Performance Today®

On Tuesday's Performance Today, we have an entire hour devoted to music of the planets and stars. Plus, we'll hear special selections from this year's BBC Proms.

David Grossman plays double bass as a member of the New York Philharmonic; we spoke with him in his home about the art of practicing. On Monday's Performance Today we'll hear highlights from that conversation, plus we'll hear Grossman and his colleagues play music by Mozart.

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 some 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 some 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'll hear two French masterpieces played in concert by two great orchestras. First, the French National Orchestra plays Claude Debussy's musical picture of the sea; La Mer. And from downtown Los Angeles, the LA Philharmonic plays Maurice Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe.

As a boy, Ramzi Aburedwan threw stones at Israeli soldiers. Then he learned to play the violin, and these days, he fights for peace -- with music. On this weekend's Performance Today, journalist Sandy Tolan and Palestinian music teacher Ramzi Aburedwan join Fred to discuss the power of music and Tolan's new book, "Children of the Stone."