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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 

Hosted by Valerie Kahler, 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.

Shows

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Valerie Kahler

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.


Senior Producer

Kathryn Slusher

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.


Producer

Meghann Oglesby

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

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.


Associate Producer

Jon Gohman

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.


Technical Director

Craig Thorson

Jeanne Barron is the technical producer of Performance Today.


Technical Producer

YourClassical MPR

Jeanne Barron

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. 


Dani Werner

For more than 20 consecutive years now, students from top music schools have joined us as PT Young Artists in Residence. Join us today as we kick off this year’s series with harpist Ari Schwartz.



Performance Today®

Meet Ari Schwartz

The Acana tree can grow up to 90 feet, standing tall over wide-spreading roots. Its remarkably strong wood is essential to Cuban life and society. On today's show, hear music inspired by this majestic tree: Acana by the 2021 Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Tania León.



Tania León: Acana

Alexi Kenney first appeared on Performance Today as a Young Artist in Residence back in 2015. Since then, he has become one of the greatest violinists of his generation. In this episode, we hear his renditions of classic compositions resonate inside the beautiful St. Francis Church in Locarno, Switzerland.



Alexi Kenney

Grammy award-winning composer Libby Larsen takes inspiration from Dvorak's work with African-American spirituals in her 2014 composition, Sorrow Song and Jubilee. Hear this fascinating blend of styles and more on this episode of Performance Today.



PT Weekend: Libby Larsen

The Formosa Quartet finally ended their year-and-a-half-long COVID-era break with hugs, smiles, and a terrific concert performance. On today's show, hear a reunited Formosa Quartet performance in San Francisco.



Formosa Quartet: Together again

An orchestra of talented young players from Cuba recently traveled to Berlin. Join us today for a highlight from that extraordinary concert. It's the Havana Lyceum Orchestra, on this edition of Performance Today.



The Havana Lyceum Orchestra

In 1932, Aaron Copland went to an all-night dance hall in Mexico City and was struck by the spirit of the place. He said he felt in live contact with the humanity and dignity of the Mexican people. On today's show, hear the music inspired by that dance club: El Salon Mexico by Aaron Copland.


Copland: El Salon Mexico

Composer and guitarist Agustín Barrios was in a cathedral listening to heavenly music...then he walked out into the city and felt assaulted by the sudden change from serenity to noise. On today's show, hear the music he wrote in response to that experience: The Cathedral, by Agustín Barrios.


Agustín Barrios: The Cathedral

On today's show, we speak to scholar and soprano Dr. Louise Toppin, creator of the African Diaspora Music Project, a database of music written by Black composers from all around the world. Toppin's goal is to bring classical music written by Black people to concert halls worldwide.

