“An anonymous donor has given a $56 million cash gift to Minnesota Public Radio to be used exclusively to serve the station’s YourClassical audiences and to provide tech support for new media transmission,” writes Mary Divine in Wednesday’s (6/8) Pioneer Press (MN). “It is the largest gift ever received by MPR in its 55-year history. Jean Taylor, president and CEO of American Public Media Group, MPR’s parent company, … said [the gift] would have a ‘transformative impact.’ … The gift will allow YourClassical—the largest classical public media organization in the country—‘to increase national appreciation of classical music and expand audience reach with new programming and technologies,’ officials said…. Its nationally syndicated programs include ‘Pipedreams,’ ‘Performance Today,’ ‘SymphonyCast’ and ‘Composers Datebook.’ More than 25 percent of the music played at YourClassical features a musician, ensemble or composer who is a woman and/or a Black person, Indigenous person, or person of color, according to Duchesne Drew, president of MPR and senior vice president of APMG. This donor’s gift, he said, ‘will allow us to expand representation, grow YourClassical’s presence and accelerate digital innovation to broaden and better serve our classical music community.’ ”
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