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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at 

Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

Shows

Since 2000, Fred Child has been the host of Performance Today, the most-listened-to classical music radio show in America. He also is the commentator and announcer for Live From Lincoln Center, the only live performing arts series on television. He also hosts musical events on stages around the country, working with major orchestras and festivals, and connecting with audiences coast to coast.


Host

Fred Child

Kathryn Slusher is the senior producer of Performance Today, where she leads programming and production for the show. In her spare time, she enjoys the vibrant Twin Cities music and theater scene, and loves to read, hike and spend time with her family.


Senior Producer

Kathryn Slusher

As a Producer for Performance Today, Meghann chooses music to broadcast on the show, writes web articles and scripts, facilitates, conducts and edits interviews, creates video content and manages PT’s social media pages. She created Performance Today’s Black History Spotlight Series and the My Name is Series to highlight Black classical musicians. Meghann is also the producer for the PT Young Artist in Residence Series. In her free time, she is a mom, a part-time actress and fashion lover.

Meghann also created and hosted “Wondrous Strange”, a national radio program about uncommon musical instruments, she is the official underwriting voice for ‘The New York Times’ The Daily, and she can occasionally be heard guest-hosting Performance Today.


Producer

Meghann Oglesby

As an Associate Producer for Performance Today, Kathleen Bradbury writes scripts and assists with external communications. In her spare time, she likes to read fiction, lift heavy weights at the gym, and frolic about in nature. But above all else, Kathleen loves to sing Broadway showtunes--much to the delight of her wife, her infant son, and her rescue dog.


Kathleen Bradbury

Jon Gohman is an associate producer for Performance Today. He is responsible for various behind-the-scenes functions, including liaising with artists and creating materials for national distribution. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing the guitar, and thinking about Langrange points.


Associate Producer

Jon Gohman

Craig Thorson is the Technical Director for Performance Today. In addition to mastering the live music recordings that are programmed for each daily program, he records guest performances and interviews. Craig enjoys skiing, tennis, and bicycling, and boating.


Technical Director

Craig Thorson

Jeanne Barron is the technical producer of Performance Today.


Technical Producer

YourClassical MPR

Jeanne Barron

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Performance Today

On today's show, we'll hear a piece Mexican-American composer Jorge Machain wrote for Joseph Alessi, the principal trombone player of the New York Philharmonic. The work is called "Adelante," which in Spanish means "ahead" or "forward." Machain hopes this piece can be seen to "represent moving forward as a nation, with the hopes of everyone becoming one undivided people."



Performance Today®

jorgemachain.com

Jorge Machain: Adelante

Join us today for a musical exploration of Kwanzaa, a celebration of African-American heritage, culture, and community.



Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

Happy Kwanzaa!

'Tis the season for winter holiday music. Join us today to hear a wide range of music for Christmas and Hannukah. And Bruce Adolphe has a special holiday Piano Puzzler for us as well!



jgohman

PT Weekend: 'Tis the season

The bells are jangling in rhythm with the trotting horses; the air is crisp and frosty, but we're warm and toasty in our winter gear. We have music for winter, Christmas, and Hannukah on this episode of Performance Today.



Bridgeman Art Library, via Wikimedia Commons

Music for Winter, Hannukah, and Christmas

In "A Christmas Carol," Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas and generosity itself... at least until three uninvited house guests demonstrate what greed might cost him. Join us today for a musical retelling of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.



from the cover of the first edition of "A Christmas Carol"

via Wikimedia Commons

A Christmas Carol

'Tis the season

We'll explore and connect two forms of expression on today's show: poetry and music for the winter season.


Poetry and music for the season

Our December 20, 2022, episode featured several poems inspired by the winter season. Here is more information about the featured poems.


Performance Today Features

Jason Hollinger, via Wikimedia Commons

Poetry for a Winter's Day

Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote a set of English folk songs inspired by the seasons, and it just doesn't get played and sung very often. We think it's time to help fix that. Join us for glorious music for the winter season on this episode of Performance Today.

