Minnesota Public Radio's Brian Newhouse Named Host and Senior Producer of SymphonyCast

Minnesota Public Radio's Brian Newhouse Named Host and Senior Producer of SymphonyCast

Newhouse to host SymphonyCast when American Public Media Assumes Production in January

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- American Public Media(TM), the nation's second largest producer and distributor of public radio programs, is pleased to announce today that Brian Newhouse, Minnesota Public Radio's awarding-winning host and senior producer of Minnesota Orchestra, will serve as host and senior producer of SymphonyCast when American Public Media assumes production and distribution of the program from NPR in January.

SymphonyCast is a two-hour weekly radio program featuring a full-length concert by a national or international symphony orchestra. Concerts are drawn from Europe's leading ensembles, along with U.S. orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra. SymphonyCast is currently heard on more than 90 public radio stations across the country each week.

"We did not have to look far to find the perfect host of SymphonyCast," said Sarah Lutman, senior vice president of content, Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media. "Brian Newhouse is an award-winning classical music host, producer and performer. Over the years, his wonderful presentation of classical music has resonated with listeners in Minnesota and around the world. We are thrilled Brian is bringing his creative presence to SymphonyCast."

"I've been touched and moved so often by the power of this music, and it's a joy to share that experience with as many listeners as possible," said Newhouse. "I'm especially looking forward to expanding the work we've done with Minnesota Orchestra, including strong station carriage and program director enthusiasm, with the other great orchestras of the U.S. and Europe."

Newhouse has used his creative experience as a professional musician and writer in public radio for 20 years. He is currently host, writer and producer of the national broadcasts of Minnesota Orchestra, a series of 26 two-hour music programs featuring one of America's top orchestras in concert. Previously, Newhouse was a writer for several well-known public radio series, including The Writer's Almanac and the globally broadcast European Journal, a daily half-hour news magazine for Deutsche Welle Radio, where he covered topics from the Balkan War to European summer music festivals.

Newhouse's memoir, A Crossing, was published in 1998 by Simon & Schuster. He won a Peabody Award, broadcasting's equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize, in 2000 for writing the seven-part music documentary, The Mississippi: River of Song. Newhouse was also presented with the 2002 Golden Reel Award by the National Federation of Community Broadcasters for his work with the Minnesota Orchestra.

Newhouse holds degrees in voice and English literature, has been a soloist with the Dale Warland Singers and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and an Artist- in-Residence at the Oregon Bach Festival.

About American Public Media's Classical Music Service

American Public Media, located in St. Paul, Minn., sets the standard for connecting listeners to the best classical music programming. Through partnerships with orchestras, vocal ensembles and others, American Public Media's classical music service delivers performances from around the world to its listeners. In September, American Public Media announced that it is assuming production and distribution of Performance Today and SymphonyCast from NPR, beginning in early 2007. Broadcast production of both programs is moving from NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., to American Public Media's in St. Paul. The addition of Performance Today and SymphonyCast gives American Public Media the largest broadcast audience reach of any classical music radio producer in the United States.

American Public Media's national classical music programs also include conversation and performance in Saint Paul Sunday(R); Pipedreams(R), the only nationally distributed radio program that explores the full range of the pipe organ's art and potential; and Composers Datebook(R), a daily two-minute program designed to inform, engage, and entertain listeners with timely information about composers of the past and present. Saint Paul Sunday is currently celebrating 25 years on the air. Pipedreams will mark its 25th anniversary in 2007.

American Public Media also produces and distributes national broadcast performances of the Minnesota Orchestra and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra as well as specials such as BBC Proms, World Choral Spectacular and Music@Menlo. In partnership with Public Radio International, American Public Media produces the nation's most listened-to 24/7 stream of live-hosted classical radio, Classical 24. Classical 24 is heard by nearly 2 million listeners each week on hundreds of public radio stations. American Public Media also owns and operates The Current(TM), an alternative music radio station based at Minnesota Public Radio.

American Public Media(TM) is the nation's second-largest producer of public radio programs, reaching 14.3 million listeners nationwide each week. National programs include A Prairie Home Companion(R), Weekend America(R), Saint Paul Sunday(R), Marketplace(R), Marketplace Money(R), The Splendid Table(R), Speaking of Faith(R) and special reports produced by its national documentary unit, American RadioWorks(R). American Public Media is the name under which Minnesota Public Radio(R) | American Public Media does national program production and distribution. Minnesota Public Radio, along with its sister company Southern California Public Radio, belongs to a larger family of companies within American Public Media Group, a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to develop resources, services and systems to support public media for public service. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained at http://www.americanpublicmedia.org/ .

Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc. Arbitron data are estimates only. Fall 2005/Spring 2006 average

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: American Public Media

CONTACT: Brad Robideau of American Public Media, +1-651-290-1113,
brobideau@americanpublicmedia.org

Web site: http://www.americanpublicmedia.org/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photo of Brian Newhouse available upon request.

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