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.
Every winter, promising young Black and Latinx string players head to Detroit, Michigan for the annual Sphinx Competition. On this episode of Performance Today, we'll hear from the 2017 Sphinx Finals Concert where violinist Annelle Gregory's gave a stunning performance of Sibelius's Violin Concerto.
Joaquin Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez is perhaps the most popular guitar concerto of all time. Even if you don't think you know it, there's a good chance you've at least heard the gorgeous, tender slow movement. In today's show, we take you to a concert in Colorado to hear guitarist Chaconne Klaverenga play Rodrigo's concerto with the Boulder Chamber Orchestra.
In his "Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra," George Gershwin wanted to show that his signature sound, infused with jazz, could fit the world of classical music. On this episode of Performance Today, hear Conrad Tao play Gershwin's Piano Concerto, from a concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
A few years ago, composer Osvaldo Golijov was in Israel and witnessed the effects of a wave of violence. A few weeks later, he found himself viewing images of our blue planet at a planetarium show in New York City. On this episode of Performance Today, hear music inspired by contrasting perspectives: Tenebrae, by Osvaldo Golijov.
Warm up with a memory from the Moab Music Festival. We were lucky enough to go on a hike with the violinist Tessa Lark. Here’s a look back to a different season, with music that Tessa played just for us!
When violinist Alexi Kenney was a boy, his aspirations were modest; he wanted to play the tambourine or the triangle, but his mother got him going in a different direction. On this episode of Performance Today, we travel back to 2015 when Alexi Kenney was our PT Young Artist in Residence. Hear Kenney perform a Mozart sonata in our "big room" - the Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser recording studio.
Composer Julia Perry suffered a stroke in 1971 which left her right side paralyzed. Being right-handed, she lost her ability to write... until she taught herself to write with her left hand. On this episode of Performance Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Julia Perry.
Pianist Conrad Tao believes that George Gershwin was trying to prove himself when he wrote his Piano Concerto. Gershwin wanted to show that his signature sound, infused with jazz, could fit the world of classical music. On this episode of Performance Today, hear Conrad Tao play Gershwin's Piano Concerto, from a concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
For years, Jaakko Kuusisto has been meaning to write a concerto that would show off his skills on the violin. He hasn't done that quite yet, but he has written a piece for his friend, violinist Elina Vahala. On this episode of Performance Today, Elina Vahala, backed by the Minnesota Orchestra, play the fiery Violin Concerto by Jaakko Kuusisto.
