Dora Pejacevic

A few years ago, composer George Morton noticed a striking similarity between Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and the iconic Star Trek theme. Inspired by this connection, he created Mahler – A Final Frontier. On today’s show, we’ll hear it performed by the Colorado MahlerFest Chamber Orchestra led by conductor Kenneth Woods.

Dora Pejacevic was a trailblazer. She became the first Croatian composer to write a concerto in 1913. Then, while serving as a nurse in World War One, she wrote what is considered to be the first modern symphony in Croatian music. On today's show, we'll hear Pejacevic's Piano Quartet in D minor from a concert presented by the Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival.

Composer Damien Geter spent much of the pandemic reliving his love of 90s neo-soul. He says the music of Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill helped him get through. As a classical composer, he wanted to write his own music in homage to neo-soul. On today's show, we'll hear what he came up with: "Neo-Soul," the String Quartet No. 1 by Damien Geter.

Memorial Day. It's the unofficial beginning of summer, but that's not what this holiday is about. On today's show, we mark the day with music by American composers and recognize the people who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

For Emad Zolfaghari, a viola bow is more than just a tool. He says, "You have to play by feel... so I think bows are much more personal than instruments." On today's program, PT Young Artist in Residence violist Emad Zolfaghari shares his thoughts on bows, music, and life.

Composer Gabriella Smith grew up hiking and backpacking. She finds joy and inspiration in climate action and nature, and her music reflects the perpetual groove of the world around us. Tune in today to hear Gabriella Smith's 'Children of the Fire,' from a concert in Charleston, South Carolina.

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.

Conductor Elim Chan works with orchestras worldwide. She stays fit by boxing; she appreciates situations where she might get a black eye if she loses concentration. On today’s show, conductor and boxer Elim Chan leads the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra at a concert in Berlin.

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.

Emad Zolfaghari is the next of our 2025 cohort of PT Young Artists in Residence. He recently joined Fred Child in our St. Paul studio. You can hear Emad’s music and the entire interview here.