Performance Today®

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.

Paul Sacher was a Swiss-born conductor who founded the Basel Chamber Orchestra in 1926. His wife inherited a fortune from her family's pharmaceutical business, and with that money, Sacher began to commission music from some of the great composers of the time. In 1939, Sacher invited Bela Bartok to stay at his family's Swiss chalet while Bartok composed. Bartok was given a month of luxury accommodations, a live-in chef, and blissful solitude. We'll hear what Bartok came up with on today's show, his Divertimento for Strings.

The Ekstasis Duo loves to play the "secret jewels," lesser-known works they feel deserve to be heard. Today we'll hear them play a work that was lost for nearly a century: Three Pieces by Austrian composer Alexander Zemlinsky.

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.

Vijay Venkatesh is a pianist of exceptional artistry and technical prowess, and he's one of our 2023 PT Young Artists in Residence. Vijay joins Fred Child in the studio for music and conversation on today's show.

Composer Julio Medaglia was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1938. He studied conducting in Germany for ten years before returning to Brazil to conduct and compose. For 30 years, he hosted a daily radio show in Sao Paulo that sounded similar to PT, combining concert highlights and contemporary music. On today's show, we'll hear the Imani Winds play Julio Medaglia's 'Belle Epoque en Sud-America’ (South America).

Violinist Juan Ramírez has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony for almost 50 years. He is also an avid gardener with a particular passion for chili peppers.  When he's not tending his peppers or practicing his violin, he's composing. On today's show, we'll hear a piece he wrote in 2002: Suite Latina by Juan Ramírez.