Performance Today®

An Tran's childhood in Vietnam is reflected in his music, with sonic images that convey the beauty of his home country. On today's show, meet guitarist An Tran and hear his musical memories of Vietnam.

Guitarist An Tran has a treasured photograph. In it, he is a young child and his parents are lifting him high overhead at their home in Vietnam. He remembers that at that moment his parents were singing what he describes as "the most beautiful melody ever:" a Vietnamese folk song translated as "Stay, My Beloved." It was a grounding moment in Tran's childhood and the song is the backbone of his new album, "Stay, My Beloved."

Composer Stephen Paulus had a long and close relationship with the Minnesota Orchestra until his untimely death in 2014. The orchestra continues to honor his his profound impact on music. On today's show, hear the Minnesota Orchestra play 'Impassioned' from Stephen Paulus's Symphony in Three Movements.

In the summer 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first two humans to walk on the moon. On today's show, hear a piece written just last year by Marc Mellits, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.

Composer Stephen Paulus had a long and close relationship with the Minnesota Orchestra until his untimely death in 2014. The orchestra continues to honor his his profound impact on music. On today's show, hear the Minnesota Orchestra play 'Impassioned' from Stephen Paulus's Symphony in Three Movements.

Women's Equality Day is a recognition of the inequality of the past, and a time to make conscious choices today, in every walk of life...including music. In celebration of Women's Equality Day, hear from and about a wide range of creative women, both performers and composers.

Beethoven did his groundbreaking work two centuries ago, and to this day, musicians are finding new interpretations and new inspiration in his music. On Today's show, join us for two new takes on Beethoven; one reverential, one that's pure whimsy.

It's fair to say that Robert Schumann was impressed when he heard Schubert's first piano trio. Schumann wrote: "..the troubles of our human existence disappear...and the whole world is fresh and bright again." Can there be a better review than that? On today's show, join us for uplifting music by Franz Schubert, his Piano Trio No. 1.

In the late 1980s, American composer Aaron Jay Kernis heard music written by Hildegard von Bingen more than 800 years ago. Kernis was struck by the powerful simplicity and sheer beauty of that music. On this weekend's show, hear 'Musica Celestis' by Aaron Jay Kernis. Plus, Bruce Adolphe has this week's Piano Puzzler!