Performance Today®

The Acana tree can grow up to 90 feet, standing tall over wide-spreading roots. Its remarkably strong wood is essential to Cuban life and society. On today's show, hear music inspired by this majestic tree: Acana by the 2021 Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Tania León.

Alexi Kenney first appeared on Performance Today as a Young Artist in Residence back in 2015. Since then, he has become one of the greatest violinists of his generation. In this episode, we hear his renditions of classic compositions resonate inside the beautiful St. Francis Church in Locarno, Switzerland.

Grammy award-winning composer Libby Larsen takes inspiration from Dvorak's work with African-American spirituals in her 2014 composition, Sorrow Song and Jubilee. Hear this fascinating blend of styles and more on this episode of Performance Today.

The Formosa Quartet finally ended their year-and-a-half-long COVID-era break with hugs, smiles, and a terrific concert performance. On today's show, hear a reunited Formosa Quartet performance in San Francisco.

An orchestra of talented young players from Cuba recently traveled to Berlin. Join us today for a highlight from that extraordinary concert. It's the Havana Lyceum Orchestra, on this edition of Performance Today.

In 1932, Aaron Copland went to an all-night dance hall in Mexico City and was struck by the spirit of the place. He said he felt in live contact with the humanity and dignity of the Mexican people. On today's show, hear the music inspired by that dance club: El Salon Mexico by Aaron Copland.

Composer and guitarist Agustín Barrios was in a cathedral listening to heavenly music...then he walked out into the city and felt assaulted by the sudden change from serenity to noise. On today's show, hear the music he wrote in response to that experience: The Cathedral, by Agustín Barrios.

On today's show, we speak to scholar and soprano Dr. Louise Toppin, creator of the African Diaspora Music Project, a database of music written by Black composers from all around the world. Toppin's goal is to bring classical music written by Black people to concert halls worldwide.

Three members of the Schumann Quartet are siblings from a family named Schumann, and their father's name was Robert Schumann...but no relation to the famous composer. In this episode, we'll sort out the names and hear the Schumann Quartet play music by Schumann, plus Bruce Adolphe has this week’s Piano Puzzler.