Poster Fred Child
Fred Child
MPR

Performance Today®

with host Fred Child

All Episodes

Nathalie Joachim: Seen

Nathalie Joachim: Seen

What can you learn about a person from an object that's important to them? You can learn where and when it came from, but you can also discover the memories and people connected with this object. That's the idea behind a new piece you'll hear on today's show: "Seen" by Nathalie Joachim, played by the Imani Winds at a concert presented by Chamber Music Northwest.

Cellist Leland Ko

Cellist Leland Ko

Cellist Leland Ko is one of our 2023 PT Young Artists in Residence. Leland and pianist Adria Ye join Fred Child for music and conversation at our studio in St. Paul.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth

'Juneteenth' is the longest-running celebration of the end of slavery. For many Americans, it's a day of reflection on freedom, resilience, and strength.  Tune in today for classical music reflections on the meaning of Juneteenth.

PT Weekend: Dorothy Howell

PT Weekend: Dorothy Howell

A century before Taylor Swift, the press hounded a young woman in London named Dorothy Howell. She'd written a big orchestral piece for the biggest concert of the year and became an overnight celebrity. We’ll hear Dorothy Howell’s ‘Koong Shee Ballet’ on this episode of Performance Today. Plus, Bruce Adolphe has this week’s Piano Puzzler!

The English Horn

The English Horn

It's not from England, and it's not a horn, but we call it the English horn. It was invented in Germany and is a close cousin of the oboe. We've got a gorgeous solo for the deceptively named English horn on this episode of Performance Today.

Bonecos de Olinda

Bonecos de Olinda

The city of Olinda, Brazil, is famous for massive papier-mâché puppets during the annual Carnival parades. Those “bonecos,” as they're called, can be 20 feet tall. Composer Clarice Assad wrote a piece inspired by Carnival and those big puppets. Join us today to hear “Bonecos de Olinda” by Clarice Assad.

Dorothy Howell

Dorothy Howell

A century before Taylor Swift, the press hounded a young woman in London named Dorothy Howell. She'd written a big orchestral piece for the biggest concert of the year and became an overnight celebrity. We’ll hear Dorothy Howell’s ‘Koong Shee Ballet’ on this episode of Performance Today.

Andrew Norman: Suspend

Andrew Norman: Suspend

In 2014, Andrew Norman composed a piece based on an exploration of two of Johannes Brahms's melodic motifs. The Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned the work as part of a project that invited young composers to write companion pieces for some of Brahms's best-known pieces. Join us today to hear Suspend by Andrew Norman.

Witold Lutoslawski's Symphonic Variations

Witold Lutoslawski's Symphonic Variations

Polish composer Witold Lutosławski wrote a piece in 1939 when he was a student, full of hope. The score was one of the few he could save when escaping war-torn Warsaw a few years later. Join us today to hear the Symphonic Variations by Witold Lutosławski.

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