Poster Jennifer Higdon
Composer Jennifer Higdon
Photo: Andrew Bogard
Performance Today®

Jennifer Higdon: The Sound of Light

For composer Jennifer Higdon, a commission isn't just about who pays for the piece; she views commissioning music as a way to empower people to share their voices and celebrate their communities. We'll learn more and hear the Merian Ensemble play Higdon's "The Sound of Light" on today's show.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Camille Saint-Saens: Air de ballet d'Ascanio
Julia Bogorad-Kogan, flute | Margot Garrett, piano
Album: Flute Music of the Paris Conservatory
Ten Thousand Lakes

George Enescu: Violin Sonata in A minor "Torso"
Alexi Kenney, violin | Inon Barnatan, piano
Spoleto Festival USA Chamber Music Series, Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC

Piano Puzzler
Contestants: Liza Steele, Romain Fardel, and Cleo, calling from New York, New York

Ulysses Kay: Aulos for Solo Flute and Orchestra
Julia Bogorad-Kogan, flute | Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra | Timothy Lovelace, conductor
SPCO, Saint Paul's United Church of Christ, St. Paul, MN

Hour 2

Giuseppe Verdi: String Quartet in E Minor: Movement 4
Enso String Quartet
Album: Strauss, Puccini & Verdi: Works for String Quartet
Naxos 8573108

Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth, Act III - Ballet Music
Detroit Symphony Orchestra | Jader Bignamini, conductor
Interlochen Presents, Kresge Auditorium, Interlochen, MI

Jennifer Higdon: The Sound of Light
The Merian Ensemble
Emory University, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, Atlanta, GA

Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 in D Major: Mvts. 2-4
London Symphony Orchestra | Sir Antonio Pappano, conductor
EBU, Barbican Hall, London, England

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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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