Performance Today®

Frank Abagnale's life as a master forger and impostor was the true story behind the 2002 movie, Catch Me If You Can. On today's show, hear Branford Marsalis and the Jacksonville Symphony play a piece from the movie's score: Escapades, by John Williams.

It's one of the most prestigious musical competitions on the planet, and it only comes around once every four years. On today's show, hear a selection of Gold Medal performances from the 2019 Tchaikovsky International Competition in Russia.

Conductor Donald Runnicles grew up in Scotland where he developed a love for the rugged highlands. These days, he spends his summers in the mountains of the American West. On today's show, Runnicles conducts the world premiere of a piece written for him by Aaron Jay Kernis: "For the Love of the Mountains."

Harpist Mallory McHenry is one of our most recent PT Young Artists in Residence. On today's show, Mallory joins Fred Child for music and conversation at the Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser studio in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Composer Jessie Montgomery says she's made an attempt to answer the question: "What does an anthem for the 21st century sound like in today's multi-cultural environment?" On today's show, hear Montgomery's answer, a rhapsody on the Star Spangled Banner.

Conductor Donald Runnicles grew up in Scotland where he developed a love for the rugged highlands. These days, he spends his summers in the mountains of the American West. On today's show, Runnicles conducts the world premiere of a piece written for him by Aaron Jay Kernis: "For the Love of the Mountains."

Once every four years, talented musicians gather in Russia for the International Tchaikovsky Competition. This year, several American musicians made the final round. We'll share highlights from their performances on this edition of Performance Today.

The life cycle of the butterfly is often used to represent change, rebirth, and hope. Composer Alyssa Morris sees the butterfly as a symbol of spiritual development. On today's program, hear music inspired by the earthbound caterpillar turning into a soaring butterfly.

Conductor Osmo Vanska says that Jean Sibelius's fifth symphony is the most uplifting of his symphonies. Even so, it's not without sadness. Vanska explains that this is a very typical Finnish outlook. On this weekend's show, hear Osmo Vanska and the Minnesota Orchestra weave the joy and shadows of Sibelius's Symphony No. 5.