Poster Danill Trifonov
Daniil Trifonov, piano
www.trifonov.us
Performance Today®

Daniil Trifonov

There are those who can point to one moment in their lives and say, "That was it. That was when everything changed forever." It's likely pianist Daniil Trifonov would point to June 30, 2011, as the day he knew things would never be the same. That was the day he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition, and went from being an unknown 20-year-old music student to being a star. Trifonov plays Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto in today's show.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Peter Tchaikovsky: Prologue to Act I, from the Sleeping Beauty
The Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev, conductor

Matthew Locke: The Fourth Act Tune: A Martial Jigge
The Portland Baroque Orchestra Chamber Ensemble
Oregon Bach Festival, Eugene, Oregon

Mark O'Connor: F.C.'s Jig for Violin and Viola
Arnaud Sussmann, violin, Paul Neubauer, viola
OK Mozart Festival, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

George Perlman: The Dance of the Rebbitzen, from Hebrew Suite
Gil Shaham, violin, Orli Shaham, piano
92nd Street Y, New York City

Peter Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
Daniil Trifonov, piano, the Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev, conductor
Philharmonic Concert Hall, Warsaw, Poland

Frederic Chopin: Grande Valse Brillante in E-flat, Op. 18
Daniil Trifonov, piano
Philharmonic Concert Hall, Warsaw, Poland

Hour 2

Francisco Tarrega: Mazurka en Sol and Estudio Brillante
Norbert Kraft, guitar

Antonin Dvorak: Prague Waltzes
The Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer, conductor
Singel Concert Hall, Antwerp, Belgium

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Adagio and Fugue in C Minor, K. 546
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Ivan Fischer, conductor
The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Perfchat: with the Parker Quartet Part II: Perfchat

Johannes Brahms: Two movements from String Quartet, Op. 51, No. 2
The Parker Quartet
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio St. Paul

Francisco Tarrega: Estudio de Tremolo, from Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Pablo Sainz Villegas, guitar
Teatro Monumental, Madrid, Spain

Love the music?

Donate by phone
1-800-562-8440

Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.

Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.

YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.

More Ways to Give

Your Donation

$5/month
$10/month
$15/month
$20/month
$

Latest Performance Today® Episodes

VIEW ALL EPISODES

Latest Performance Today® Episodes

Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto

Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto

Jazz guitarist Charlie Christian was at his peak in the late 1930s and early 40s. To this day, guitarists are inspired by his recordings, and composer Igor Stravinsky said Charlie Christian helped inspire one of his pieces. We'll hear that piece, Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto, on today's show.

1:59:00
Clarice Assad: Total Eclipse

Clarice Assad: Total Eclipse

Last year, a total solar eclipse was visible in parts of our country. The shared experience of an eclipse—an extraordinary moment of wonder and awe—inspired composer and pianist Clarice Assad to create a new piece for piano and orchestra. Join us today for a musical exploration of light and darkness: "Total Eclipse" by Clarice Assad.

1:59:00
Considering Matthew Shepard

Considering Matthew Shepard

In 2016, Craig Hella Johnson wrote an oratorio about Matthew Shepard, a young gay man from Wyoming who was murdered in a hate crime in 1998. The oratorio urges all of us to find our shared humanity—the threads that connect us—to see if love can be found even in the darkest moments. Tune in today for "Considering Matthew Shepard" by Craig Hella Johnson.

1:59:00
PT Weekend: Optimism in dark times

PT Weekend: Optimism in dark times

In 1944, during the height of World War II, Sergei Prokofiev composed a piece intended “…to sing the praises of the free and happy man.” It’s an optimistic work created during a time of darkness. On today's show, we'll hear the opening movement of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 performed by the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) Philharmonic and conductor Joseph Young at a concert in College Park, Maryland.

1:59:00
Yuja Wang and the Vienna Philharmonic in Paris

Yuja Wang and the Vienna Philharmonic in Paris

It was arguably the biggest classical music event of 2025: a gala concert in Paris celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Opera Garnier venue. We'll take you there to hear the Vienna Philharmonic and pianist Yuja Wang perform the opening movement of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1.

1:59:00
Malek Jandali

Malek Jandali

The Syrian Civil War has devastated more than lives, homes, and communities. With all that has been lost, Syrian-American composer Malek Jandali feels an imperative to preserve and share traditional Syrian music. On today's show, we'll hear a piece full of traditional Syrian styles and themes: the Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra by Malek Jandali.

1:59:00
Prokofiev's optimism in a dark time

Prokofiev's optimism in a dark time

In 1944, during the height of World War II, Sergei Prokofiev composed a piece intended “…to sing the praises of the free and happy man.” It’s an optimistic work created during a time of darkness. On today's show, we'll hear the opening movement of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 performed by the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) Philharmonic and conductor Joseph Young at a concert in College Park, Maryland.

1:59:00
The intersection of classical and jazz

The intersection of classical and jazz

Nikolai Kapustin’s compositions are filled with joyful syncopations. Some listeners have referred to him as a jazz pianist; however, Kapustin stressed that he was a classically trained composer who simply loved jazz. Today’s show will feature Kapustin’s music at the intersection of classical and jazz.

1:59:00
Sibelius

Sibelius

Everyone responds differently to a particular musical work. A close friend of Jean Sibelius described his Symphony No. 2 as "the most broken-hearted protest against all the injustice that now threatens to deprive the sun of its light and our flowers of their scent." That was one person's interpretation. What's yours? On today's show, join us at a concert in Taipei to hear Sibelius's Symphony No. 2.

1:59:00
PT Weekend: Vienna's Golden Hall

PT Weekend: Vienna's Golden Hall

How does a renowned concert hall influence the sound of an orchestra? Listen and discover as the Vienna Philharmonic performs Brahms' magnificent Double Concerto live from Vienna's Musikverein, a venue that highlights the interaction between soloists and the orchestra. Join us today to experience the sound of the Vienna Philharmonic performing at their iconic home venue, the Musikverein.

1:59:00
VIEW ALL EPISODES

About Performance Today®

To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, click here.

American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.

Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

How do I leave a comment?

Send us a comment here.

About Performance Today®
YourClassical Radio
0:00
0:00