Performance Today®

Hungarian composer Bela Bartok was one of the founders of the field of ethnomusicology. He traveled the dusty back roads of Hungary and Romania, recording tens of thousands of folk songs, and that work inspired many of his own compositions. On today's episode, join us for Bartok's Hungarian Folk Tunes, from a concert at the Music@Menlo festival.

Carol Wincenc is a living legend of the flute. This season marks her 50th year as a performer. She's been celebrating with a set of new pieces written in her honor. On today's show, we'll honor Carol Wincenc's golden anniversary, and hear the world premiere of Full Circle Fifty by Jake Heggie.

In pop music, it's Beyonce and Jay-Z. Here in the classical world, the big power couple is Wu Han and David Finckel. They're musical visionaries, mentors, and chamber musicians with incredible chemistry. On today's episode, they'll play a piece that Bruce Adolphe wrote for them, simply titled "Couple."

Composer Edvard Grieg found tremendous inspiration in Norwegian history and folklore. His Lyric Pieces for piano are expressions of his country's places, stories, and people. On this episode of Performance Today, Joyce Yang brings those colorful works to life, from a concert in Seattle.

Violinist Angele Dubeau and her all-female ensemble La Pieta are based in Montreal. On Today's show, Dubeau explains that there are many ways to interpret the title of their new album: Pulsations. Join us for music and conversation with Angele Dubeau, on this episode of Performance Today. Elena See guest-hosts.

On today's show, meet our new PT Young Artist in Residence, clarinetist Max Opferkuch. Max joins Fred Child for music and conversation at Performance Today's studio in St. Paul, Minnesota.

A huge mysterious creature lurks below the surface of a clear and tranquil lake. It may or may not be dangerous...it's hard to tell. On today's show, you'll hear that creature's presence in The Enchanted Lake, by Russian composer Anatoly Lyadov.

On today's show, meet our new PT Young Artist in Residence, clarinetist Max Opferkuch. Max joins Fred Child for music and conversation at Performance Today's studio in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Clarinetist Max Opferkuch is Performance Today's current Young Artist in Residence. Max recently joined Fred Child for conversation and music at our studio in Saint Paul. You can hear it all here!