Jun 26th, 2009 · The adventurous harpist joins flutist Joshua Smith and violist Cynthia Phelps in the Performance Today studio to explore the musical connections between two impressionist composers — Toru Takemitsu and his hero, Claude Debussy.
Jan 9th, 2007 · Juilliard professor and Performance Today commentator Toby Appel has a violist's-eye view of his colleagues in the orchestra. In this humorous commentary, he characterizes the members of the orchestra and sets the record straight on their roles in the organization.
Dec 28th, 2006 · A Performance Today listener calls in with a song to sing, and pianist Gabriela Montero comes up with a piano improvisation to play. After Montero improvises, we hear a bit of Betty Carter singing "My Reverie," a song by Larry Clinton, based on Debussy.
Nov 29th, 2006 · Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is back for day three in Performance Today's weeklong series of concert performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Salonen talks about his "postmodern" approach to Beethoven, and we'll hear it in action, as he conducts Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.
Nov 27th, 2006 · Monday marks the beginning of five performances in a row with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in concert at Disney Hall in L.A. Music director Esa-Pekka Salonen gives Performance Today his insights into the music, and leads a performance of Richard Strauss' tone poem "Don Juan."
Oct 27th, 2006 · It's day two of a visit with the Takacs Quartet in the Performance Today studios. Today, the group plays the String Quartet in G Minor by Claude Debussy. In 1893, Debussy was 31, and was having trouble trying to write a string quartet. It turned out to be his only string quartet.
Jul 26th, 2006 · Pianist Garrick Ohlsson performs a sonata Beethoven wrote early in his career, then closes by playing Chopin's Etude in C-Sharp Minor. In addition to those performances, Ohlsson talks to Performance Today host Fred Child about his craft and his practice habits.
Jul 22nd, 2006 · Fred Child, host of NPR's Performance Today, hosts an exclusive webcast from Festival del Sole, featuring pianist Piotr Anderszewski and violinist Nikolaj Znaider, with Stephane Deneve conducting the Russian National Orchestra.