PT Weekend: The Philadelphia Orchestra

Christian Zacharias began his stellar career as a solo pianist. He then became a conductor, leading orchestras around the world. But Zacharias also wants to do the occasional tour as a solo pianist again. On today's show, we'll hear how Christian Zacharias balances his life as a conductor and soloist, and we'll hear him play Haydn's Piano Sonata No. 62 at a concert at Spivey Hall in Morrow, Georgia.

27-year-old Pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason is having a banner year. She released her third major-label solo album and had her solo debut at the BBC Proms... and that's just scratching the surface. On today's show, we'll hear Isata Kanneh-Mason play a piece that many writers and critics felt was the highlight of her Fall tour: the Piano Sonata No. 3 by Frederic Chopin.

Navajo pianist and composer Connor Chee recently wrote a piece inspired by the Navajo Code Talkers. Chee’s new work traces the brave journey of the Code Talkers through eleven minutes of music. Join us today to hear 'Unbroken' by Connor Chee.

After 47 magical years together, with only one change in personnel, the Emerson Quartet has brought down the curtain on their illustrious career. We’ll bid a fond farewell to the Emerson Quartet on today’s show.

The rich, deep tone of the bass trombone makes it part of the backbone of a brass section, but it rarely gets a moment in the spotlight. Now, it's time to shine. On today's show, hear a new concerto by Kenneth Fuchs, featuring George Curran on bass trombone.

Navajo pianist and composer Connor Chee recently wrote a piece inspired by the Navajo Code Talkers. Chee’s new work traces the brave journey of the Code Talkers through eleven minutes of music. Join us today to hear 'Unbroken' by Connor Chee.

Gloria Chien and Anthony McGill are both as busy as can be; Chien runs three festivals, and McGill is the principal clarinet in the New York Philharmonic. But they still make time to play as a duet. On today’s show, Gloria Chien and Anthony McGill play from the Grand Duo Concertant by Carl Maria von Weber.

In the 1980s and 90s, Michael Hedges developed stunning new ways of playing guitar. He often had both hands on the neck of the guitar and used his fingers to hammer and pull the strings. We'll hear the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet pay homage to Michael Hedges on today's episode of PT.

Maurice Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe begins in the morning dark with the sound of dew trickling off the rocks. Then, with a hint of dawn on the horizon, the birds wake up, trilling and chirping. Before long, the unmistakable sound of the bright sun rises in the east. On today's show, we'll hear Ravel’s musical sunrise at a concert presented by the Grand Teton Music Festival.

At the age of ten, American violinist Rachel Barton Pine debuted with the Chicago Symphony. She was also the first and youngest American to win the gold medal at the International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition. We'll hear from one of Rachel Barton Pine's most recent projects on today's show.