Poster Garrett McQueen
Garrett McQueen
Courtesy of the artist
Performance Today®

Garrett McQueen

Bassoonist Garrett McQueen is the host of "Afternoon Concert" on 91.9 FM WUOT in Knoxville, and has performed in orchestras and ensembles across the country. On Wednesday's Performance Today, Garrett McQueen guest-hosts PT with concert highlights from his stomping grounds, the American Southeast.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Max Bruch: Serenade for Strings: Andante
Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra; George Hanson, conductor
Bruch: Orchestral Works
Dabringhaus 3351096

Max Bruch: 8 Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, Op. 83 (selections)
David Shifrin, clarinet; Paul Neubauer, viola; Gloria Chien, piano
String Theory at The Hunter, Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga, TN

Piano Puzzler: This week's contestant is Lessa Vernyi from Syracuse, NY

Jeff Midkiff: Mandolin Concerto "From the Blue Ridge"
Jeff Midkiff, mandolin; Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; Aram Demirjian, Music Director
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series, Tennessee Theatre, Knoxville, TN

Hour 2

William Grant Still: Lyric Quartet: The Quiet One
Oregon String Quartet
William Grant Still
Koch 7546

Andy Miles: Bridges, Arabic European symphonic fantasy
Members of the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra, WDR Radio Orchestra, Wayne Marshall, conductor
Klaus von Bismarck Hall, WDR Broadcasting House, Cologne, Germany

William Grant Still: Symphony No. 1 Afro-American Symphony
Fort Smith Symphony; John Jeter, conductor
Still: In Memoriam
Naxos 8559174

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Selections from Etudes-tableaux, Op. 39
Alexander Gavrylyuk, piano
Spivey Hall, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA

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Latest Performance Today® Episodes

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Latest Performance Today® Episodes

Kirill Gerstein plays Rachmaninoff

Kirill Gerstein plays Rachmaninoff

Sure, it's a flashy showpiece for piano, but Kirill Gerstein says, "If you dig deeper, it's also a sincere expression straight from the heart." On today's show, hear Kirill Gerstein play Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with conductor Hannu Lintu leading the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

1:59:00
PT Weekend: Martinu's room with a view

PT Weekend: Martinu's room with a view

Composer Bohuslav Martinu spent his childhood in a bell tower, where his father was the keeper. Looking back, he said he saw "everything in miniature, and above it all a great, boundless space... it is this space that I am forever seeking in my music." On today's show, we'll take you to a concert in Switzerland to hear Marinu's Cello Concerto No. 1.

1:59:00
Ravel's String Quartet

Ravel's String Quartet

French composer Maurice Ravel wrote so much wonderful music, but only once did he write a piece for two violins, viola, and cello. We don’t need to call it Quartet No. 1 by Ravel... it's the ONLY String Quartet by Ravel. Join us today—we'll take you to a concert in Portland, Oregon, to hear the Catalyst Quartet play the String Quartet by Maurice Ravel.

1:59:00
Jessie Montgomery: Peace

Jessie Montgomery: Peace

In the Spring of 2020, the pandemic was brand-new, isolating, and scary. American composer Jessie Montgomery wrote a short composition called Peace… and when Clarinetist Anthony McGill first heard it, he was moved to tears. On today's show, Anthony McGill and pianist Conrad Tao play music about coming to terms with sadness: Peace by Jessie Montgomery.

1:59:00
The Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival

In many Asian cultures, a colorful festival marks the final day of Lunar New Year celebrations. People light lanterns, let go of the past and welcome new beginnings. On today’s show, we'll celebrate this time of reconciliation: the Lantern Festival.

1:59:00
Maria Dueñas

Maria Dueñas

Violinist Maria Dueñas is a university student, but she already has a global following and is selling out concert halls worldwide. Gustavo Dudamel says: "She has the magic... an artistic soul. She is fire." We’ll hear Maria Dueñas play a concerto by Max Bruch on today’s show.

1:59:00
Not to be overlooked

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Pianist Lara Downes's passion for sharing the music of underrepresented composers goes beyond performing onstage. She's also been hard at work making this previously overlooked music accessible for other musicians to play. On today's show, Lara Downes plays Harry T. Burleigh's "From the Southland" at a concert in Brevard, North Carolina.

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Nominate the 2025 Classical Woman of the Year
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PT Weekend: Vladimir Jurowski

Conductor Vladimir Jurowski was born and raised in the Soviet Union. He's now a citizen of Germany and an outspoken critic of Russia. He sees being political as a necessary part of an artist's life. We'll hear Vladimir Jurowski lead a concert with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra on today's show.

1:59:00
Paul Wiancko: Lift

Paul Wiancko: Lift

American composer Paul Wiancko wrote a piece named LIFT, his "ode to joy...a journey of the soul." On this episode of Performance Today, hear the Aeolus Quartet give an inspired performance of LIFT by Paul Wiancko.

1:59:00
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About Performance Today®

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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.

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