Poster Fred Child
Fred Child
MPR

Performance Today®

with host Fred Child

All Episodes

He's become the go-to composer for U.S. National Parks
Jeremy Denk and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Jeremy Denk and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Years ago, pianist Jeremy Denk was a PT Young Artist in Residence. Since then, he's gone on to have a stellar career, including receiving a MacArthur Genius Grant and concert appearances around the world. On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll hear Denk in concert with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra playing music by Mozart.

Brahms in New York

Brahms in New York

On Wednesday's Performance Today, we'll take you to a concert in New York City to hear pianist Emanuel Ax and the New York Philharmonic play Brahms' dramatic Piano Concerto No. 2. Plus, Bruce Adolphe joins us with this week's Piano Puzzler.

Mahler's bad breakup

Mahler's bad breakup

Gustav Mahler got over a bad breakup, in part, by writing his Symphony No. 1. He confided to a friend: "The music begins where the love affair ends." On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll Mahler's First from a concert by the Cincinnati Symphony.

Johannes Brahms' Piano Quintet

Johannes Brahms' Piano Quintet

The first time Johannes Brahms wrote his Piano Quintet, a violinist said it didn't quite work. The second time, Brahms' friend Clara Schumann said nope, still not right. But the third time was a charm. On Monday's Performance Today, we'll hear take three of Brahms' Piano Quintet in concert from Bergen, Norway.

Avi Avital and the Dover Quartet

Avi Avital and the Dover Quartet

On this weekend's Performance Today, we've got a PT listener favorite: Cymbeline, by composer David Bruce. We'll hear it performed by mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital and the Dover Quartet in Savannah, Georgia.

David Bruce's Cymbeline

David Bruce's Cymbeline

On Friday's Performance Today, we've got a PT listener favorite: Cymbeline, by composer David Bruce. We'll hear it performed by mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital and the Dover Quartet in Savannah, Georgia.

Ravel's Piano Concerto for Left Hand

Ravel's Piano Concerto for Left Hand

In 1930, composer Maurice Ravel wrote a special concerto for a pianist who had lost his right arm during the First World War. On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll hear pianist Kirill Gerstein play that piece; Ravel's Piano Concerto for Left Hand.

Our weekly musical game

Our weekly musical game

Every week on our Piano Puzzler, composer Bruce Adolphe re-writes a familiar tune in the style of a great composer. Then, one of our listeners calls in and tries to guess two things: the tune, and the composer whose style Bruce is mimicking. Play along with our weekly musical game, on Wednesday's Performance Today.

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