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.
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.
Danish composer Carl Nielsen is not known for his string quartets. His countrymen, the Danish String Quartet, think it's time for that to change. On Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll hear them play Nielsen's Quartet No. 2; a piece as sweet and quirky as the composer himself.
Aaron Copland was from Brooklyn. He was a city slicker who captured -- and to a certain degree, created -- what we think of as the sound of the old American West. On Monday's Performance Today, we'll hear selections from his cowboy ballet, "Billy the Kid."
On this weekend's Performance Today, mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile will join Fred in the studio to co-host an hour of PT. He'll play Bach, and talk about seeing his favorite Mahler symphony in concert. The musical enthusiasms of Chris Thile, on the next Performance Today.
On Friday's Performance Today, mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile will join Fred in the studio to co-host an hour of PT. He'll play Bach, and talk about seeing his favorite Mahler symphony in concert. The musical enthusiasms of Chris Thile, on the next Performance Today.
On Thursday's Performance Today, innovative pianist Jade Simmons joins Fred in the studio to discuss what it means to stay fiery as a musician.
On Wednesday's Performance Today, Fred Child is joined by a special co-host -- violinist Hilary Hahn. Since her professional debut at age 16, Hilary Hahn has been counted as one of the very best classical violinists in the world. She's curated a special playlist for PT listeners which includes performances that influenced her as a young violinist and ones that she admires today.
On Tuesday's Performance Today conductor, pianist and candid commentator Bill Eddins joins host Fred Child in the studio to take listeners on a tour of his favorite pieces of classical music. He talks about the unappreciated humor in Beethoven's symphonies, the sly keyboard prowess of Alicia de Larrocha, and reveals what he calls "the sexiest piece of classical music ever written."
On Monday's Performance Today, we have special music to celebrate the Fourth of July. Plus, journalist and author Steve Vogel will join us to discuss the miraculous history of our national anthem.
