Poster Fred Child
Fred Child
Performance Today

Performance Today®

PT Weekend: Leif Ove Andsnes

PT Weekend: Leif Ove Andsnes

Compared to Antonin Dvorak's big hits, his Poetic Tone Pictures collection has flown mostly under the radar. It's a collection of musical poetry, and each piece reflects a different mood or "picture." Pianist Leif Ove Andsnes says it's gorgeous, and we'll hear him play it on today's show.

Inocente Carreño's beloved home island

Inocente Carreño's beloved home island

Composer Inocente Carreño was born in 1919 on a little Venezuelan island called Margarita. On today's show, hear the music he wrote in tribute to his beloved home island: "Margariteña" by Inocente Carreño.

Michael Abels: Borders

Michael Abels: Borders

Join us today for the world premiere performance of a concerto that composer Michael Abels wrote for Slovenian guitarist Mak Grgic. We'll hear the story behind the piece and how it became an emotional collaboration inspired by the idea of finding beauty in troubled environments.

Leif Ove Andsnes

Leif Ove Andsnes

Compared to Antonin Dvorak's big hits, his Poetic Tone Pictures collection has flown mostly under the radar. It's a collection of musical poetry, and each piece reflects a different mood or "picture." Pianist Leif Ove Andsnes says it's gorgeous, and we'll hear him play it on today's show.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ralph Vaughan Williams

In the early 1900s, English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams was deeply inspired by a hymn written four centuries earlier. Join us today to hear a Buffalo Philharmonic performance of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.

James Ehnes plays Prokofiev

James Ehnes plays Prokofiev

James Ehnes loves to play Sergei Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2. Ehnes says the piece has "…such a unique mix of lyricism and virtuosity...there's nothing quite like it in the repertoire." Join us today to hear James Ehnes play Prokofiev's second concerto in concert with the Minnesota Orchestra.

PT Weekend: The Piano Puzzler...and a special announcement

PT Weekend: The Piano Puzzler...and a special announcement

Composer Bruce Adolphe joins us weekly for a musical game, our Piano Puzzler. Bruce re-writes a familiar tune in the style of a great composer. We get one of our listeners on the phone who tries to guess the hidden tune and the composer whose style Bruce is imitating. Play along with the PT Piano Puzzler on this episode of Performance Today. Plus, Fred Child speaks with Gabriela Montero and makes a special announcement.

2023 Classical Woman of the Year: Gabriela Montero

2023 Classical Woman of the Year: Gabriela Montero

Performance Today has selected acclaimed Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero as the 2023 Classical Woman of the Year. This annual award recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the classical music art form and have inspired our listeners.

Gabriela Montero

Gabriela Montero

Gabriela Montero is a pianist, improviser, educator, mentor, composer, and human rights advocate—a woman of great personal integrity. Tune in today to hear why Gabriela Montero is our 2023 PT Classical Woman of the Year.

Kayhan Kalhor

Kayhan Kalhor

At age seventeen, composer Kayhan Kalhor left his home in Iran, fled for safety, and walked over two thousand five hundred miles to Italy alone, with just a small backpack and his beloved kamancheh (spiked fiddle). We'll hear music Kalhor wrote for Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble on today’s show.

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.

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Your Host

Since 2000, Fred Child has been the host of Performance Today, the most-listened-to classical music radio show in America. He also is the commentator and announcer for Live From Lincoln Center, the only live performing arts series on television. He also hosts musical events on stages around the country, working with major orchestras and festivals, and connecting with audiences coast to coast.

Fred Child

Your Host

Kathryn Slusher is the senior producer of Performance Today, where she leads programming and production for the show. In her spare time, she enjoys the vibrant Twin Cities music and theater scene, and loves to read, hike and spend time with her family.

Your Host

As a Producer for Performance Today, Meghann chooses music to broadcast on the show, writes web articles and scripts, facilitates, conducts and edits interviews, creates video content and manages PT’s social media pages. She created Performance Today’s Black History Spotlight Series and the My Name is Series to highlight Black classical musicians. Meghann is also the producer for the PT Young Artist in Residence Series. In her free time, she is a mom, a part-time actress and fashion lover. Meghann also created and hosted “Wondrous Strange”, a national radio program about uncommon musical instruments, she is the official underwriting voice for ‘The New York Times’ The Daily, and she can occasionally be heard guest-hosting Performance Today.

Meghann Oglesby

Your Host

As an Associate Producer for Performance Today, Kathleen Bradbury writes scripts and assists with external communications. In her spare time, she likes to read fiction, lift heavy weights at the gym, and frolic about in nature. But above all else, Kathleen loves to sing Broadway showtunes--much to the delight of her wife, her infant son, and her rescue dog.

Kathleen Bradbury

Your Host

Jon Gohman is an associate producer for Performance Today. He is responsible for various behind-the-scenes functions, including liaising with artists and creating materials for national distribution. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing the guitar, and thinking about Langrange points.

Your Host

Craig Thorson is the Technical Director for Performance Today. In addition to mastering the live music recordings that are programmed for each daily program, he records guest performances and interviews. Craig enjoys skiing, tennis, and bicycling, and boating.

Craig Thorson

Your Host

Jeanne Barron is the technical producer of Performance Today.

Jeanne Barron
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