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

June 8, 2015: A string quartet for saxophones

June 8, 2015: A string quartet for saxophones

Joseph Haydn wrote his String Quartet No. 50 for four players -- but not these four players. Coming up on Monday's Performance Today, well hear the Amstel Saxophone Quartet playing their version of Haydn's string quartet in concert in Los Angeles.

June 6, 2015: Rochester, NY

June 6, 2015: Rochester, NY

All summer long, we're featuring great American music inspired by great American places on our 2015 Summer Road Trip. This weekend's Performance Today takes us to Rochester, NY, the longtime hometown of American composer David Diamond. Once there, we'll hear his Rounds for String Orchestra.

June 5, 2015: An American road trip

June 5, 2015: An American road trip

All summer long, we're featuring great American music inspired by great American places. On Friday, our Performance Today Summer Road Trip takes us to Rochester, NY, the longtime hometown of American composer David Diamond. Plus, we'll head to another great American site -- Fort Sumter National Historic Monument in Charleston Harbor, SC.

The sights and sounds of Charleston: Part 5
4:12
Backstage at the Dock Street Theatre

Backstage at the Dock Street Theatre

We toured Charleston's famous Historic Dock Street Theatre with Managing Director Christopher Parham, who spoke with us about the history of the space, its ghostly inhabitants, and the building's recent renovations.

3:21
June 4, 2015: Cabbage Row

June 4, 2015: Cabbage Row

Cabbage Row is a place in Charleston, South Carolina, with a remarkable history. And, it was the inspiration for Catfish Row -- the setting of George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess. On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll take a trip to Cabbage Row to hear more about its history; plus, we'll hear selections from the opera that it inspired.

The sights and sounds of Charleston: Part 4

The sights and sounds of Charleston: Part 4

In part four of our exploration of the city, we head to Cabbage Row to take a look at the street that inspired Catfish Row, the setting of Gershwin's opera "Porgy and Bess."

3:24
June 3, 2015: Pirates and partitas

June 3, 2015: Pirates and partitas

On Wednesday's Performance Today, we have more highlights from the Spoleto Festival USA, including the story of pirates in and around Charleston. Plus, we'll hear a partita by Heinrich Biber which features violins in wacky tunings -- on purpose.

The sights and sounds of Charleston: Part 3
3:49
YourClassical Radio
0:00
0:00