Poster Hilary Hahn
Hilary Hahn
KassKara/DG
Performance Today®

Hilary Hahn

Violinist Hilary Hahn has been on the concert stage since she was 12 years old. Now a seasoned pro, she's still only 29. She continues to grow as a soloist, offering ever richer performances. On today's show, she appears with the Cleveland Orchestra in Dvorak's violin concerto. Plus, we'll feature another performance from one of the Van Cliburn Competition finalists, South Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Leonard Bernstein: "Aristophanes," from Serenade for Solo Violin, Strings, Harp, and Percussion
Violinist Hilary Hahn with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and conductor David Zinman

William Byrd: "What Man is he that Desireth Life?"
Stile Antico
Musica Antica Early Music Festival, Bruges, Belgium

Antonin Dvorak: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53
Violinist Hilary Hahn with the Cleveland Orchestra and conductor Ivan Fischer
Severance Hall, Cleveland

Franz Schubert: "The Erlking"
Violinist Hilary Hahn
Severance Hall, Cleveland

Hour 2

Felix Mendelssohn: Scherzo from Octet, Op. 20
Members of the Boston Chamber Music Society

Bohuslav Martinu: Serenade No. 2 for Two Violins and Viola
The Prague Chamber Orchestra
Dvorak Hall, Prague, Czech Republic

Jan Dismas Zelenka: Sonata No. 3 in B-flat for Violin, Oboe, Bassoon, and Continuo, ZWV 181
Members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
The Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Studio, New York City

Robert Schumann: First movement from Piano Quintet in E-flat, Op. 44
Members of the Boston Chamber Music Society
Sanibel Music Festival, Sanibel, Florida

Franz Liszt: "Spanish Rhapsody"
Pianist Yeol Eum Son
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Fort Worth, Texas

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

Samuel Frois

Samuel Frois

Meet one of our 2025 PT Young Artists in Residence: violinist Samuel Frois. On today's show, Samuel joins Fred Child at our studio in Saint Paul to perform works by Brazilian composers Heitor Villa-Lobos and Andre Mehmari.

1:59:00
Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich

At age 84, pianist Martha Argerich says she's made peace with her role in the universe, stating: "I just play." On today's show, we'll hear Argerich give a captivating performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 at a concert in Lausanne, Switzerland.

1:59:00
PT Weekend: Wynton Marsalis

PT Weekend: Wynton Marsalis

After a performance with Wynton Marsalis in 2019, conductor Cristian Macelaru looked into the trumpeter's eyes and felt his emotion, saying, "It just felt like it was the most pure connection." Macelaru was more than impressed; he considers Wynton Marsalis one of the most important American composers of all time. On today’s show, we'll hear the world premiere performance of the Concerto for Orchestra by Wynton Marsalis.

1:59:00
Jimmy López: Fiesta!

Jimmy López: Fiesta!

Composer Jimmy Lopez says the pulse of techno music is instantly recognizable in any dance hall or club around the world —a steady, thumping rhythm that you feel in your body. Tune in today to hear the thrilling power of techno combined with world music: Fiesta! by Jimmy Lopez.

1:59:00
Shaw with a Chopin twist

Shaw with a Chopin twist

American composer Caroline Shaw is inspired by some of the piano music that Frederic Chopin wrote in the 1830s and 1840s. In 2012, Shaw wrote a piece for solo piano that quotes a Chopin mazurka while adding a personal twist. Tune in today to hear 'Gustave Le Gray' by Caroline Shaw, performed at a recent concert in Interlochen, Michigan.

1:59:00
The power of body language

The power of body language

How do musicians handle stage fright? Research indicates a connection between body language and increased self-confidence. Trumpet soloist Matilda Lloyd favors using the 'Superman pose' to boost her confidence before going on stage. Hear the results on today's episode; join us at a concert in Amsterdam to hear Matilda Lloyd and pianist Martin Cousin perform ‘Continuum’ by British composer Dani Howard.

1:59:00
The 'exquisite' Michelle Cann

The 'exquisite' Michelle Cann

Pianist Michelle Cann made her orchestral debut at the age of fourteen and has since performed with numerous top-tier orchestras. Lauded as “exquisite” by The Philadelphia Inquirer and “a pianist of sterling artistry” by Gramophone, Cann is also a leading interpreter of Florence Price's music. On today's show, Michelle Cann joins Fred Child in our St. Paul studio, introducing listeners to the music of Irene Britton Smith and Hazel Scott.

1:59:00
High praise for Wynton Marsalis

High praise for Wynton Marsalis

After a performance with Wynton Marsalis in 2019, conductor Cristian Macelaru looked into the trumpeter's eyes and felt his emotion, saying, "It just felt like it was the most pure connection." Macelaru was more than impressed; he considers Wynton Marsalis one of the most important American composers of all time. On today’s show, we'll hear the world premiere performance of the Concerto for Orchestra by Wynton Marsalis.

1:59:00
PT Weekend: A Far Cry

PT Weekend: A Far Cry

Antonín Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12 ("American Quartet") marked a significant departure from the European string quartet tradition, using pentatonic scales and birdsong to capture the essence of American nature and folk music. So, what might it sound like multiplied by four, with some extra bass thrown in? Tune in today to hear the ensemble A Far Cry perform an expanded arrangement of Dvořák's "American Quartet" at a concert in Rockport, Massachusetts.

1:59:00
Jacqueline Kerrod and the power of the harp

Jacqueline Kerrod and the power of the harp

Today, we explore the music of harpist and composer Jacqueline Kerrod. Kerrod began her musical journey enchanted by Mozart, but she now boldly straddles the worlds of classical and experimental music. Hear the world premiere of Kerrod’s own composition, Bumping Along, a piece that highlights the powerful, dramatic, and sometimes "gnarly" possibilities of the harp.

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