Performance Today®

with host Valerie Kahler

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.

All Episodes

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

On Friday's Performance Today, we'll ring in the New Year with highlights from the annual New Year's concert in Vienna. Join us for a musical trip to the Musikverein, where we'll hear dazzling Strauss waltzes beneath the sparkling chandeliers.

Musical highlights of 2015

Musical highlights of 2015

On the last day of 2015, we'll look back at musical highlights from the past year, including the Minnesota Orchestra's historic concert in Havana, Cuba; talented PT Young Artists; and a conversation with composer Bruce Adolphe and his musical parrot.

Our weekly musical game

Our weekly musical game

Every week composer Bruce Adolphe joins us for a musical game; our Piano Puzzler. Bruce re-writes a familiar tune in the style of a great composer, and 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 Piano Puzzler, on Wednesday's Performance Today.

A Mendelssohn discovery

A Mendelssohn discovery

Conductor Riccardo Chailly has a Mendelssohn discovery; a hand-written sketch of Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony, which had gone unnoticed for almost 20 years. On Tuesday's Performance Today, Chailly will take us inside Mendelssohn's creative process.

The sound of the American West

The sound of the American West

Aaron Copland was from Brooklyn. He was a city slicker who captured -- and to a certain degree, created -- what we think of as the sound of the old American West. On Monday's Performance Today, we'll hear selections from his cowboy ballet, "Billy the Kid."

Highlights from across the globe

Highlights from across the globe

Every week, composer Bruce Adolphe joins us for a musical game. Play along; see if you can name the tune, and the composer whose style Bruce is mimicking. On this weekend's Performance Today, we'll play the Piano Puzzler, plus we'll hear highlights from concert halls around the world.

Christmas around the world 2015

Christmas around the world 2015

On Christmas Day, join us for a musical journey around the world. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll sample musical highlights from concert halls, churches, and museums around the globe as part of our annual Christmas celebration.

A delicacy for Christmas Eve

A delicacy for Christmas Eve

The first conductor who saw Sergei Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil thought it was too difficult. Singers who can actually sing it, he said, are "as rare as asparagus at Christmas." On Thursday's Performance Today, we have a delicacy for Christmas Eve; the Kansas City and Phoenix Chorales performing highlights from the All-Night Vigil.

Highlights from around the world

Highlights from around the world

Every week, composer Bruce Adolphe joins us for a musical game. Play along; see if you can name the tune, and the composer whose style Bruce is mimicking. On Wednesday's Performance Today, we'll play the Piano Puzzler, plus we'll hear highlights from concert halls around the world.

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