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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at 

Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

Shows

Since 2000, Fred Child has been the host of Performance Today, the most-listened-to classical music radio show in America. He also is the commentator and announcer for Live From Lincoln Center, the only live performing arts series on television. He also hosts musical events on stages around the country, working with major orchestras and festivals, and connecting with audiences coast to coast.


Host

Fred Child

Kathryn Slusher is the senior producer of Performance Today, where she leads programming and production for the show. In her spare time, she enjoys the vibrant Twin Cities music and theater scene, and loves to read, hike and spend time with her family.


Senior Producer

Kathryn Slusher

As a Producer for Performance Today, Meghann chooses music to broadcast on the show, writes web articles and scripts, facilitates, conducts and edits interviews, creates video content and manages PT’s social media pages. She created Performance Today’s Black History Spotlight Series and the My Name is Series to highlight Black classical musicians. Meghann is also the producer for the PT Young Artist in Residence Series. In her free time, she is a mom, a part-time actress and fashion lover.

Meghann also created and hosted “Wondrous Strange”, a national radio program about uncommon musical instruments, she is the official underwriting voice for ‘The New York Times’ The Daily, and she can occasionally be heard guest-hosting Performance Today.


Producer

Meghann Oglesby

As an Associate Producer for Performance Today, Kathleen Bradbury writes scripts and assists with external communications. In her spare time, she likes to read fiction, lift heavy weights at the gym, and frolic about in nature. But above all else, Kathleen loves to sing Broadway showtunes--much to the delight of her wife, her infant son, and her rescue dog.


Kathleen Bradbury

Jon Gohman is an associate producer for Performance Today. He is responsible for various behind-the-scenes functions, including liaising with artists and creating materials for national distribution. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing the guitar, and thinking about Langrange points.


Associate Producer

Jon Gohman

Craig Thorson is the Technical Director for Performance Today. In addition to mastering the live music recordings that are programmed for each daily program, he records guest performances and interviews. Craig enjoys skiing, tennis, and bicycling, and boating.


Technical Director

Craig Thorson

Jeanne Barron is the technical producer of Performance Today.


Technical Producer

YourClassical MPR

Jeanne Barron

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Performance Today

Composer Justin Hurwitz talks about creating the themes that give the film La La Land an emotional, musical soul.


Interview with Justin Hurwitz, composer for La La Land

La La Land's Justin Hurwitz

Freds Favorites

Missing Piece Group

The melodies of La La Land

In his diary, Jean Sibelius wrote: "This morning, I saw 16 swans. Lord God, what beauty! They circled...like a gleaming, silver ribbon." That sight inspired a moment in his Symphony No. 5, which we'll hear on Tuesday's Performance Today.


Performance Today®

Photo courtesy of Jim Brandenburg

Sibelius' swans

In celebration Carl Philip Emanuel Bach's 300th birthday, conductor Nicholas McGegan hoped to inspire a groundswell of enthusiasm for the man's music. Something he called "Carl-o-philip-emanuel-bach-o-mania." On Monday's Performance Today, we'll do our part with a Keyboard Concerto by CPE Bach.


Wikimedia Commons

Celebrating CPE Bach

It's a busy season for music! On this weekend's Performance Today, Bruce Adolphe joins us for this week's Piano Puzzler. Plus, we'll have wintry musical highlights for the Christmas season, including this special 5 piano arrangement of the Skater's Waltz.


Image courtesy

Wintry musical highlights

Benjamin Franklin invented the glass harmonica, and Mozart wrote music for this unusual instrument. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll go to a concert in Meiringen, Switzerland, to hear Mozart's music for the glass harmonica.


Velaslavasay Panorama

The glass harmonica

Conductor Simon Rattle has known The Nutcracker since he was a kid, and with each passing year he becomes more fascinated with the music. On Thursday's Performance Today, Simon Rattle conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in The Nutcracker "B-sides;" the sometimes overlooked, but still heart-tugging and toe-tapping dances from the rest of Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet.


CGP Grey / www.CGPGrey.com

The Nutcracker "B-sides"

It's a busy musical season! On Wednesday's Performance Today, Bruce Adolphe joins us with this week's Piano Puzzler. Plus, we'll have winter concert highlights from around the country, including a virtuosic performance of Strauss' Til Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks.


liz west / Flicker

A busy musical season

Robert Schumann wrote his Piano Concerto in A Major for his great love -- his wife, pianist Clara Schumann. On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll hear Martha Argerich play Schumann's musical poetry of love, from a concert in Switzerland.


Bildarchiv Preusischer Kulturbesitz

Music for a great love

What's the point of musical technique? According to pianist Andre Watts, technique allows you to create at will what you hear in your inner ear. On Monday's Performance Today, we'll hear what's going on in Watts' inner ear when he plays Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in concert in Houston.
