The Performance Today Young Artist in Residence program shines the spotlight on young soloists from American conservatories. Each year, PT works with the nations top music programs to to identify talented young artists who have demonstrated strong potential for careers in music. Previous young artists have represented a variety of music schools and students, including pianists Jeremy Denk, and Rodolfo Leone, harpist Mallory McHenry, violinist Randall Goosby and cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing.

Young Artists

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2019-2020 Performance Today Young Artists in Residence

Meghann Oglesby

Listen to in-studio interviews with pianist and violinist Ray Ushikubo and host Fred Child as well as exclusive musical performances.


In studio with Ray Ushikubo Part 1

In studio with Ray Ushikubo Part 2

In studio with Ray Ushikubo Part 3

Freds Favorites

AU Photography

Young Artist in Residence: Ray Ushikubo

Listen to in-studio interviews with host Fred Child and exclusive musical performances by pianist Alex Beyer.


In studio with Alex Beyer Part 1

In studio with Alex Beyer Part 2

Linda Kane Brinckerhoff

Young Artist in Residence: Alex Beyer

Listen to in-studio interviews with host Fred Child and exclusive musical performances by violinist Phoenix Avalon and pianist Hsin-I Huang.


Phoenix Avalon Interview Part 1

Phoenix Avalon Interview Part 2

Phoenix Avalon Interview Part 3

Will Keeler

Young Artist in Residence: Phoenix Avalon

Listen to in-studio interviews with host Fred Child and exclusive musical performances by flutist Emma Resmini and pianist Hugh Sung.


Emma Resmini Interview Part 1

Emma Resmini Interview Part 2

Emma Resmini Interview Part 3

Nate Ryan / APM

Young Artist in Residence: Emma Resmini

Listen to in-studio interviews with host Fred Child and exclusive musical performances by pianist Jenny Chen.


Jenny Chen Interview Part I

Jenny Chen Interview Part 2

Jenny Chen Interview Part 3

Young Artist in Residence: Jenny Chen

Listen to in-studio interviews with host Fred Child and exclusive musical performances by tenor Jack Swanson and pianist Roderick Phipps-Kettlewell.


Jack Swanson Interview Part 1

Jack Swanson Interview Part 2

Jack Swanson Interview Part 3

APM photo/Nate Ryan

Young Artist in Residence: Jack Swanson

Listen to in-studio interviews with host Fred Child and exclusive musical performances by violinist Alexi Kenney and pianist Renana Gutman.


Alexi Kenney Interview Part 1

Alexi Kenney Interview Part 2

Alexi Kenney Interview Part 3

Violinist Alexi Kenney

Young Artist in Residence: Alexi Kenney

Listen to in-studio interviews with host Fred Child and exclusive musical performances by violinist Yoojin Jang.


Young Artists in Residence

Courtesy of the artist

Young Artist in Residence: Yoojin Jang

This week on PT, tubist Coco Wieprecht joins Fred in the studio as our first-ever Young Artist in Residence born in the 21st Century. Wieprecht will discuss her budding musical career, and we'll hear her play a solo piece by Philadelphia-born composer, Vincent Persichetti.


APM/Performance Today

Youngest Artist in Residence: Coco Wieprecht

To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, 

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

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

Conductor Vladimir Jurowski was born and raised in the Soviet Union. He's now a citizen of Germany and an outspoken critic of Russia. He sees being political as a necessary part of an artist's life. We'll hear Vladimir Jurowski lead a concert with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra on today's show.



Performance Today - February  5, 2025

Portrait of an orchestral conductor with baton

Performance Today®

Photo: Drew Kelley

Vladimir Jurowski

Dante's Divine Comedy takes us through hell, purgatory, and paradise. Composer Richard Danielpour says he sees a metaphor for the recent pandemic in that, and he wrote a new symphony reflecting on those themes. The ensemble ROCO plays Danielpour's Triptych on this weekend's episode of Performance Today. 


Performance Today - February  4, 2025

Courtesy of the Artist

Richard Danielpour: Triptych

On today's show, we'll hear a piece for solo trumpet and orchestra by Wynton Marsalis. Throughout the piece, Marsalis gives us a quick history of the trumpet, from simple horns (literally) to the invention of brass and on to one of Marsalis's heroes: Louis Armstrong. Today, we’ll hear Wynton Marsalis's Trumpet Concerto, played by trumpeter Alison Balsom and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.



Performance Today - February  3, 2025

Piper Ferguson

Wynton Marsalis: Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra

We're pleased to introduce the first of our 2025 PT Young Artists in Residence: pianist David Lai. David joins Fred Child for music and conversation at our Saint Paul studio on today's show.



Performance Today - February  1, 2025

Indiana University - Jacobs School of Music

PT Weekend: David Lai

The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra has an official motto. It's carved in stone on the side of their concert hall, a Latin phrase that translates: "True joy is serious business." We'll hear some of that joy from a concert in Leipzig, Germany, on today’s episode of Performance Today.



Performance Today - January 31, 2025

Jens Gerber via WikiMedia Commons

Where true joy is serious business

When composer Gioachino Rossini was 12, he wrote six "terrible" sonatas. WE don't think they're terrible—Rossini is the one that used that word. So, see what you think... join us today to hear Rossini's not-so-terrible String Sonata No. 3 from a concert in Portland, Oregon.



Performance Today - January 30, 2025

Wikimedia Commons

Rossini's worst critic: Rossini

It’s the Year of the Snake! For more than two billion people across many Asian cultures and the Asian diaspora, it's the beginning of a new year, the Lunar New Year. Join us today for celebratory music from Sichuan province, with a violinist born in the Year of the Snake.



Performance Today - January 29, 2025

Elliot deBruyn/MPR

The Year of the Snake

Marc-Andre Hamelin is one of the most celebrated and respected pianists of our time. His performances are known for their brilliance, technical mastery, and deep musicality. On today's show, we'll hear Hamelin play one of the world’s most challenging piano compositions: Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 29, the Hammerklavier.



Performance Today - January 28, 2025

Photo: Sim Cannety-Clarke

Beethoven's 'Hammerklavier'

We’re proud to introduce you to pianist David Lai, our newest PT Young Artist in Residence. He joined Fred Child in our St. Paul studio — hear his music and the entire interview here!
