Performance Today®

Performance Today has selected acclaimed pianist, producer, curator, storyteller, cultural visionary and arts advocate Lara Downes as the 2022 Classical Woman of the Year. This annual award recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the classical music art form and have inspired our listeners.

Listeners from across the country shared their nominations for the PT Classical Woman of the Year award. We've chosen pianist Lara Downes for her artistry, determination, and leadership. Join us today for a full hour of music and conversation with Lara Downes.

Conductor JoAnn Falletta says that audiences don't realize how much the performers rely on their energy. On today's show, pianist Juho Pohjonen and the Buffalo Philharmonic perform Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in front of a great audience in Buffalo, New York.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Emanuel Ax, and violinist Leonidas Kavakos recently released a new album titled "Beethoven for Three." The idea is to take play Beethoven's symphonies arranged for a trio. It works surprisingly well, and we love it! Hear a couple of these pieces and a conversation with the musicians on this episode of Performance Today.

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. Plus, we take you to a concert in New Zealand to hear music by composer Anthony Ritchie.

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.

The Lviv Philharmonic in western Ukraine was still making music until just a few days ago. On today's episode, we have updates on their work for music, peace, and independence, and we'll hear from a concert performance by the Lviv National Philharmonic of Ukraine.

Imagine we’re strolling in a sunny meadow in the Swiss Alps. Birds call from overhead, boat horns echo from nearby lakes, and a gentle cow joins our walk with her bell chiming along the way. On today's show, hear a piece that Franz Doppler wrote with the intent of capturing that idyllic scene.

Composer Robert W. Butts was working on a new piece when he took a break to attend a concert of Irish music. When the musicians started playing jigs, he decided that that sound—celebratory Celtic dance music—was just what he needed in his final movement. On today's show, hear the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey perform Robert W. Butts' new Viola Concerto. It's classical music with a Celtic kick.