Performance Today®

In 1892, when Czech composer Antonin Dvorak was in New York, he heard 25 year-old Harry Thacker Burleigh sing African-American spirituals. Those songs were part of Dvorak's inspiration for his most famous piece, his Symphony No. 9. On Monday's Performance Today, join the audience for Dvorak's ninth, then hear a new piece inspired by Dvorak AND Burleigh, 'Sorrow Song and Jubilee' by Libby Larsen.

Pianist Yuja Wang has had a major-label recording contract for 8 years. She is known for playing virtuosic pieces by the likes of Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Liszt... and yet, she feels intimidated about playing music by Mozart. On Saturday's Performance Today, hear Yuja Wang perform a Mozart piano concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Lionel Bringuier.

Steve Reich is one of the most influential and acclaimed composers alive. In the 1960's, he was among a group of composers that pioneered what is known as minimal music. On Friday's Performance Today, cellist Rose Bellini performs Reich's "Cello Counterpoint" with 7 more cellos, all pre-recorded and played by cellist Maya Beiser. Join us for our weekly celebration of 21st century music!

Pianist Yuja Wang has had a major-label recording contract for 8 years. She is known for playing virtuosic pieces by the likes of Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Liszt... and yet, she feels intimidated about playing music by Mozart. On Thursday's Performance Today, hear Yuja Wang perform a Mozart piano concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Lionel Bringuier.

It took Johannes Brahms nearly 20 years to complete his first symphony, in part because he was intimidated by Beethoven's symphonies. After rave reviews, Brahms confidently finished his second symphony in less than a year. On Wednesday's Performance Today, hear the San Francisco Symphony perform Johannes Brahms's Symphony No. 2.

Appalachian Spring, by Aaron Copland, is often seen as emblematic of the Appalachian Mountains... but Copland composed the music for a Martha Graham ballet BEFORE it had been given a name. More about Appalachian Spring, and a performance by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, on Tuesday's Performance Today.

Czech composer Jan Dussek was a contemporary of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. Dussek was a favorite of Marie Antoinette, though he's not nearly as well remembered as his peers. Learn more about Jan Dussek, and hear pianist Andreas Staier play Dussek's Piano Concerto in G Minor on Monday's Performance Today.

Camille Saint-Saens completed his last symphony in 1886... a rare composition for full orchestra and organ. On Saturday's Performance Today, hear Saint-Saen's Symphony No. 3, the 'Organ Symphony', performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, with Thierry Escaich on the organ.

The Isle of the Dead is a painting of a dark, forbidding island. After viewing it, Sergei Rachmaninoff was inspired to write a symphonic poem; a musical depiction of the journey of a newly departed soul. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll hear the Nashville Symphony perform Rachmaninoff's Isle of the Dead in concert in Nashville.