PT Weekend: Reena Esmail

When Finnish composer Jean Sibelius turned 50 in 1915, his birthday was declared a national holiday, culminating in the triumphant premiere of his Symphony No. 5. The work’s finale was inspired by a flock of sixteen swans and is set to a seamlessly continuous horn melody that sounds as if it never pauses to breathe. Kenneth Woods conducts the English Symphony Orchestra in a live performance of Jean Sibelius's Symphony No. 5.

After thirty years of performing in the United States, Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto announced a hiatus from all American engagements due to ethical objections to the country's current political leadership. Citing a commitment to peace and equal rights, Kuusisto no longer feels comfortable paying federal taxes that fund government actions he does not support. For now, he remains connected to audiences abroad. In today's episode, we'll take you to a concert in Switzerland to hear Kuusisto and the Basel Sinfonietta perform "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Pianist Clayton Stephenson is the next member of our 2026 cohort of PT Young Artists-in-Residence. Clayton recently joined Valerie Kahler in our St. Paul studio. Listen to the music and the entire interview here.

We're thrilled to introduce our next 2026 Performance Today Young Artist in Residence: pianist Clayton Stephenson. Listeners may already know this charismatic artist; he was a 2022 Cliburn finalist and has since toured extensively while pursuing a dual-degree program at Harvard and the New England Conservatory. In today's episode, Clayton joins host Valerie Kahler for a special hour of music and conversation in our recording studio in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Inspired by the buzzy resonance of the ennanga (African trough zither), William Grant Still incorporated the spirit of Central and East African folk music into a Western chamber setting. Still drew on the instrument’s unique character as inspiration for this piece for harp, piano, and strings. Join us today to hear harpist Lily Primus lead Rice University’s Shepherd School Chamber Players in a concert performance of William Grant Still’s ‘Ennanga.’

Once troubled by pre-concert jitters so intense that he needed a push to get on stage, violinist Augustin Hadelich has discovered a new sense of calm. Breathing exercises have transformed his performance experience, making the stage feel like home. On today's program, Agustin Hadelich and the St. Louis Symphony play music by Samuel Barber.

Violinist James Ehnes says the first movement of Jean Sibelius's Violin Concerto feels like a conversation. It's as if someone is about to divulge something important—they may not know HOW to say it, or even if they WANT to tell you, but they're going to tell you anyway. To Ehnes, it feels like a hesitant yet necessary conversation, as if the music is finally revealing a long-held secret. In today's episode, Thomas Søndergård leads the Minnesota Orchestra, with soloist James Ehnes, in Jean Sibelius's Violin Concerto.

Inspired by the buzzy resonance of the ennanga (African trough zither), William Grant Still incorporated the spirit of Central and East African folk music into a Western chamber setting. Still drew on the instrument’s unique character as inspiration for this piece for harp, piano, and strings. Join us today to hear harpist Lily Primus lead Rice University’s Shepherd School Chamber Players in a concert performance of William Grant Still’s ‘Ennanga.’

Although Louise Farrenc was the only woman to hold a permanent position at the Paris Conservatory in the 19th century, her Symphony No. 2 demonstrates that her compositional talent rivaled that of the most renowned male composers of her time. Join us today as Nil Venditti leads the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra in a recent performance of Farrenc’s Symphony No. 2.

On today's show, we're highlighting Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World." Conductor Cristian Măcelaru explains how the composer's work captures an American soundscape while also beautifully reflecting his own Czech heritage. The result, Măcelaru says, is a powerful contribution from an immigrant artist to American culture.