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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

The Chinese lute, or pipa, has been around for more than two thousand years. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll hear a 21st century composition for pipa performed by Wu Man and the Buffalo Philharmonic.


Performance Today®

Robin Holland

Modern music for an ancient instrument

On Thursday's Performance Today, Lawrence Foster conducts the Houston Symphony Orchestra in a glorious performance of music from Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations at Jones Hall in Texas.


Houston First Theaters

Houston Spotlight

The story of Don Juan has all the makings of a gripping melodrama -- love, betrayal, and death. On Wednesday's Performance Today, we'll hear the Munich Philharmonic perform Richard Strauss's explosive tone poem based on the legend.


Wikipedia

Legend of Don Juan

After a holiday weekend, there's often a big clean-up that has to take place. So on Tuesday's Performance Today, we'll help out with a special piece by Malcolm Arnold; his Grand Overture for Vacuum Cleaners, Floor Polisher, and Concert Band.


Wikimedia Commons

Music for vacuum and floor polisher

Long before we became aware of conserving the environment, Johann Sebastian Bach was hard at work conserving his own output: his musical ideas. On today's show, we'll hear Bach's music as he reworked and finessed his favorite melodies in a variety of performances.


wikipedia.org

The great recycler

On this weekend's Performance Today, composer Bruce Adolphe joins us with our weekly musical game. Play along; see if you can name the hidden tune and the composer whose style Bruce is mimicking. Plus, we'll hear musical highlights from concert halls around the world.


Bobrat

Our weekly musical game

Pianist Martha Argerich has a devoted following; fans who will literally follow her from one concert to another. On Friday's Performance Today, we'll take you to a concert in Switzerland to hear her perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2.


Martha Argerich

Ray Sanders has become famous for playing a rather unusual instrument - the turkey baster. In celebration of Thanksgiving, we'll hear Sanders and the Dallas Winds perform a very special holiday-related selection on Thursday's Performance Today.


Ethan Lofton from Durango, CO (Wikimedia Commons)

The "Ace of Baste"

On Wednesday's Performance Today, composer Bruce Adolphe joins us with our weekly musical game. Play along; see if you can name the hidden tune and the composer whose style Bruce is mimicking. Plus, we'll hear musical highlights from concert halls around the world.


All Episodes