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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 

Hosted by Valerie Kahler, 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.

Shows

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Valerie Kahler

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

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 APM Distribution. 


Dani Werner

Franz Schubert turned 21 as he was writing his Symphony No. 6. On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll go to Walt Disney Hall to hear Gustavo Dudamel conduct the L.A. Philharmonic young Schubert's Symphony No. 6.


Performance Today®

Carol Highsmith/Wikimedia Commons

Schubert's Symphony No. 6

Sol Gabetta plays cello with intelligence, emotion, and a lively wit. She lives in Switzerland, and her career is mainly in Europe. But on Monday's Performance Today, we'll hear from a rare concert Sol Gabetta gave here in the states.


Marco Borggreve

Sol Gabetta

Inspired by the words and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Danielpour composed a new piece, which he titled "From The Mountaintop." On this weekend's Performance Today, we'll hear it from a concert at the Gateways Festival; a gathering with a focus on African American musicians.


AP 1963

Richard Danielpour's 'From the Mountaintop'

It may be the wrong time of year, but Peter Schickele's Spring Forward is such a graceful piece that we couldn't wait to share it with you. Yes indeed, that Peter Schickele -  the man who created the wackiness of PDQ Bach is also a serious composer. We'll hear his new piece, Spring Forward, on Friday's Performance Today.


Courtesy of the artist

Peter Schickele's Spring Forward

Inspired by the words and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Danielpour composed a new piece, which he titled "From The Mountaintop." On Thursday's Performance Today, we'll hear it from a concert at the Gateways Festival; a gathering with a focus on African American musicians.


Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King

Wikimedia Commons

Johannes Brahms said he just didn't understand symphonies by Anton Bruckner. To which Bruckner replied, "I have the exact same problem with yours." On Wednesday's Performance Today, we'll hear the New York Philharmonic play music by the often misunderstood Bruckner - the gorgeous slow movement from his Symphony No. 8.


Society of Friends of Music, Vienna

Anton Bruckner

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


Garrick Ohlsson on Chopin

Alexander Scriabin was a musical metaphysician; he genuinely wanted his music to change the world. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll go to Warsaw for a rare performance of Scriabin's Piano Concerto. See if your world is changed; even if only by extending your musical horizons a bit.


bbc.co.uk

Alexander Scriabin, musical metaphysician

The group Tembembe Ensamble Continuo thrives in the territory where classical and folk overlap; their music is a rich blend of Spanish classical and Mexican folk music. On this weekend's Performance Today, we'll have music and conversation with these genre-defying musicians.


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