Performance Today®

In 1899, Finnish composer Jean Sibelius began work on a tone poem that has become Finland's unofficial second national anthem. On today's edition of Performance Today, we'll hear Osmo Vanska conduct the Minnesota Orchestra in a live performance of Finlandia, by Jean Sibelius.

Diwali, the festival of lights, is underway in India and in communities around the world. It's a time to celebrate the victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance. On today's episode, we'll celebrate Diwali with music by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail.

Sergei Rachmaninoff's First Symphony was panned by the critics, and the young composer was devastated. But when he premiered his Third Symphony, 40 years later, Rachmaninoff believed that he had written something special, whether the critics liked it or not. On today's episode of Performance today, we'll hear Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3, from a recent concert in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1928, Maurice Ravel spent some time hanging out with George Gershwin in Harlem jazz clubs. The sounds Ravel heard in Harlem made their way into some of his subsequent compositions. On today's Performance Today, we'll hear Ravel's playful jazz-influenced Piano Concerto in G Major.

Robin Kesselman usually stands in the back of the orchestra. He plays Principal Double Bass in the Houston Symphony. But Kesselman stood way up in front of the orchestra recently to play the Concerto for Double Bass by Serge Koussevitzky. Kesselman told the Houston Chronicle that moments like that "only happen a few times a career." On this weekend's show. we'll hear Robin Kesselman and the Houston Symphony perform the Concerto for Double Bass by Serge Koussevitzky.

American composer Jennifer Higdon wrote Blue Cathedral in 2000. It was inspired by an imaginary vision of a glass cathedral in the sky. On today's Performance Today, the group called The Orchestra Now takes us on a journey through that cathedral, from a concert in upstate New York. It's Blue Cathedral by Jennifer Higdon.

Robin Kesselman usually stands in the back of the orchestra. He plays Principal Double Bass in the Houston Symphony. But Kesselman stood way up in front of the orchestra recently to play the Concerto for Double Bass by Serge Koussevitzky. Kesselman told the Houston Chronicle that moments like that "only happen a few times a career." On today's show. we'll hear Robin Kesselman and the Houston Symphony perform the Concerto for Double Bass by Serge Koussevitzky.

We have quite a collection of music for the last day of October. One piece about a ghost who has nothing but good intentions. Another piece about the goings-on at a witches' sabbath, and we'll even hear a dancing chorus line of skeletons. Hear some evocative music for Halloween, on Wednesday's Performance Today.

American composer Samuel Barber wrote his Adagio for Strings in 1936 and it has become one of the most beloved pieces in American music. On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll hear the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra perform Barber's Adagio from a concert in their home town of St. Paul, Minnesota.