Poster Fred Child
Fred Child
MPR

Performance Today®

with host Fred Child

All Episodes

Richard Scofano: La Tierra sin Mal

Richard Scofano: La Tierra sin Mal

Composer Richard Scofano wrote a 15-minute piece of music inspired by a hopeful vision of the future. On today's show, hear La Tierra sin Mal (The Land Without Evil) by Richard Scofano; a musical journey through struggle, determination, and finally, the discovery of peace and serenity.

PT Weekend: The Piano Puzzler

PT Weekend: The Piano Puzzler

Every week, composer Bruce Adolphe joins us for a musical game, our Piano Puzzler. Bruce re-writes a familiar tune in the style of a great composer. We get one of our listeners on the phone who tries to guess the hidden tune and the composer whose style Bruce is imitating. Play along with the PT Piano Puzzler on today’s show.

Matvey Demin's prize

Matvey Demin's prize

As a kid, flutist Matvey Demin was upset that the Tchaikovsky Competition was only for pianists, string players, and singers. But, In 2019, a new category opened up for wind instruments… and Demin took first prize. Hear Matvey Demin’s gold medal final round concerto on this episode of Performance Today.

William Bolcom: Ann Arbor Saturday

William Bolcom: Ann Arbor Saturday

American composer William Bolcom teaches at the University of Michigan, where, on Saturdays in the fall, the town is abuzz for Wolverine football. On today's show, hear the world premiere live performance recording of Bolcom's "Ann Arbor Saturday."

Bruce Adolphe and the Piano Puzzler

Bruce Adolphe and the Piano Puzzler

Every week, composer Bruce Adolphe joins us for a musical game, our Piano Puzzler. Bruce re-writes a familiar tune in the style of a great composer. We get one of our listeners on the phone who tries to guess the hidden tune and the composer whose style Bruce is imitating. Play along with the PT Piano Puzzler on this episode of Performance Today.

Rhapsody in Blue(grass)

Rhapsody in Blue(grass)

Quartet San Francisco is dedicated to advancing the traditional string quartet structure into a new world of vibrant music. On today’s show, hear Quartet San Francisco play their version of Rhapsody in Blue.

Fauré's Piano Quartet No. 1

Fauré's Piano Quartet No. 1

One of the great joys of music festivals is hearing ad-hoc all-star groups who would never otherwise get to play together. We've got just such an ensemble on today's show, a unique all-star quartet plays music by Gabriel Faure at the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival on Long Island.

Nino Rota's Divertimento Concertante

Nino Rota's Divertimento Concertante

In 1967, Nino Rota wrote what is like Mount Everest for double bass players. It's daunting, dangerous, and tempting. On today's show, hear double bassist Stanislau Anishchanka and the West German Radio Symphony Orchestra scale the Divertimento Concertante by Nino Rota.

PT Weekend: Copper Street Brass

PT Weekend: Copper Street Brass

Tim Bradley recently arranged a piece by Clara Schumann for his group, the Copper Street Brass. Join us today to hear the Copper Street Brass play Bradley's arrangement of Soirees Musicales from a concert in St Paul, Minnesota.