Performance Today®

We recently started tracking how many pieces of music on our program were composed by, performed by or conducted by women. The numbers made it clear: women are underrepresented. Performance Today wants to change that.

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 Wednesday's Performance Today, pianist Martha Argerich joins the National Orchestra of France to play Ravel's jazz-influenced Piano Concerto in G Major. Elena See guest-hosts.

When Edgar Meyer was growing up, there was sort of a family tradition... his father and two uncles played the double bass. Now, Edgar Meyer is THE great double bass virtuoso of our time. On Tuesday's Performance Today, hear him play a Bottesini double bass concerto with the Nashville Symphony. Roderick Cox guest-hosts.

Garrick Ohlsson feels that Chopin's music is more about visceral feeling than intellectual understanding, though Chopin's intellect was penetrating and brilliant. On Monday's Performance Today, we'll hear Ohlsson perform a Chopin scherzo from a concert at The Cliburn.

In 1897, French composer Paul Dukas wrote The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and it became a popular concert piece within a few years. The symphonic poem became widely known to audiences everywhere when it was used for the 1940 Walt Disney film Fantasia. On this weekend's Performance Today, JoAnn Falletta conducts the Buffalo Philharmonic in a live performance of The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas.

In 1897, French composer Paul Dukas wrote The Sorcerer's Apprentice, and it became a popular concert piece within a few years. The symphonic poem became widely known to audiences everywhere when it was used for the 1940 Walt Disney film Fantasia. On Friday's Performance Today, JoAnn Falletta conducts the Buffalo Philharmonic in a live performance of The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas.

During the First World War, Carl Nielsen poured his energy into a new piece of music; a fervent symphony expressing his belief that despite the war, life and light could prevail. On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll hear Nielsen's "Inextinguishable" Symphony No. 4, from a concert in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

On Wednesday's Performance Today, join us for highlights from the Gateways Music Festival, a festival devoted to classical musicians of African descent. We'll speak with Artistic Director Lee Koonce, and hear the Gateways Festival Orchestra perform An American Port of Call by Adolphus Hailstork.

The Chinese lute, or pipa, has been around for more than two thousand years. On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll hear a 21st century composition for pipa performed by Wu Man and the Buffalo Philharmonic.