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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

On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll hear Joshua Bell discuss the art and science of finding a musical partner.  Take a front row seat as he performs with one of his favorite collaborators, pianist Sam Haywood, playing a violin sonata by French composer Gabriel Faure.


Performance Today®

Chris Chrisodoulou/Sony Classical

Joshua Bell and the art of collaboration

On Wednesday's Performance Today, join us for a multi-chorus musical feast.  The Emerson Quartet plays music by Dvorak and Bach from a concert in the city of Prague.  We'll also hear violinist Hilary Hahn playing music by Robert Schumann. Plus, Bruce Adolphe joins us for this week's Piano Puzzler.


Amy Hyatt/APM

A musical feast

There is a special magic in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Be part of the audience at the Grand Teton Music Festival for a set of musical fairy tales by Robert Schumann.


Nate Ryan/MPR

Fairy tale music from a fairy tale setting

For the past few years, the Grand Teton Music Festival has invited Performance Today to host a night of music. Listen for highlights from our night at the festival, and while you're here, take in some of the breathtaking sights this magical place has to offer.


GTMF: Robert Schumann's Fairy Tales, Op. 132

Thorson, Sanchez, Child & Ryan in Grand Teton

Lia Kass: paintings inspired by the Grand Teton Music Festival

GTMF Day 1: Robert Schumann's Fairy Tales, Op. 132

On The Road

The 2016 Grand Teton Music Festival

Join us for our usual wide range of musical highlights.  Experience a glorious Symphony No. 9 by Beethoven, from the Grand Teton Music Festival.  Then, time travel forward for the world premiere of a Guitar Concerto by Chris Brubeck, son of Dave Brubeck.


From Beethoven to Brubeck

The audience was not sure how to react when an earthquake, magnitude 5.1, struck during a concert by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Conductor Charles Dutoit made sure the music never stopped.


Donna Grayson

A moving performance

Richard Wagner was born and raised in Leipzig.  In a concert this summer, a hometown orchestra plays music by a hometown favorite.  The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra performs the Overture from Wagner's opera, Tannhauser.


Richard Wagner by Caesar Willich ca. 1862

Wikipedia/Caesar Willich ca. 1862

Born and raised in Leipzig

Music and climate science might sound like strange bedfellows, but Taylor Jordan blends the two together in his project in The Greatest Hoax.


The path to becoming a Washington D.C. advisor on climate science and global warming is easy. First study piano and double bass. Then, get a degree in composition. Next thing you know, you're a climate scientist. At least, this is how it happened for Taylor Jordan.

Jordan records under the name The Greatest Hoax, a name he borrowed from Senator James Inhofe's (R-OK) 2012 book. The book is a shot across the bow of mainstream science and claims of global warming. So it's fair to say Jordan, a climate scientist who advises members of Congress on climate science, has a bit of a cheeky streak.

The name of his 2015 album, "Enso," has ties to Jordan's day job too. It's the acronym for El Nino Southern Oscillation, commonly shortened to El Nino.

Now that you've learned something, why not have a listen? Check out The Greatest Hoax on this episode of Music is Music. To find out more about what Taylor Jordan is up to, head over to his Bandcamp page.

https://vimeo.com/163992792 

Music is Music is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Music is Music: The Greatest Hoax

Performance Today Features

Josh Yospyn

According to conductor Leonard Slatkin, leading an orchestra is a bit like being the coach of a football team. On Thursday's Performance Today, Coach Slatkin will tell us more about the curious art of conducting.
