Performance Today®

Pianist Jonathan Biss is our special guest this hour. For years, Biss suffered from debilitating performance anxiety and chose to hide it. But he's had a change of heart. He says that honesty is an absolute priority as an artist. His goal is to pull back the curtain on living as a musician with anxiety. Join us today for music and conversation with Jonathan Biss.

Composer Miguel del Aguila imagined a meeting between two characters: one is Justice, the blindfolded woman holding scales and a sword, and the other is Law, the man holding a book and gavel. We'll hear Imani Winds play the world premiere of Miguel del Aguila's 'Blindfold Music' on today's show.

A czardas is a Hungarian folk dance. Traditionally, it has a slow, dignified section that bubbles over into a speedy portion with intricate footwork. On this episode of Performance Today, we'll hear Vittorio Monti's Czardas played by an unexpected instrument.

Composer Jessie Montgomery found inspiration in nature's infinitely repeating patterns: fractals. Her fascination with these natural wonders led her to write a captivating new piece that brings fractals to life through sound. On today's show, we'll hear "Rounds" by Jessie Montgomery, a musical exploration of nature's boundless beauty.

A colorful bird sings high in a tree. Suddenly, it takes off and flies in chaotic circles, running into nearby trees. The bird exhausts itself and falls asleep. That's the story of a piece called Alma by Tania Leon—and we'll hear it on today's show!

We're pleased to introduce our next 2024 PT Young Artists in Residence: clarinetist Najee Greenlee. On today's show, Najee joins Fred Child for music and conversation at our Saint Paul studio.

Composer Jimmy Lopez Bellido discovered J.S. Bach's music when he was 11 years old. It struck through him like lightning and opened him up to the ecstasy of classical music. Bellido now tries to create those emotional experiences in his own music. On today's show, we'll hear his piece, Rise!, performed at the Lakes Area Music Festival in Brainerd, Minnesota.

In 1880, Antonín Dvořák composed a series of short piano pieces that aren’t performed as frequently as many of his other works. Pianist Leif Ove Andsnes admires the beauty of the music; he’s surprised by its infrequent performance. We’ll hear Leif Ove Andsnes play several highlights from Antonín Dvořák's Poetic Tone Pictures on today's show.

In 2008, composer Peteris Vasks wrote a new piece, a fantasy for violin and strings. In the program notes, he wrote: "It is about the greatest power in the whole world—love. Love is, was, and will be as long as we will be... I hope this work will reach the listeners and make the world a little brighter and more open to love." We'll hear Vox Amoris (Voice of Love) by Peteris Vasks on today's show.