis. Painters such as Egon Schiele (A-gon SHE-leh) and Gustav Klimt (GOO stahf KLIMT) explored new schools of visual art. But it was also a time feeding the seeds of World War One. A time that spawned the anti-semitism of Adolf Hitler. Tomorrow and Wednesday renowned choreographer Martha Clarke will present her vision of that era at the Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis. Her piece "Vienna Lusthaus' (LOOST-howss) features frank and provocative dances. First produced in the mid-1980's, she has now revised and expanded the piece. Martha Clarke told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr she was originally inspired by an exhibition of Schiele's (SHE-leh's) work. It then evolved when playwright Charles Mee, who she calls Chuck, offered to write accompanying texts exploring themes of love and hate.
January 24, 2003 - The long-time President of the Minnesota Orchestra, David Hyslop, (HISS-lop) says he's stepping down. Hyslop told the Orchestra Board today (Fri) he'll retire after the Orchestra's Centennial Concert on November 5th. Hyslop told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he has always said he would retire at 62, but decided to step down early in part because that would have taken him through the next musicians contract negotiation.
January 21, 2003 - Very little happens in Nicholson Baker's new novel "A box of matches." The novel is a recording of the thoughts of a man who gets up early every morning to light a fire. He tries to avoid any light other than the glow of the flames. Then he sits and thinks about his life, delighting in the ordinary. He attempts simple tasks, such as washing the previous nights casserole dish by touch alone.
January 7, 2003 - MPR’s Euan Kerr interviews local musician David Levin about his CD "Zuni." Levin is part of a song circle, a group of individual musicians who meet to play their own songs, and to accompany one another.
January 1, 2003 - MPR's Euan Kerr reports on Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov and his composition "La Pasión según San Marcos" (St. Mark Passion) draws from many influences. There is the classical music and klezmer he learned through his Russian Jewish immigrant parents; passionate tango of Astor Piazzola which resonates through Argentina; as well as the deep, and at times militant, Christianity of South America.
November 28, 2002 - Matthew Fox plays guitar, and mandolin. But until now he has been playing in bands, either in ensembles, or backing someone else. Now, this relatively recent Twin Cities transplant is stepping into the limelight with his own album "Pilgrim." MPR’s Euan Kerr talks with the artist about album.
November 19, 2002 - The possibility of cloning human beings has caused a great deal of concern. But writer Eva Hoffman believes there has not been near enough debate of the issues involved. A native of Poland, who emigrated when she was 13, Hoffman is the author of the best selling memoir "Lost in Translation." Hoffman turned to fiction to investigate the issue of human cloning. Her new novel "The Secret" follows a young girl, Iris Surrey, who longs to discover her father's identity. Her life is turned upside down when she discovers her father does not exist. She is her mother's clone, the product of a process in a lab. Eva Hoffman told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr she wanted to explore the deeper implications of cloning.
October 23, 2002 - MPR’s Euan Kerr talks with Semisonic’s vocalist and songwriter Dan Olson. The group has been taking a break after hit song “Closing Time.” Olson discusses his side project and songwriting.
October 11, 2002 - Word of Mouth