Celestial inspirations

Indian-American composer Reena Esmail works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music. In 2017, Esmail drew inspiration from the words of Rumi, a 13th-century Sufi poet: "Religions are many, but God is one. The lamps may be different, but the light is the same." On today's episode, we'll take you to a concert at the University of Georgia to hear the Imani Winds play Reena Esmail's 'The Light is the Same.'

Violinist Linus Roth once assumed that forgotten composers hadn't stood the test of time—until he discovered the music of Polish composer Mieczysław Weinberg. In 2011, Roth played a trio by Weinberg, sight unseen, and was so stunned by its emotional depth that he has since dedicated much of his career to bringing the composer back into the global spotlight. Today, we'll hear Roth perform a work defined by its hard-won beauty, Mieczysław Weinberg’s Violin Concerto, with Andris Poga leading the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.

During the pandemic lockdown, the silence of the world's orchestras prompted composer Bryce Dessner to reflect on the fragility of culture and how music can become a fading memory. But, he also thought about how our memories of music can blend with our current experiences to create new, original sounds. On today’s show, conductor Semyon Bychkov leads the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert performance of 'Mari,' by Bryce Dessner.

Inspired by the play of light and shadow in Renaissance art, Giya Kancheli’s 'Chiaroscuro' translates the visual techniques of masters like Caravaggio into music. Kancheli uses high-contrast dynamics to craft a musical scene of depth and emotion, bringing the "light" and "dark" of the orchestra to life. On today's show, Andrey Boreyko conducts the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra with violinist Veriko Tchumburidze in a performance of 'Chiaroscuro' from Katowice, Poland.

In 2022, the Apollo Chamber Players commissioned a work by composer Wang Jie. Wang Jie, also trained as an organist, wrote the piece for the unusual combination of pipe organ and string quartet. On today's show, we'll hear the Apollo Chamber Players and organist Daryl Robinson play The Night When You See Again by Wang Jie.

Indian-American composer Reena Esmail works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music. In 2017, Esmail drew inspiration from the words of Rumi, a 13th-century Sufi poet: "Religions are many, but God is one. The lamps may be different, but the light is the same." On today's episode, we'll take you to a concert at the University of Georgia to hear the Imani Winds play Reena Esmail's 'The Light is the Same.'

We're excited to introduce our first 2026 PT Young Artist in Residence: Pianist Sean Terada Yang. In today's episode, Sean joins Valerie Kahler for music and conversation at our studio in Saint Paul.

June 19th, or Juneteenth, is the longest-running celebration of the end of slavery. For many Americans, it's a day of reflection on freedom, resilience, and strength. Join us for music to celebrate Juneteenth on this episode of Performance Today.

Pride Month is a wonderful time to celebrate our unique identities and to reflect on how authenticity shows up in our lives. We asked classical musicians in the LGBTQIA community to share their thoughts on Pride. Listen now. [Support for Pride Month programming is provided by Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.]

Gustav Mahler spent years revising his Symphony No. 1. At first, he provided detailed titles and program notes to help his audience understand the work; however, he eventually withdrew them, leaving the interpretations open to the listener. On today's show, conductor Marin Alsop and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra perform the opening movement from Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1.