Czech composer Bedrich Smetana wrote his autobiography in the form of a string quartet. And recently, composer Gabriela Lena Frank took a look at her own Peruvian heritage in a set of dance pieces. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll hear these two musical memoirs - compositions that explore personal identity.
On Thursday's Performance Today, cellist Alisa Weilerstein joins the Aspen Chamber Symphony in concert to play a cello concerto by Joseph Haydn. Plus, we'll head to Seattle to hear guitarist Ana Vidovic give a moving performance of solo guitar music from Paraguay.
On Wednesday's Performance Today, the Young People's Chorus of New York City will join Fred in the PT studio. We'll hear about their remarkable history and mission, and we'll experience their great sound as they sing music by Stephen Foster and Robert Schumann.
Francisco Nunez and the Young People's Chorus of New York City took a brief break from their recent tour to join Fred in the PT studio for music and conversation.
Leif Ove Andsnes has made a name for himself by mixing crystal clean technique with raw power at the piano. On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll hear the Norwegian pianist play four waltzes by Frederic Chopin in concert at Carnegie Hall.
It's great to see pictures of the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina; the colorful, corrugated buildings of La Boca neighborhood, the colonial filigree of the San Telmo area. But what does it sound like? On Monday's Performance Today, the Canadian Guitar Quartet will give us a musical tour of this fascinating city.
Pianist Fazil Say played with the French National Orchestra in Paris this season. On this weekend's Performance Today, we'll hear two highlights from Paris: a crowd-pleasing piano concerto by Camille Saint-Saens, and a stunning encore composed - and played - by Fazil Say.
Each week on Performance Today, we feature music written in the 21st century. But what does it mean to be a 21st century composer? Anna Clyne moved to New York and juggled jobs as a cellist, a waitress, a florist and an apartment cleaner until finally - a composing scholarship came through and her career took off. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll hear music by Anna Clyne.
How does flutist Aaron Perdue deal the pressures of performing in front of an audience? He laces up his sneakers and hits the road. Aaron Perdue is our fit PT Young Artist in Residence this week, and on Thursday's Performance Today he'll join Fred in the studio for music and conversation.
