Interlochen, MI, June 20, 2022—Interlochen Public Radio launched “Classical Sprouts: The Awesome Classical Music Podcast for Kids”, a weekly interactive exploration of classical music with diverse, unexpected themes such as “West Side Story”, “Cinderella”, the bagpipes, and the music of Ukraine.
The podcast is hosted by Kate Botello, Emmy-winning music host, producer, and broadcast personality. Botello is also the host of “Kids Commute”, an award-winning early morning kids classical music program on Interlochen Public Radio that entertains children and parents during their commute to school. It is from this short radio program that the new podcast sprung to life.
“Interlochen Public Radio’s local Michigan show, Kids Commute, is one of our most successful programs. We’re extremely excited to take this winning concept to a national audience with the Classical Sprouts podcast,” says IPR Music Director Dr. Amanda Sewell. “We hope that by expanding our reach, kids and families everywhere can experience the joy, humor, and history of classical music under the expert guidance of our host, Kate Botello.”
Full of surprising facts, astounding true stories, and illuminating excerpts from influential classical compositions, Classical Sprouts gives meaningful historical context to music and musicians. Episodes are 15-20 minutes long and focus on a specific theme, like Sousa marches, Cinderella, and the Harlem Renaissance. Each episode contains a trivia question related to the theme, answered at the end of the episode.
“Classical Sprouts” is produced at Interlochen Public Radio (IPR) of Northern Michigan, an NPR affiliate station founded in 1963. IPR is the broadcast and online music service of Interlochen Center for the Arts.
Listeners can find the podcast on IPR, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
