Performance Today®

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!

When Anyango Yarbo-Davenport turned two years old, she asked her parents if she could get her own... orchestra. Anyango's mom said she didn't think she could make enough food for an entire orchestra. Still, the gift she received instead made a profound impact. On today's show, violinist Anyango Yarbo-Davenport plays from 'Carolinian Dances' by Robert Aldridge.

The members of A Far Cry are strong believers in musical democracy. They rotate leadership roles among all of the players; those personalities make their concerts refreshing and unexpected and vibrant. On today's show, hear A Far Cry play music by Philip Glass, from a concert in Rockport, Massachusetts.

When Francis Poulenc was drafted into World War One, he was assigned to an anti-aircraft unit. He wasn't particularly... useful... in that situation. He was sent back to Paris to be a typist, a job that left Poulenc with some time on his hands. On today's show, hear a piece written in his spare time: Mouvements Perpetuels (Perpetual Motion), by Francis Poulenc.

100 years ago, the 19th amendment for the U.S. Constitution was ratified, and women in this country finally won the right to vote. The determination and resilience of the suffragettes inspired future generations, and also inspired music. On today's show, we celebrate with music inspired by the women's suffrage movement.