Poster Violinist Elina Vahala
Violinist Elina Vahala
courtesy the artist
Performance Today®

Elina Vahala plays Kuusisto's Violin Concerto

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.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043 Movement 3 Allegro
Pekka & Jaakko Kuusisto, violins; Tapiola Sinfonietta; Tero Latvala, concertmaster
J.S. Bach: Violin Concertos
Ondine 980

Antonin Dvorak: Cypresses (excerpts)
Miro Quartet
Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, The Breakers - Gold Room, Palm Beach, FL

Leo Delibes (arr. Mimi Stillman): Sous le dome apais (Flower Duet from Lakme)
Sarah Shafer, soprano, Mimi Stillman, flute, Arlen Hlusko, cello, Charles Abramovic, piano
Dolce Suono Ensemble + Concerts at the College, College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Jaakko Kuusisto: Violin Concerto, Op. 28
Elina Vahala, violin; Minnesota Orchestra; Osmo Vanska, conductor
Minnesota Orchesta, Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, MN

Hour 2

Claudio Monteverdi: Zefiro torna, e di soavi accenti, SV 251, from Scherzi Musicali
Jeremy Denk, piano
Jeremy Denk c. 1300-2000
Nonesuch 563316

Joseph Haydn: String Quartet No. 60, Op. 76 No. 1
Ehnes Quartet
Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, The Gold Room - The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL

Michael Ippolito: Nocturne for Orchestra
Nashville Symphony; Edo De Waart, conductor
Nashville Symphony, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN

Johann Sebastian Bach: Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D Minor for Solo Piano, BWV 903
Jeremy Denk, piano
Ted Mann Concert Hall, Minneapolis, MN

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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 APM Distribution.

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. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

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