Jim Stephenson: Persephone

In the Spring of 2020, the pandemic was brand-new, isolating, and scary. American composer Jessie Montgomery wrote a short composition called Peace… and when Clarinetist Anthony McGill first heard it, he was moved to tears. On today's show, Anthony McGill and pianist Conrad Tao play music about coming to terms with sadness: Peace by Jessie Montgomery.

Swedish composer and organist Elfrida Andrée was determined to do it all. She advocated for legal changes so women could work as organists and telegraph operators, and she wanted people to know that women could compose significant works. We'll hear Elfrida Andrée's Symphony No. 2 on this episode of Performance Today.

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, and ‘Performance Today’ is honoring those who've served our country in uniform. We’ll hear music by composers who were in the armed forces, including William Grant Still and Samuel Barber. Listen now!

Nikolai Kapustin’s compositions are full of joyful syncopations, and some listeners called him a jazz pianist. But, Kapustin emphasized that he was a classically trained composer who just happened to love jazz. We’ll hear Kapustin’s music at the intersection of classical and jazz on today’s show.

Violinist Maria Dueñas is a university student, but she already has a global following and is selling out concert halls worldwide. Gustavo Dudamel says: "She has the magic... an artistic soul. She is fire." We’ll hear Maria Dueñas play a concerto by Max Bruch on today’s show.

The Aznavoorian sisters gave their first concert at a local church when cellist Ani was four and pianist Marta was eight. Ani and Marta have each grown up to have successful careers, and now, they're sharing a stage again. Join us to hear sisters Ani and Marta Aznavoorian play at a concert presented by the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida.

Nikolai Kapustin’s compositions are full of joyful syncopations, and some listeners called him a jazz pianist. But, Kapustin emphasized that he was a classically trained composer who just happened to love jazz. We’ll hear Kapustin’s music at the intersection of classical and jazz on today’s show.

Composer Michael Abels wrote a piece specifically for brothers Anthony and Demarre McGill. It's cooperative and competitive, as well as delicate and powerful at the same time. On today's show, hear the McGill brothers perform Winged Creatures by Michael Abels.

On today's show, hear a piece that conductor Jessica Horsley describes as "...the sort of music that just makes everything alright in the world. It heals all wounds…" It’s the Symphony No. 2 by Ruth Gipps.

Dante's Divine Comedy takes us through hell, purgatory, and paradise. Composer Richard Danielpour says he sees a metaphor for the recent pandemic in that, and he wrote a new symphony reflecting on those themes. The ensemble ROCO plays Danielpour's Triptych on this weekend's episode of Performance Today.