2025 Classical Woman of the Year: Jessie Montgomery

After Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered his Quintet for Piano and Winds in 1784, he said it was the best thing he had ever written. Scored for the unusual combination of piano, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn, this inventive work remains a popular gem in the chamber repertoire. Join us today to hear Mozart's Quintet for Piano and Winds performed live in Atlanta by the Georgian Chamber Players.

In 1924, Maurice Ravel drew on the rhythms and flair of the Hungarian Roma people to create one of the most demanding showcases in the violin repertoire. Written for virtuoso Jelly d’Arányi—who famously mastered the complex score just days before the premiere—the work demands all of the technical skill a violinist can muster. On today's show, Conductor Matthias Pintscher leads the Aspen Chamber Symphony with soloist Blake Pouliot in a recent performance of Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane.

Australian guitar-playing brothers Ziggy and Miles Johnston skipped competing against each other in music competitions, choosing instead to become a package deal. When one was offered a solo gig, they would ask, "Do you want a duo instead?" They now perform exclusively together. We'll hear Ziggy and Miles bring their collaborative spirit to their arrangement of Claude Debussy's Suite Bergamasque on today's show.

On today's show, we'll hear new music by Navajo composer Juantio Becenti. Becenti found a unique parallel between the Navajo creation story and his musical journey. Join us to hear the ensemble A Far Cry perform Becenti's The Glittering World at a concert in Rockport, Massachusetts. Plus, we'll hear the ensemble ROCO perform Errollyn Wallen's musical snapshot of dance at a concert in Houston.

William Grant Still’s Suite for Violin (or Cello) and Piano brings visual art to life through music. Still composed the work in three movements, each inspired by a sculpture by a prominent Black artist associated with the Harlem Renaissance. On today's program, we'll hear violinist Randall Goosby's arrangement of Still's suite, performed at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Cellist Sterling Elliott takes the solo role, accompanied by the Sphinx Virtuosi.

In 2009, composer Valerie Coleman drew on her Southern roots to write a piece that evokes a lively family gathering. Characterized by energy and charm, the work captures the warmth and hospitality of the South. Join us today to hear Imani Winds perform Coleman’s Red Clay and Mississippi Delta live at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.

The pressure to achieve perfection can be overwhelming. So, what would it be like to embrace vulnerability and imperfection? For composer Derrick Skye, it's a profound release from fear and anxiety. In today’s episode, we’ll hear a quartet inspired by the idea of imperfection: Deliverance by Derrick Skye.

Composer Jennifer Higdon wrote 'blue cathedral' in 2000. It was inspired by an imaginary vision of a glass cathedral in the sky. We'll take you to the Grand Teton Music Festival for a musical journey to Higdon’s ‘blue cathedral’ on today's show.

In the early to mid-20th century, six million African Americans migrated from the rural South to Northern cities in search of opportunities. Isabel Wilkerson documented these journeys in her book, The Warmth of Other Suns. Inspired by this history, composer Carlos Simon created a piece that reflects the struggle for rest and the search for a home. Join us today to hear the Ivalas Quartet perform Warmth from Other Suns live at the Skaneateles Festival in New York.

Move over, Romeo and Juliet. Make way for Radúz and Mahulena. The Slovakian tale also features romance amid intense family rivalries, but in a welcome twist of fate, these legendary lovers end up together and alive when the curtain falls. Today, we'll take you to a concert in Prague to hear Josef Suk’s music for a fairy tale with a happy ending: Pohádka (Fairy Tale).