Performance Today®

Alexandre Kantorow enjoyed piano lessons as a boy, but he also spent plenty of time on the playground. It wasn't until high school that he started to take the piano seriously, and things happened quickly for him after that. In 2019, at age 22, he won both a Gold Medal and the Grand Prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia. Today, Alexandre Kantorow joins Germany's WDR Symphony Orchestra to perform Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2.

In 2016, pianist and composer Gabriela Montero wrote a concerto reflecting how people perceive Latin America. She says it's not an overtly political piece, but it does express the light and dark sides of the subject. Today, we'll hear Gabriela Montero play her “Latin Concerto” with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm.

This fall, the renowned conductor Cristian Macelaru begins his tenure as the Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). One piece he recently shared with Cincinnati audiences is by one of his favorite composers: Wynton Marsalis. On today's episode, we'll hear Macelaru lead the CSO in a performance of Marsalis's Blues Symphony.

Tessa Lark is a uniquely American violinist. She has classical conservatory training and grew up playing the fiddle in her family’s bluegrass band in Kentucky. On today’s show, Tessa Lark shares two sides of herself with a sonata by Eugène Ysaye and a new piece named “The Ysaye Shuffle” by Tessa Lark.

In 2022, composer Viet Cuong found himself at his father's bedside in the ICU. He played some of his compositions—music he knew his father loved—and hoped that the sound, or "sine waves," would reach his father's consciousness. Cuong realized that his love for his father and his passion for music were inseparable. Join us for a concert at the University of Georgia to hear “Vital Sines” by Viet Cuong.

Flutist Carol Wincenc has influenced generations of musicians through her performances and teaching. From her early days at Juilliard to winning the Naumburg Competition, her career spans decades of artistry. On today's show, we'll take you to a recent concert in Texas to hear Wincenc perform the Romance in F minor by Antonín Dvořák.

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.

This fall, the renowned conductor Cristian Macelaru begins his tenure as the Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). One piece he recently shared with Cincinnati audiences is by one of his favorite composers: Wynton Marsalis. On today's episode, we'll hear Macelaru lead the CSO in a performance of Marsalis's Blues Symphony.

How do musicians handle stage fright? Research indicates a connection between body language and increased self-confidence. Trumpet soloist Matilda Lloyd favors using the 'Superman pose' to boost her confidence before going on stage. Hear the results on today's episode. Plus, Bruce Adolphe has this week’s Piano Puzzler!