Poster Man in white shirt posing with a pen
Composer Miguel del Aguila
Donna Granata
Performance Today®

PT Weekend: Miguel del Aguila

Composer Miguel del Aguila imagined a meeting between two characters: one is Justice, the blindfolded woman holding scales and a sword, and the other is Law, the man holding a book and gavel. We'll hear Imani Winds play the world premiere of Miguel del Aguila's 'Blindfold Music' on today's show.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Zenobia Powell Perry: Homage: Homage to William Levi Dawson on his 90th Birthday
John Crotty, piano
Album: Music By Zenobia Powell Perry
Cambria Master Recordings 1138

Ruth Gipps: Symphony No. 2 in one movement, Op. 30
Basel Sinfonietta | Jessica Horsley, conductor
Casino, Bern, Switzerland

Piano Puzzler
Contestant: Cynthia Sibitzky calling from Haslett, TX

Dmitri Shostakovich: Two Pieces for String Octet Op. 11
Suliman Tekalli, Yun-Ting Lee, Miran Kim, and Ravenna Lipchik, violins | Samantha Rodriguez and Olivia Chew, violas | Joseph Johnson and Austin Fisher, cellos
Lakes Area Music Festival, Tornstrom Auditorium Brainerd, MN

Hour 2

Adolphus Hailstork: Symphony No. 1 movement 3 Scherzo: Allegretto
Virginia Symphony Orchestra | JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Album: Adolphus Hailstork: An American Port Of Call
Naxos

Miguel del Aguila: Blindfold Music for Wind Quintet
Imani Winds
Chamber Music Northwest, Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland, OR

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata No. 15 in F Major, K. 533
Richard Goode, piano
The Frederic Chopin Society, Mairs Concert Hall, Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN

Florent Schmitt: Legende
Nikki Chooi, violin | The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra | JoAnn Falletta, conductor
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY

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

Marin Alsop on an American icon

Marin Alsop on an American icon

When conductor Marin Alsop was a kid, she begged her parents to decorate her bedroom. She says, "I talked them into buying me two posters: one of the Beatles and one of Leonard Bernstein." Join us today to hear some of Marin Alsop's memories of Bernstein and more as we celebrate Independence Day with all-American music.

1:59:00
Jessie Montgomery

Jessie Montgomery

Earlier this year, we announced that Jessie Montgomery is our 2025 PT Classical Woman of the Year. Montgomery is a celebrated composer, violinist, and educator known for compositions that blend classical, folk, jazz, and contemporary influences. Among her numerous accomplishments, she founded the Young Composers Initiative, where she mentors high school composers, assisting them in preparing their music for performance by members of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Tune in today to learn more about Jessie Montgomery and why her work is so influential.

1:59:00
Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto

Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto

Jazz guitarist Charlie Christian was at his peak in the late 1930s and early 40s. To this day, guitarists are inspired by his recordings, and composer Igor Stravinsky said Charlie Christian helped inspire one of his pieces. We'll hear that piece, Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto, on today's show.

1:59:00
Clarice Assad: Total Eclipse

Clarice Assad: Total Eclipse

Last year, a total solar eclipse was visible in parts of our country. The shared experience of an eclipse—an extraordinary moment of wonder and awe—inspired composer and pianist Clarice Assad to create a new piece for piano and orchestra. Join us today for a musical exploration of light and darkness: "Total Eclipse" by Clarice Assad.

1:59:00
Considering Matthew Shepard

Considering Matthew Shepard

In 2016, Craig Hella Johnson wrote an oratorio about Matthew Shepard, a young gay man from Wyoming who was murdered in a hate crime in 1998. The oratorio urges all of us to find our shared humanity—the threads that connect us—to see if love can be found even in the darkest moments. Tune in today for "Considering Matthew Shepard" by Craig Hella Johnson.

1:59:00
PT Weekend: Optimism in dark times

PT Weekend: Optimism in dark times

In 1944, during the height of World War II, Sergei Prokofiev composed a piece intended “…to sing the praises of the free and happy man.” It’s an optimistic work created during a time of darkness. On today's show, we'll hear the opening movement of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 performed by the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) Philharmonic and conductor Joseph Young at a concert in College Park, Maryland.

1:59:00
Yuja Wang and the Vienna Philharmonic in Paris

Yuja Wang and the Vienna Philharmonic in Paris

It was arguably the biggest classical music event of 2025: a gala concert in Paris celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Opera Garnier venue. We'll take you there to hear the Vienna Philharmonic and pianist Yuja Wang perform the opening movement of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1.

1:59:00
Malek Jandali

Malek Jandali

The Syrian Civil War has devastated more than lives, homes, and communities. With all that has been lost, Syrian-American composer Malek Jandali feels an imperative to preserve and share traditional Syrian music. On today's show, we'll hear a piece full of traditional Syrian styles and themes: the Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra by Malek Jandali.

1:59:00
Prokofiev's optimism in a dark time

Prokofiev's optimism in a dark time

In 1944, during the height of World War II, Sergei Prokofiev composed a piece intended “…to sing the praises of the free and happy man.” It’s an optimistic work created during a time of darkness. On today's show, we'll hear the opening movement of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 performed by the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) Philharmonic and conductor Joseph Young at a concert in College Park, Maryland.

1:59:00
The intersection of classical and jazz

The intersection of classical and jazz

Nikolai Kapustin’s compositions are filled with joyful syncopations. Some listeners have referred to him as a jazz pianist; however, Kapustin stressed that he was a classically trained composer who simply loved jazz. Today’s show will feature Kapustin’s music at the intersection of classical and jazz.

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