Rick Sowash's musical conversations

When a piece is well-written for orchestra, sometimes a piano version can feel slightly empty. Today, we’ll hear pianist Ilya Shmukler play one of those piano versions, but this one has a percussive pianistic quality that makes it lovable: Stravinsky's Petrushka for solo piano.

In 1948, American composer William Grant Still was inspired by some poems about the natural beauty of the American South. On this episode of Performance Today, take a break with us and hear Wood Notes, William Grant Still's work of quiet musical contemplation.

Two violins, viola, and cello... usually, we'd call that a string quartet. On today's show, we'll hear from a group that doesn't want to identify as a traditional string quartet. They call themselves ETHEL. We'll hear ETHEL play at a concert presented by the Beaches Fine Arts Series in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

On today's show, we'll hear from a major piece that begins in darkness and despair and ends in delirious joy: The Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler.

There’s a wonderful German word that conveys a particular musical feeling: "gemütlich." If you're feeling gemütlich, you're relaxed and at ease, with maybe a touch of happy nostalgia. On today's show, we'll explore ‘gemütlich’ feelings in Fritz Kreisler's music from a concert presented by the Society for Chamber Music in Rochester, New York.

Meet one of our 2024 PT Young Artists in Residence: harpist Jane Yoo. Jane joins Fred Child for music and conversation at our Saint Paul studio on today's show.

On today's show, we'll hear from a major piece that begins in darkness and despair and ends in delirious joy: The Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler.

Cellist Seth Parker Woods is sharing music and stories of people who have long been overlooked. Seth Parker Woods on choosing projects to uplift other voices, on the next Performance Today, from APM.

The Serra Chapel in Shandon, California, is one of the venues for the annual Festival Mozaic, based in nearby San Luis Obispo. On summer evenings, concerts take place at the chapel, which offers seating inside and out—it's just one of the idyllic settings that make up Festival Mozaic. On today's show, we'll take you to Serra Chapel to hear a flute concerto by Vivaldi, with Alice K. Dade playing the flute alongside the Festival Mozaic Baroque Ensemble.

Pianist Jonathan Biss is our special guest this hour. For years, Biss suffered from debilitating performance anxiety and chose to hide it. But he's had a change of heart. He says that honesty is an absolute priority as an artist. His goal is to pull back the curtain on living as a musician with anxiety. Join us today for music and conversation with Jonathan Biss.