Performance Today®

Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic just got back from a whirlwind, 10-day concert tour to Venezuela, Dudamel's home country. By all accounts, the tour was a big success. In today's show, we'll hear a recording they made before their tour, a concert performance of Brahms' Second Symphony at Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles.

The Roma people (also known as Gypsies) have long lived on the fringes of Eastern European society. But even though they themselves have been marginalized, their influence on classical music has not. In today's show, we'll hear Haydn's "Gypsy Rondo" Trio and the world premiere of Mark O'Connor's "March of the Gypsy Fiddler."

Fred Child recently interviewed Aaron Dworkin, the founder and president of the Sphinx Organization, about the value of diversity in art. He's written a new memoir titled Uncommon Rhythm about his experience as a violinist of mixed race and as a leader in developing young classical musicians.

Today on PT, special music in honor of a few of our 44 Commanders-in-Chief. Leonard Bernstein wrote a fanfare in honor of the Inauguration of JFK in 1961. John Knowles Paine wrote a Solemn March for Abraham Lincoln's funeral. Plus, we'll hear music by the man who can arguably be called the country's Composer-in-Chief, Aaron Copland.

Rising stars and established veterans are in this weekend's show. Cellist Lynn Harrell has been one of the top cellists in the world for decades. We'll hear him in concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic. And we'll hear from one of our favorite young pianists, Roberto Plano, performing as part of the Gilmore Rising Stars Recital Series.

Rising stars and established veterans are in today's show. Cellist Lynn Harrell has been one of the top cellists in the world for decades. We'll hear him in concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic. And we'll hear from one of our favorite young pianists, Roberto Plano, performing as part of the Gilmore Rising Stars Recital Series.

As much as we strive to be a color-blind society, the fact is, we're not. And there are few places where the color divide is as prominent as in classical music. Violinist and educator Aaron Dworkin joins us today to talk about his experience growing up as a classical musician and a person of color. And he talks about the Sphinx Organization he founded to promote diversity in classical music.

Last weekend, the 2012 Sphinx Competition was held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The competition is held every year, and is open to young African-American and Latino string players. We'll hear from this year's winner, 18-year-old cellist Gabriel Cabezas. He played the Elgar Cello Concerto in his winning performance on Sunday.

If music be the food of love, then we'll play on. We'll hear stories of love and passion in today's show, and the music that goes with them. In "Vince and Jan: 1945," a son looks back to World War II and the roots of his parents' long love affair. And the Los Angeles Philharmonic plays music from the familiar story of a young love that didn't survive, "Romeo and Juliet."