Performance Today®

What would you do if you met someone famous? Would you keep your cool and calmly shake hands? Or are you the type of person who would get too excited and trip on your own feet? On today's show, find out how composer Robert Kahn reacted when he met Johannes Brahms.

Violist Jordan Bak was one of our 2020 Young Artists in Residence. He's an incredibly talented young musician with a bright personality and continues to bloom. On today's show, we'll hear Jordan Bak's performance of Bartok's Viola Concerto with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra.

Augusta Holmès and her music were celebrated in Paris during her life. She wrote quite a few large-scale orchestral works, and in many cases, she surprised critics who expected a woman to write more diminutive music. Holmès compositions are being rediscovered and appreciated for what they are: the work of a talented composer. We'll hear music by French composer Augusta Holmes on today's show.

Pianist Stephen Hough describes the music of Federico Mompou as: "the music of evaporation." Hough says, "The notes are too simple and the soul too complex for conventional analysis." On today's show, we'll hear Stephen Hough play the Magic Songs by Catalan composer Federico Mompou from a concert presented by Spivey Hall at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia.

In 1922, Danish composer Carl Nielsen was working on a wind quintet when he had an idea. He turned a simple hymn tune into a theme with a wide variety of variations, one of which even imitates the sound of bagpipes. On today's show, experience the dynamic moods and sounds of Nielsen's Wind Quintet from a concert presented by Camerata Pacifica.

Augusta Holmès and her music were celebrated in Paris during her life. She wrote quite a few large-scale orchestral works, and in many cases, she surprised critics who expected a woman to write more diminutive music. Holmès compositions are being rediscovered and appreciated for what they are: the work of a talented composer. We'll hear music by French composer Augusta Holmes on today's show.

Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho died in June 2023 at the age of 70. Her compositions explored themes of nature, spirituality, and human emotions, captivating audiences with their evocative and atmospheric soundscapes. On today's show, we'll hear a concerto for flute and orchestra that was inspired by the flight of birds: Aile du Songe (Wing of the Dream) by Kaija Saariaho.

Tessa Lark played a Stradivarius violin for several years, but that violin was on loan, and she had to give it back. Now, she has a different violin; it’s not a Stradivarius, but she loves it even more. On this episode of Performance Today, we'll hear Tessa Lark play that violin at a concert presented by the Seattle Chamber Music Society.

When Nikki Chooi Opens his violin case, he sees a picture of two circles. The small circle is labeled "your comfort zone," and the bigger circle says "Where the magic happens." On Today's show, we'll hear Nikki Chooi make magic with the Buffalo Philharmonic and conductor JoAnn Falletta.