Poster Fred Child
Fred Child
MPR

Performance Today®

with host Fred Child

All Episodes

Debussy: Jeux

Debussy: Jeux

When Claude Debussy wrote music for the ballet "Jeux," he was picturing a game of tennis between two women and one young man. In tennis, "love" means nothing; in Debussy's music, love is everything. On today's episode, we'll hear romance and seduction on the courts, from a concert by the New York Philharmonic.

Joel Thompson

Joel Thompson

Composer Joel Thompson made one rule when he began work on a piece in 2019. He would go through the major news stories each day before working on his composition. Hear the results on this episode of PT: "In Response to the Madness" by Joel Thompson.

Sara Davis Buechner

Sara Davis Buechner

Pianist Sara Davis Buechner says that music takes her to a place where she feels completely herself, especially the music of Mozart. Learn more about Sara Davis Buechner and hear her play a sonata by Mozart on today's show.

PT Weekend: Conrad Tao

PT Weekend: Conrad Tao

Conrad Tao wrote a piece when he was 15 years old called Eventide. It's inspired by the gentle arrival of night. Now, more than a dozen years later, it's still one of his favorites. On today's show, we'll hear Conrad Tao and friends play Eventide from a concert in Rockport, Maine.

Music for Juneteenth

Music for Juneteenth

Juneteenth is this Sunday, June 19th. It’s the longest-running celebration of the end of slavery. For many Americans, it's a day of reflection on freedom, resilience, and strength.  Join us today for music to start celebrating this Juneteenth weekend!

Mary Kouyoumdjian

Mary Kouyoumdjian

There's a photo of a young boy in an abandoned train station in Albania. The boy turns an old water bottle into a toy, and he's lost in his world of play, despite the refugee crisis around him. On today's show, hear music inspired by that photo, "A Boy and a Makeshift Toy," by Armenian-American composer Mary Kouyoumdjian.

Conrad Tao: Eventide

Conrad Tao: Eventide

Conrad Tao wrote a piece when he was 15 years old called Eventide. It's inspired by the gentle arrival of night. Now, more than a dozen years later, it's still one of his favorites. On today's show, we'll hear Conrad Tao and friends play Eventide from a concert in Rockport, Maine.

The Alexander String Quartet

The Alexander String Quartet

The Alexander String Quartet is known in part for their recordings of Beethoven quartets. Cellist Sandy Wilson says Beethoven's music can seep into anyone's subconscious and stir up feelings of empathy. On today's show, hear them play Beethoven's String Quartet No. 1 at a concert in New York City.

'Tis the (festival) season

'Tis the (festival) season

One of the great joys of the summer music festival season is hearing ad-hoc all-star groups who would never otherwise get to play together. We've got just such an ensemble on today's show, a unique all-star quartet in concert at the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival on Long Island.

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