Performance Today®

When flutist Emi Ferguson was six years old, she had the chance to see two of her flute heroes in concert: Sir James and Lady Jean Galway. She even met them after the show, and young Emi had one crucial question for them. Flutist Emi Ferguson looks back on help from her heroes on this edition of Performance Today.

Composer Joaquín Turina wrote a musical portrait, imagining what went through the mind of a Spanish bullfighter right before stepping into the ring—the prayers one might say before facing mortal danger. We'll hear "La oración del torero" (The Bullfighter's Prayer) by Joaquín Turina on this episode of Performance Today.

Pianist Evren Ozel says the first time he learned to play a Chopin waltz was an act of rebellion - his teacher told him not to do it...and he did it anyway. On today's show, Evren Ozel plays music he loves by Chopin with no one to tell him otherwise.

Guitarist Mak Grgić was born in Slovenia in 1987. He's based in the US now, but he loves to play music from the Balkans as a way to connect with his homeland and his heritage. On today's show, we'll hear Mak Grgić perform a set of pieces called the Balkan Suite by Miroslav Tadić.

This past summer, the Czech Philharmonic Piano Trio performed music by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů at the Smetana Litomyšl Festival in the Czech Republic. On today's show, we'll hear from that concert — a collection of short pieces called the Bergerettes written in 1939 by Bohuslav Martinů. Plus, Bruce Adolphe has this week’s Piano Puzzler!

German composer Otto Nicolai wrote several successful operas during the 19th century. Still, today he’s mostly known for one piece, and he only enjoyed the success of his biggest hit for two months before he died at 38. On today’s show, we’ll take you to Shanghai to hear the overture from The Merry Wives of Windsor by Otto Nicolai.

Pianist Inna Faliks recently asked a few composers to write responses to the music she loves. Joins us today to hear Faliks play the piece composer Billy Childs wrote in response to the technically demanding Scarbo from Maurice Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit.

This past summer, the Czech Philharmonic Piano Trio performed music by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů at the Smetana Litomyšl Festival in the Czech Republic. On today's show, we'll hear from that concert — a collection of short pieces called the Bergerettes written in 1939 by Bohuslav Martinů.

Covid travel restrictions kept Gao Hong from visiting her family in China, so she reminisced about her childhood to comfort herself and channeled that nostalgia into a new piece for Pipa and Bassoon. Join us today to hear Gao Hong play her new concerto, "Reminiscences of My Hometown," from a recent concert in St. Paul, Minnesota.