Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol
Already have an account?
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?

Music

Whither the indie record store?

After years of slumping CD sales and the illegal downloading of songs, the music retail industry is finally embracing the digital age. Online music sales through companies such as Apple Computer, Napster and even Walmart are growing, and several major record labels are converting their music catalogs to digital. Many industry observers say the shift to digital delivery of music spells doom for the independent record store. Yet, the few such stores that remain in the Twin Cities say reports of their impending death may be premature.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Ani DiFranco gets back to basics

In a time when many musicians rely on digital technology to enhance their sound, folk icon Ani DiFranco is returning to basics. She recorded her new album, Educated Guess, by herself, in her living room, using an old reel-to-reel tape recorder. The result is a raw, intimate, sound. DiFranco brings that sound to the Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis this weekend.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

SPCO musicians take charge

At the end of this season, the SPCO will dissolve its Music Director position. The musicians will assume many of the responsibilities for running the orchestra. The SPCO says the move is designed to strengthen its position as one of the premier chamber orchestras in the country. Most of the musicians say they're energized and excited by the transfer of power. But some observers say they'll face a number of challenges as the new system is put in place.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Music in Baghdad: An Iraqi pioneer looks back

Beatrice Ohanessian is a woman of many firsts. She was Iraq's first concert pianist. She was the first ever Iraqi female composer. She performed with the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra for three decades. Now she makes a quiet living teaching piano from her home in the Twin Cities suburbs.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Lucrezia Borgia by Gaetano Donizetti

Interview with Minnesota Opera Artistic Director Dale Johnson; Interview with mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux and tenor Bruce Ford

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

The St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, London at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, MN

Spanning nine centuries of history, the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, London, has established itself as one of the major forces in British church music today. The group visited the Twin Cities' own Cathedral of Saint Paul in October 2003, and we'll hear a broadcast of that performance. The program includes outstanding British repertoire, plus the world premiere of a new work by VocalEssence composer-in-residence Cary John Franklin, based on Psalm 8

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Interview with violinist Joshua Bell

Joshua Bell speaks about what it means to be an artistic partner with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Barb Cohen comes home (for a bit)

A few years back, Twin Cities singer and songwriter Barbara Cohen was enjoying a promising career. She signed to Virgin Records and relocated to Los Angeles. Cohen is back in Minnesota for a performance this weekend at the Cedar Cultural Centre in Minneapolis. Her circumstances have changed, however. She returns with a new solo cd, but no record contract. Cohen's CD is called "California." Several of the songs reflect disillusionment and a longing for home.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Delfs leaving as SPCO adopts a new leadership model

Andreas Delfs is leaving the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He will step down at the end of the 2003-2004 season. The move is in conjunction with the SPCO's adoption of a new model of creative leadership which places musicians at the center of the decision making.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.