From the Top: Recent Episodes
From the Top
NPR's From the Top showcases the music, stories, and unique humor of America's best young classical musicians.
A teen cellist plays an electrifying arrangement of Monti's Czardas and speaks about organizing his own concert series to benefit a special Boston-area music program. We also meet a trio of close friends who met at summer camp and perform Clara Schumann.
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We're celebrating Ravel's 150th birthday with outstanding young musicians from the Boston area. We hear a septet of teens perform Ravel's Introduction and Allegro and a teen pianist treats us to one of Ravel's most iconic piano works. We also meet a talented young saxophonist who finds inspiration in Duke Ellington.
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Do you turn to music to feel better? This week we wrap up our programming on the fascinating connections between the brain, wellness, and music. A teen trombonist reflects on the ways in which music helps his mental health. A young violinist performs Schoenfield and talks about how she's trying to reframe the way auditions and competitions can make her feel. This podcast was recorded at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California.
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What piece of music sparks a memory for you? This week's podcast continues our journey into the fascinating world of music and the brain. A teen flute duo speaks about how they connect music with memories. A pianist returns to the show to perform Barber and chat about her research on dementia as a neuroscience student at USC. And finally, we hear from a talented 19-year-old baritone who sings Schubert. This podcast was recorded at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California.
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We continue our journey into the fascinating world of music and the brain. We meet a gifted young pianist who is also an extraordinary scientist doing meaningful research on a rare neurological disorder. We also hear from a teen saxophonist who is exploring how micro-tonal music might impact people with depression. And we enjoy performances of Beethoven and Bozza.
This podcast was recorded at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California.
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We're exploring the intersection of music and neuroscience with young musicians who are gifted in both fields! We'll speak with musician-scientists like Zoie, a 15-year-old euphonium player who is researching how music can reduce stress and Jascha, a 17-year-old pianist who says he'd love to peek inside Bach's brain. And of course, we'll hear some thought-provoking and awe-inspiring performances along the way. This podcast was recorded at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California.
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This week features young musicians studying at the Colburn School in LA. They range from a 14-year-old cellist who shares a mature performance of Beethoven to the winners of a major chamber music competition whose secret to success just might be their musical handshake. We also hear from an incredible trumpeter, a globe-trotting teen violinist, and a 15-year-old pianist performing Mendelssohn.
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We're hearing great performances from young musicians who are inspired to connect their artistry with nature and their communities. A teen composer describes working with elementary school kids to create instruments out of trash and we hear from an 18-year-old violinist who reflects on the recent fires in her hometown of Altadena, California. Musicians, educators, eco-artists and sisters Josie and Sophie Davis join as co-hosts.
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Today's program offers incredible performances and a window into the lives of young musicians who are intertwining their artistry with their passion for nature, science, and the environment. We meet a teen who has turned scientific data and graphs into music, a composer who is inspired by conservation land in his home state of Maine, and a violinist who worked with elementary school children to turn ideas and artwork into a real garden. Musicians, educators, eco-artists and sisters Josie and Sophie Davis join as co-hosts.
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We're paying homage to our beautiful planet and the works of art it inspires! A teen harpist from rural California performs Gary Schocker's Memory of Trees, a contemplation on the effects of climate change. Finally, a 17-year-old cellist plays The Swan and speaks of her work in environmental advocacy.
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We're celebrating Earth Day with performances that celebrate our natural world. Up first, a young oboist performs a piece inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings of jimson weed and speaks about volunteering in a community garden. We also meet a teen pianist who performs Tan Dun's colorful homage to the Chinese countryside and a composer who connects with nature through the study of insects and shares a work inspired by the Salt Creek Tiger Beetle.
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A 17-year-old double-bassist plays an excerpt from a lyrical sonata. We meet a teen composer who writes music based on her life experiences, including her journey with cancer. We hear her work performed by the Seattle Symphony that was inspired by a backpacking trip.
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We reconnect with Seattle Symphony's Assistant Principal Cellist and From the Top alum Nathan Chan who joins Peter and our teen cellist for a Shostakovich polka. We also meet an accomplished young violinist who demonstrates some difficult bowing and a teen guitarist from Portland plays a rare duo with Peter.
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A 10-year-old cellist who has only been studying cello for three years performs Dvořák and a 15-year-old saxophonist performs the work of composer Steven Banks, who was also on From the Top as a teen. Finally, a foodie and pianist reflects on the similarities between cooking and music.
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A teen pianist performs a beautiful Chopin Scherzo and then improvs in his other love, jazz, with Peter. A 17-year-old composer shares his violin fantasy. Finally, we meet a piano duo from Oregon who are surprised by a major influence in their musical lives, From the Top alum Greg Anderson, who is one half of the lauded Anderson and Roe duo.
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18-year-old violinist and From the Top alum Julia LaGrand co-hosts this special episode dedicated to celebrating the stories and performances of disabled and neurodivergent musicians. Julia, who is blind, also interviews special guest Itzhak Perlman. We meet a 16-year-old double bassist who began studying music when spina bifida made it difficult to keep up with youth sports leagues, a 14-year-old pianist who uses Braille scores to learn his repertoire, a 26-year-old cellist who believes his musical skills are sharpened by his autism, and a 16-year-old pianist with Escobar Syndrome who shares her journey to millions on social media. They perform works by Grieg, Liszt, and more.
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We meet a 16-year-old composer from Chicago who is mentored by composer Jessie Montgomery and is also passionate about architecture. We hear a soprano perform a love song by Debussy. Finally, we meet a teen cellist who performs Shostakovich's dynamic Cello Sonata in D Minor.
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We explore repertoire from major and minor keys, highlighting how young artists express the character and nuance that each represent. We hear a teen cellist perform a bright and sunny work with ties to both the Baroque and Romantic eras, a young violinist brings a dark and stormy Beethoven Sonata, and a 17-year-old pianist performs a major fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier.
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A teen guitarist brings a percussive work by Roland Dyens, an 18-year-old cellist performs a Beethoven Cello Sonata, and a teen soprano sings a work entitled "Joy". We also hear a flashback performance from a French Horn player who was featured on the show back in 2012.
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Today's show is particularly joyful! A teen pianist plays Debussy's L'isle Joyeuse (Joyful Island) and a violinist performs Suk's Song of Love and speaks to the importance of connecting emotionally with the music.
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We're back in Kansas City with a 17-year-old double bassist who gives a heartfelt performance of Bottesini's Elegy No. 1. We meet a teen composer and learn about her journey in writing music, including creating an imaginative ocean adventure for the famous Kronos Quartet which you'll hear! Finally, we enjoy a flashback performance by prize-winning violinist Maria Ioudenitch from when she was a teen living in Kansas City.
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From Kansas City, we explore the connection between music and math with a 16-year-old pianist who also happens to be a champion swimmer. We hear a majestic performance of Dukas by a teen French horn player. A young flutist performs Ian Clarke's The Great Train Race and describes the technical and artistic challenges of emulating the sounds of a train in this exhilarating work.
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Our 25th birthday celebration continues with a dazzling performance of Chopin by a gifted 16-year-old cellist. We are treated to a performance of Vivaldi by a young bassoonist and witness a life-changing surprise. Peter sends us off with a flashback performance from when the legendary Paquito D'Rivera appeared on the show.
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It's From the Top's 25th birthday! We meet a 13-year-old violinist who is equally accomplished in classical repertoire and fiddling. A 16-year-old pianist from New York performs a brilliant Beethoven Sonata and talks about her incredible experience in publishing. Finally, we reconnect with From the Top alum Yuna Langehennig and learn about her journey to becoming an Airman First Class in the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band. She brings along her ensemble Heritage Winds and they perform a rousing work by Paquito D'Rivera.
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We hear the first work Brahms wrote for a solo instrument and a stunning Wieniawski Polonaise played by a 13-year-old violinist. We also meet a teenage baritone who has been drawn to community activism since childhood, a guitarist who plays an arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie's Night in Tunisia, and a young pianist who shares a special tip she got from piano superstar Lang Lang...play like a grandma!
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A pianist speaks of his passion for rocket science and his work with NASA, a talented teen violinist plays Beethoven and shares how an accident transformed his musicianship, a young composer shares a piece inspired by the loss of a loved one, and a versatile saxophonist plays Coltrane.
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Meet members of our team and hear some fantastic performances that they have hand selected for you, including a flashback to someone special in host Peter Dugan's life!
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This week we hear some of our team's favorite moments from the program!! You'll hear a thrilling teenage trio perform Beethoven, meet a young cellist with a moving story about the power of music, and enjoy a gorgeous performance of Bach by a social media-savvy teen oboist and violinist Tessa Lark and Peter Dugan.
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Violinist Charles Yang returns as co-host. We meet a bubbly teen violinist, a pianist with a mission to connect with audiences, and a cellist who opens up about mental health. The Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir sing us out with a performance that will have you on your feet and smiling!
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We're celebrating a musical Thanksgiving with guest host Orli Shaham. Get ready to gobble up some wonderful performances of Tchaikovsky and Chopin by some remarkable teens.
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Today, we're recognizing the gift of music to inspire and bring people together with guest host Orli Shaham. Settle in for some fantastic performances of Beethoven, Debussy, and more.
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Guest Host Orli Shaham finds common ground with a pair of siblings who remind her of growing up with her brother Gil. A lively quartet from Chicago play Ravel. A teen soprano speaks about representation in classical music and connecting with a composer who shares her heritage. A talented young pianist talks about having pianist parents.
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A teen clarinetist who found a home-away-from-home surrounded by music and art at the Interlochen Arts Academy performs Schumann's Three Romances. We also meet a 15-year-old violinist who found a way to transform her performance anxiety into an act of generosity.
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A teen violinist performs the memorable Figaro from The Barber of Seville and a mezzo soprano sings a gorgeous lullaby from a Venezuelan composer and shares her passion for singing works in Spanish. We also hear from a teen trumpeter and decorated Eagle Scout who turned to YouTube and the world's best trumpeters to help get his start on his instrument.
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A teen cellist performs Beethoven with Peter Dugan and speaks about training for pole vaulting. We meet a double bassist from North Carolina who in addition to being an incredible musician has a nose for cologne scents!
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A fantastic young pianist from the oldest town in Texas performs Rachmaninoff, an 18-year-old bassoonist reflects on how summer music programs changed him as a musician, and a talented teen from Indiana shows off the range of the harp.
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We meet a sensational 11-year-old pianist and a self-directed flutist who describes the mouthwatering food he finds in his hometown. A teen violinist shares a moving piece inspired by the Holocaust and a young harpist speaks about how exploring her creativity on her Youtube Channel.
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We meet a teen cellist from a large musical family who performs a theatrical piece by Cassadó. An 18-year-old saxophone player with a commitment to community engagement delivers a moving Elegy by Fauré.
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A dedicated teen violinist and poet performs Amy Beach's passionate Romance. A clarinetist describes a moment discovering complete silence out in nature and how he draws on that feeling in his performance of Debussy.
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New York Philharmonic President and CEO Deborah Borda joins Peter Dugan as co-host and shares insights into her iconic career at the helm of the country's leading orchestras. She speaks with an inspiring 16-year-old violist who is an emerging leader in her own right. We also meet an articulate young composer who wants her music to bring people joy and healing, a teen clarinetist who has traveled the world with his musical parents, and a pianist with a passion for acting. They give incredible performances of Prokofiev, Enescu, Kovács, and more.
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Philadelphia Orchestra's Principal Bassist Joseph Conyers is back as co-host as we meet a bright teen harpist whose commitment to her instrument is so strong she commutes weekly from Virginia to New York for lessons and a vibrant 12-year-old guitarist plays a fiery work by Roland Dyens and talks about his love for fishing, movies, and performing with his sisters. Peter Dugan and Joseph Conyers open the program with a moving interpretation of Florence Price's Adoration.
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We're in Philadelphia where we meet a local teen composer who aspires to create more opportunities for fellow Black composers and learn how co-host Joseph Conyers, Philadelphia Orchestra's principal bassist, is making an impact through his service to the community. We also hear a young violinist perform a phenomenal work by contemporary composer Jessie Montgomery.
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We're meeting some phenomenal musicians from the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts. The school is celebrating 50 years as an arts high school and sharing their talented teens with Guest Host Orli Shaham. Enjoy performances of Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, and more.
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Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us for our exciting musical journey out of Nashville. A talented teen flutist plays an elegant Bach Sonata and then improvises on that same work with Victor Wooten and Peter Dugan. We meet the drum major from Tennessee State University's Aristocrat of Bands and hear selections from their Grammy Award-winning album. And if that's not enough, we are treated to a special collaboration between our hosts!
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Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us this week as we celebrate great music out of Nashville! We hear an electric performance on violin, imitating sounds from Jimi Hendrix's guitar, by a teen musician who already holds a real job in an orchestra. We meet a talented pianist who performs Beethoven. And a teen bluegrass mandolin player with a career on the rise performs solo and collaborates on a toe-tapping tune with Victor Wooten and Peter Dugan.
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A 15-year-old violinist introduces us to his charming coastal community of Damariscotta, Maine and a talented young banjo player ensconced in the blue grass music scene brings us into her musical home in the foothills of Leicester, North Carolina. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark draws on her own childhood in Kentucky as she reflects with Peter Dugan on the stories and performances of these talented young musicians from rural communities. Don't miss the videos of each hometown visit at fromthetop.org.
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We're on a musical journey in small town and rural America. We meet a teen violinist down by the bayou in Monroe, Louisiana, travel to the rolling farmland of Redlands, California to the home of a driven young guitarist, and hear from a young composer who enjoys the support of his community in Fargo, North Dakota. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark speaks about her own upbringing in Eastern Kentucky as she reflects with Peter Dugan on the experiences of these talented young artists from small towns. Don't miss the videos of each hometown visit at fromthetop.org.
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A 17-year-old violist performs a moving Brahms Sonata with guest host Orli Shaham and we meet a talented teenage pianist who plays one of Liszt's great works for piano. More at: https://fromthetop.org/show/show-450/
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Pianist Orli Shaham meets an 11-year-old violinist who moved from Sydney to New York to pursue music and collaborates with a gifted teen on Rebecca Clarke's viola sonata. Finally, we meet a pianist who tells us about Chopin's mazurkas and life at his New England boarding school. More at: https://fromthetop.org/show/show-450/
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We meet a teen composer who performs her own work on cello, learn about the beauty of the erhu, and discover the joy of marching bands through the experiences of a teen flutist. Learn more about the musicians and repertoire featured on this episode: https://fromthetop.org/show/show-449/
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We talk about the healing nature of music with a violist who performs Schumann. We hear a vibrant performance inspired by Las Vegas from a teen pianist and join a young cellist as she performs and reflects on Cassadó's imaginative Dance of the Green Devil. Learn more about the musicians and repertoire featured on this episode: https://fromthetop.org/show/show-449/
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Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us for our exciting musical journey out of Nashville. A talented teen flutist plays an elegant Bach Sonata and then improvises on that same work with Victor Wooten and Peter Dugan. We meet the drum major from Tennessee State University's Aristocrat of Bands and hear selections from their Grammy Award-winning album. And if that's not enough, we are treated to a special collaboration between our hosts!
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Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us this week as we celebrate great music out of Nashville! We hear an electric performance on violin, imitating sounds from Jimi Hendrix's guitar, by a teen musician who already holds a real job in an orchestra. We meet a talented pianist who performs Beethoven. And a teen bluegrass mandolin player with a career on the rise performs solo and collaborates on a toe-tapping tune with Victor Wooten and Peter Dugan.
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A 15-year-old violinist introduces us to his charming coastal community of Damariscotta, Maine and a talented young banjo player brings us into her musical home in the foothills of Leicester, North Carolina. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark draws on her own childhood in Kentucky as she reflects with Peter Dugan on the stories and performances of these talented young musicians from rural communities. Don't miss the videos of each hometown visit at fromthetop.org.
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We meet a teen violinist down by the bayou in Monroe, Louisiana, travel to the rolling farmland of Redlands, California to the home of a driven young guitarist, and hear from a young composer who enjoys the support of his community in Fargo, North Dakota. Co-host/violinist Tessa Lark speaks about her own upbringing in Eastern Kentucky as she reflects with Peter Dugan on the experiences of these talented young artists from small towns. Don't miss the videos of each hometown visit at fromthetop.org.
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We're paying homage to our beautiful planet and the works of art it inspires! A teen harpist from rural California performs Gary Schocker's Memory of Trees, a contemplation on the effects of climate change. Finally, a 17-year-old cellist plays The Swan and speaks of her work in environmental advocacy.
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We're celebrating Earth Day with performances that celebrate our natural world. Up first, a young oboist performs a piece inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings of jimson weed and speaks about volunteering in a community garden. We also meet a teen pianist who performs Tan Dun's colorful homage to the Chinese countryside and a composer who connects with nature through the study of insects and shares a work inspired by the Salt Creek Tiger Beetle.
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Peter collaborates with a 16-year-old violinist on an elegant rag. We hear Poulenc's trio for oboe, bassoon, and piano and meet one of Texas' premier high school orchestras who perform Shostakovich.
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How does ensemble size and instrumentation shape the listening experience? We hear from a 14-year-old violinist who feels passionately about music-making, meet a teen pianist who takes on Rachmaninoff, and hear Peter play Barber with a young cellist who speaks about the importance of a local music program in his life.
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We continue our exploration of the sonata with two teens from Southern California. We hear a bassoonist performing Saint Saëns and a pianist performing an exciting work by American composer Gabriela Lena Frank. Finally, we are treated to a flashback finale of an outstanding flutist playing Dorff's Salmon Lake.
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We hear a range of sonatas including Bach performed on marimba, a late Beethoven work for cello and piano, and a Brahms viola sonata. Performed by teens from Arizona and Texas!
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We meet a violist with a love for Formula One racing who gives an evocative performance of Schumann. We hear a conversation between a teen clarinetist and his mentor, the principal clarinetist of the Minnesota Orchestra, who share much in common including leaving their homes in Costa Rica to study at Interlochen Arts Academy.
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A talented 12-year-old cellist performs The Swan by Saint-Saëns, a flutist with a passion for marine biology plays a dreamy Fantasie by Hüe, and the winner of Interlochen Arts Academy's Concerto Competition performs a difficult but rewarding work by Ysaÿe.
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18-year-old violinist and From the Top alum Julia LaGrand co-hosts this special episode dedicated to celebrating the stories and performances of disabled and neurodivergent musicians. Julia, who is blind, also interviews special guest Itzhak Perlman. We meet a 16-year-old double bassist who began studying music when spina bifida made it difficult to keep up with youth sports leagues, a 14-year-old pianist who uses Braille scores to learn his repertoire, a 26-year-old cellist who believes his musical skills are sharpened by his autism, and a 16-year-old pianist with Escobar Syndrome who shares her journey to millions on social media. They perform works by Grieg, Liszt, and more.
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We hear from a teenage guitar quartet playing a lively Brazilian piece, an oboist playing a new work by composer Reena Esmail, and a violinist who imagines herself in Brahms' world when she performs.
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We meet a 14-year-old pianist playing a Chopin Scherzo, a classical cellist who also plays rock covers, and a young trumpeter who gives insight into the physicality of playing his instrument.
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In recognition of Black History Month, this highlight program celebrates outstanding performances by Black musicians on From the Top through the years. Hosted by Peter Dugan and David Norville, an alumnus, oboist, and former Assistant Producer at From the Top.
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An encore episode dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Sphinx Organization.We feature musical excerpts from a live performance by critically-acclaimed chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi. We hear from musicians and educators whose lives have been changed by Sphinx and explore the pivotal role it has played in expanding diversity in the arts.
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We meet a percussionist from the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts who gives a tour of the marimba to Peter Dugan, a 13-year-old cellist who loves both ballet and music, and a pianist who relates with the emotions of Schubert.
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A teen quartet plays Mozart, a 15-year-old flutist shares why her instrument is a dependable friend, and a violinist plays a Kreisler arrangement and draws connections between science and art.
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A 17-year-old pianist plays the work of a lesser-known Russian romantic pianist/composer and describes his interest in robotics. A violinist with a passion for musical suites performs a contemporary work. An exciting trio comprised of bass, flute, and bassoon play Piazzola.
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A 17-year-old violinist shares how he deals with performance anxiety and plays William Grant Still. A teen guitarist speaks of his family connection with Colombia and the vibrant piece that was written for him to perform. A 12-year-old cellist gives an exuberant performance of Cassadó's Requiebros and shares how she sneaks in some time for bluegrass.
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We're meeting some phenomenal musicians from the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts. The school is celebrating 50 years as an arts high school and sharing their talented teens with Guest Host Orli Shaham. Enjoy performances of Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, and more.
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We're celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Over the years, From the Top has featured the sensational winning youth ensembles of this renowned competition, and we're going to revisit some of these incredible performances. We'll also reveal the most recent grand prize winners who have yet to be featured on From the Top.
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A young violinist explores the connection between powerlifting and music. A teen bassoonist plays a stirring piece, a trombonist shows off the range of his instrument and shares his passion for nutrition. And a young composer presents their exciting work for an eclectic grouping of instruments!
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We're back at the 2023 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival. You'll hear more incredible performances, including some with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and meet semi-finalists and winners of the competition.
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We're backstage at the 2023 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival. Hear brilliant performances from the competitors and learn more about this outstanding group of young pianists gathered from around the world.
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A teen guitarist from Colorado plays a beautiful work by Bach, a cellist plays an emotional Elegy by John Williams, and a pianist performs a piece that draws from the worlds of classical and jazz. We'll also hear from a teenage bassoonist who shares what it's like living with neurodivergence and meet a young clarinetist who left his home in Peru to pursue music in the U.S.
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We hear Clara Schumann performed on clarinet, a ferocious performance of Rachmaninoff, and a moving new cello work inspired by the pandemic. We also meet an 18-year-old who loves the euphonium so much that he's determined to make it a household name and a young woman who is making an impression on the double bass world.
Clarinetist Alex Laing joins Peter Dugan at the Atlanta Music Project for a program featuring musicians from Georgia! We hear the fantastic Atlanta Music Project Senior Youth Choir performing a Spiritual. A flutist shares her love for Eastern European Folk music, a percussionist performs Sibelius on marimba, and Peter collaborates on a gorgeous four handed Ravel with an alum.
We're treated to the magical music of Classical masters Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Liszt, and Kreisler. Plus, an 18-year-old soprano finds inspiration in the history of the first African American Opera House in the United States in her hometown of Pittsburgh. And two teens tell us what it's been like to leave their home countries to study music in New York and Los Angeles.
We meet an award-winning saxophone quartet from Texas. A teen flutist who is also a talented figure skater performs Faure. An impressive 16-year-old performs a piece by a guitarist/composer who inspires him, and a violinist from Hong Kong studying in Los Angeles tells us about how a letter from a stranger impacted his life.
New York Philharmonic President and CEO Deborah Borda joins Peter Dugan as co-host and shares insights into her iconic career at the helm of the country's leading orchestras. She speaks with an inspiring 16-year-old violist who is an emerging leader in her own right. We also meet an articulate young composer who wants her music to bring people joy and healing, a teen clarinetist who has traveled the world with his musical parents, and a pianist with a passion for acting. They give incredible performances of Prokofiev, Enescu, Kovács, and more.
We meet young musicians from all over the country, from South Carolina to California. A 17-year-old cellist fulfills a childhood dream to be on From the Top and kicks off the program with a gorgeous Beethoven piece. We also hear a beautiful Chopin Nocturne, a Barber Sonata played by a teen flutist, and a young mandolin player shows off her gorgeous new instrument with a performance of Bach.
18-year-old violinist and From the Top alum Julia LaGrand co-hosts this special episode dedicated to celebrating the stories and performances of disabled and neurodivergent musicians. Julia, who is blind, also interviews special guest Itzhak Perlman. We meet a 15-year-old double bassist who began studying music when spina bifida made it difficult to keep up with youth sports leagues, a 14-year-old pianist who uses Braille scores to learn his repertoire, a 26-year-old cellist who believes his musical skills are sharpened by his autism, and a 16-year-old pianist with Escobar Syndrome who shares her journey to millions on social media. They perform works by Grieg, Liszt, and more.
This week features young musicians studying at the Colburn School in LA. They range from a 14-year-old cellist with a mature performance of Beethoven to the winners of a major chamber music competition whose secret to success just might be their musical handshake. We also hear from an incredible trumpeter, a globe-trotting teen violinist, and a 15-year-old pianist performing Mendelssohn.
We hear the first work Brahms wrote for a solo instrument and a stunning Wieniawski Polonaise played by a 13-year-old violinist. We also meet a teenage baritone who has been drawn to community activism since childhood, a guitarist who plays an arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie's Night in Tunisia, and a young pianist who shares a special tip she got from piano superstar Lang Lang... play like a grandma!
In recognition of Black History Month, this highlight program celebrates outstanding performances by Black musicians on From the Top through the years. Hosted by Peter Dugan and David Norville, an alumnus, oboist, and former Assistant Producer at From the Top.
A pianist speaks of his passion for rocket science and his work with NASA, a talented teen violinist plays Beethoven and shares how an accident transformed his musicianship, a young composer shares a piece inspired by the loss of a loved one, and a versatile saxophonist plays Coltrane.
Violinist Charles Yang returns as co-host. We meet a bubbly teen violinist, a pianist with a mission to connect with audiences, and a cellist who opens up about mental health. The Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir sing us out with a performance that will have you on your feet and smiling!
We meet a teenage pianist with an affinity for horror movie scores, a percussionist who adapts Debussy for marimba, a talented violinist who likes to read books upside down, and an outstanding trio from Utah play Café Music. They all answer the question — why classical music?
Guest Host Orli Shaham finds common ground with a pair of siblings who remind her of growing up with her brother Gil. A lively quartet from Chicago play Ravel. A teen soprano speaks about representation in classical music and connecting with a composer who shares her heritage. A talented young pianist talks about having pianist parents.
We'll hear the adrenaline filled performances taking place at the 37th Annual Irving M. Klein International String Competition, meet the players, hear from the jury, and of course, learn who wins. Violinist Tessa Lark and pianist Peter Dugan co-host this portrait of one of our country's top competitions for young players.
Pianist Orli Shaham guest hosts. We meet a sensational 11-year-old pianist, a self-directed flutist who describes the mouthwatering food he finds in his hometown, a violinist who shares a moving piece inspired by the Holocaust, a young harpist who explores her creativity on her own Youtube Channel, and a thoughtful teenage violinist with a multicultural background.
Brothers from Chicago talk Formula One racing and share performances of Ysaÿe and Kovács, an award-winning chamber group from San Francisco plays a fiery Spanish trio, and a teen violinist talks about his interest in neuroscience and performs Mozart.
This special episode is dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Sphinx Organization. Featuring musical excerpts from a live performance by critically-acclaimed chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi, and stories told by the musicians, leaders, and educators whose lives have been changed by Sphinx. It also explores the pivotal role Sphinx has played in expanding diversity in the arts.
In honor of long-time From the Top announcer Joanne Robinson, this program features some of Robinson's superb comedic contributions to From the Top skits and humor segments. It also features performances by young performers personally chosen by Joanne Robinson for their power and joy.
A moving and sensitive performance of the music of Dvorak performed by a teenage cellist from Chicago, a young violinist from Washington, D.C. who loves to contemplate dark matter when he's not practicing the music of Bach, a teenage trombone quartet made up of two sets of siblings and more.
The young artists on this week's show bring a range of musical choices to the program, including a Nocturne, a romance, and a piece that chronicles the African diaspora. We also meet a piano duo who act a bit like the odd couple, but they perform with beautiful unity. Clarinetist Alex Laing co-hosts and performs Weber with Host Peter Dugan.
Special guest Kevin Olusola co-hosts this commemoration of Juneteenth featuring outstanding young Black musicians performing works by Florence Price, Coleridge-Taylor, Sam Cooke and more.
A tenor from coastal Maine who helps out with his Dad's lobster fishing business, a talented teenage violinist who got his start following YouTube tutorials, an award-winning teenage sax quartet, and a pianist who is passionate about music history all share their music on this week's episode.
Genre-bending violinist Charles Yang returns as co-host, collaborating with some incredible teen musicians from Texas. And don't miss the outstanding double-bassist who gives a fiery performance.
This FTT Mini features guitarist Jiyeon Kim who appeared on From the Top back in 2011. Check out how she blew us away with her virtuosic performance of Paganini's Caprice No. 24 on the guitar.
This FTT Mini celebrates pianist Jennifer Tu's appearance on our program back in 2010. She performs Claude Debussy's L'Isle Joyeuse and tells a funny story of how a desire for revenge first motivated her to begin in music.
A 14-year-old violinist plays the wonderful Carmen Fantasy, a teen cellist plays an exciting Chopin Polonaise, a pianist recalls a childhood fear of Mickey Mouse, a violist shows off her talent for songwriting, and an inspiring teenage composer shares a new work.
FTT Alum, Marcelina Suchocka went on to become a founding member of Excelsis Percussion Ensemble, a group of amazing women percussionists. They tel their story and then perform "Threads" by Paul Lansky.
Back in 2004, the brilliant young organist, Keenan Boswell performed a movement of the Trio Sonata No. 1 in E Flat by J.S. Bach. In this FTT Mini, we revisit that and hear his funny story about being spooked in a cathedral at night.
A teenage mezzo soprano sings from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma" and shares stories about her Hawaiian background. We also meet a fantastic 13-year-old pianist who performs Chopin, a violist who aims to become tri-lingual social venture capitalist, and two young violinists tackle Bach and Wieniawski.
In this short form FTT Mini, we revisit Mostly Winds, an ensemble at the Interlochen Arts Academy. They play the music of Antonin Dvorak and we learn just how little arts students on the campus know about baseball.
This week's FTT Mini features 17-year-old harpist, Kerry Watson's performance of "Contemplation" by Henriette Renié. Also, Kerry shares a humorous pet peeve regarding people's reaction to her instrument.
We are treated to a rare performance by a brilliant teenage harpsichordist. We also meet a flutist who's helping connect kids with free music lessons, a trumpet player who's a leader in her student government, and a sibling duo who bring musical joy to their local children's hospital.
This FTT Mini episode features Dasha Bukhartseva, a young pianist from Ukraine who came on our program in 2007. We hear from two American tourists who arranged for her to study here and Dasha performs two Ukrainian pieces.
In recognition of Black History Month, this highlight program celebrates outstanding performances by Black musicians on From the Top through the years. Co-hosted by pianist Peter Dugan and producer/oboist David Norville, an alumnus of From the Top.
Teenagers studying at the famous Colburn School in Los Angeles perform adventuresome music including an emotional violin piece by Filipino composer, Abelardo, and a virtuosic clarinet duo performed by two BFFs.
Back in 2007, the Newman String Quartet brought the house down with their performance Debussy's String Quartet in G minor. This FTT Mini revisits that amazing moment and we learn what makes this group tick.
In 2003, the Ottava Trio, made up members of the Link Family graced the stage of From the Top and performed with such unity and precision we've never forgotten it. Check out their performance of the third movement of Serenade by Zoltán Kodály on this FTT Mini
On From the Top's annual "Where Are They Now Show" host Peter Dugan meets up with alumni of the program to discover the exciting creative projects they're doing now that they're in their 20s. We hear the music of Mozart, Bernard Hermann, John Adams and more.
In this week's FTT Mini, 14-year-old pianist Evan Ritter narrates a moving story about his life and the role of piano in it, and then delivers ferocious performance of Sergei Prokofiev's Suggestion Diabolique.
9 teenagers from Chicago's legendary Percussion Scholarship Group brought the house down when they performed the high energy piece, "Marimba Spiritual" on From the Top back in 2009. Check out this treasure from our archive.
A teenage violist with a talent for astronomy performs the music of Brahms ... a fiery violinist performs music from "The Red Violin" and shares his perspectives growing up with Aspeger's syndrome and a teenage pianist who's already touring the world as a pro performs Chopin.
Composer Joshua Deutsch wrote his evocative composition, Shades of Rain for woodwinds and cello as a teenager and we featured it way back in 2000. Featuring several short movements, it explores the differing moods of rain in Seattle, Washington.
Teenage pianists David Allakhverdov,and Weiyin Chen,17, tear up the keyboard in a performance of Variations on a Theme by Paganini by Witold Lutoslawski
Clarinetist Anthony McGill makes a guest appearance performing Brahms with a 14-year-old cellist, bonding with a teenage clarinet quintet over their shared instrument, and recalling stories from his childhood.
17-year-old Erhu player narrates a colorful multilayered audio introduction to this traditional Chinese instrument and then performs a medley to two contrasting Erhu pieces.
A 16-year-old violist plays one of Brahms' most beautiful sonatas, a young percussionist shares an experience that inspired him to connect with his Mexican-American heritage, and a teen violinist recalls his "bucket list" performance at the White House for First Lady Michelle Obama.
Corey Dundee, who is now a member of the award winning Kenari Quartet, appeared on From the Top as a teenager. Here his teen performance of Russell Peck's "The Upward Stream" with the Cincinnati Pops under the direction of Erich Kunzel
This week we hear a mambo for harp, one of Debussy's earliest works, a Spiritual arranged by composer Margaret Bonds, and a fiddle finale with a 12-year-old national champion. Violinist Tessa Lark joins as co-host.
This week's short form podcast features a 17-year-old pianist performing an excerpt from Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 1 and her swim-team coach chimes in to rave about her performance in the pool.
A pair of sisters from New York deliver a brilliant performance of Mozart. They're joined by a 16-year-old pianist playing Chopin, a talented young composer, and a violist who shares her powerful experiences with synesthesia.
Horror movies can definitely inspire a great classical music performance. They certainly inspired 14-year-old harpist Anna DeLoi in 2010. Back then, Anna shared a chilling tale and a riveting performance that's bound to get you ready for the spookiest of seasons. Check it out on this week's installment of our short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.
A piano duo plays Saint-Saëns' thrilling Danse Macabre, a teenage violinist performs Jessie Montgomery's "Peace" and reflects on a stunning experience deep in a cave in Virginia, we also hear from a winner of the prestigious Junior Sphinx competition.
In 2002, then 18-year-old guitarist Gohar Vardanyan treated our audiences to a inspired performance of Spanish guitar music and a funny story about her dad. 19 years later, we're revisiting that moment as part of our new short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.
The young violist on this week's show actually built his own instrument. Hear that story alongside dazzling performances of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Jessie Montgomery and more.
In 2001, 12-year-old composer Sebastian Chang shared his brilliant music with us. Twenty years later, his compositions are now performed by orchestras around the world. Hear Sebastian's early days as a composer as part of our new short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.
Featuring some of the most exciting performances from the past few seasons, this program features a powerful performance of a Chopin's Sonata; a moving story from a teenage guitarist who fled Iran for religious reasons, and a showy and charismatic performance of the Carmen Fantasy by a 16-year-old violinist.
Back in 2011, 55 high school aged vocalists from Norman, OK blew our audience away with their powerful performance of Eric Whitacre. It was so powerful that we're revisiting it 10 years later as part of our new short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.
We're back, and we're kicking off our 22nd season with two up-and-coming composers, a 13-year-old's performance of Shostakovich, a 15-year-old playing Kreisler, and more. Listen to Co-Host / Creative Alex Laing join our host, Peter Dugan, for this episode.
Special guest Kevin Olusola co-hosts this commemoration of Juneteenth featuring outstanding young Black musicians performing works by Florence Price, Coleridge-Taylor, Sam Cooke and more.
Some of the most fun music written for violin is performed brilliantly by a 15-year-old violinist. Also on the program, a talented 10-year-old pianist, and young musicians performing exciting new repertoire.
A 15-year-old pianist performs the music of Shostakovich. She's joined by a teenage cellist performing Schumann, and a cellist who shares her experience rehearsing with an artificially intelligent piano.
A late Beethoven piano sonata is performed by a teenage pianist. He's joined by a string quartet made up entirely of siblings, a talented 16-year-old violinist, and a cellist who shares a moving performance of Rachmaninoff.
GRAMMY-nominated violinist and From the Top Co-Host / Creative Tessa Lark joins Peter Dugan and a cohort of extraordinary teenage musicians in this episode. A 15-year-old violinist gets a coaching from Tessa and we hear performances of Bach, Chopin, Dvorák and more.
A teenage flutist's playful performance of Carmen Fantasie kicks off this week's program. We also meet a precocious group of young musicians playing the music of Bach, Chopin, and Cahuzac.
A brilliant young trumpeter performs the music of Haydn. He's joined by a 15-year-old cellist performing a classic showpiece, a talented teenage piano duo from Hawaii, and two young musicians with deeply expressive solo performances.
It's our "Where are They Now" show where we find out what alumni of From the Top have been doing lately and hear their fantastic music. We revisit two alums who are part of the award winning Calidore String Quartet, speak to a harpist who's founded her own non-profit and enjoy a thrilling new work for cello.
Two sisters from Hawaii kick off the program with the virtuosic music of Sarasate, we enjoy an expressive performance of Villa-Lobos by a young cellist, a stunning harp-piano duo, and the world premiere of a teenage composer's work for string quartet.
The victorious finale from Stravinsky's Firebird Suite is performed by a teenage pianist. He's joined by a talented 14-year-old performing Beethoven, and a young violinist whose musical roots span two continents.
One of the strongest teenage piano trios in the country performs Beethoven with passion and precision. They're joined by a young vocalist performing Shakespeare, and a 15-year-old violinist who might be an orchestral conductor someday.
Charismatic violinist Charles Yang co-hosts a program that features a cheerful 11-year-old guitarist, a spirited performance of Shostakovich, and an imaginative 18-year-old's new music for quartet.
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is a favorite of many, and this week we have a brilliant performance of this work by two young marimba players. Listen also for a 14-year-old pianist performing Rachmaninoff, and a stunning performance of Brahms by a young violist. Guest Hosted by Orli Shaham.
Pianist Orli Shaham returns to host From the Top and shares her Mozart expertise with two young musicians. We also meet a 14-year-old violinist with dreams of going to space, a dazzling young pianist who performs Liszt, and a teenage flutist who discusses her passion for the Supreme Court.
Violinist Vijay Gupta and pianist Peter Dugan perform "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" from Orfeo and Euridice by Christoph Willibald Gluck. This performance was recorded as part of From the Top episode 386 produced at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California.
Violinist and social activist, Vijay Gupta co-hosts this program with pianist Peter Dugan. We hear A teenage saxophone quartet from Texas perform a thrilling piece of contemporary classical music from Brazil ... also the superb Los Angeles Children's Chorus performs the music of J.S. Bach ... and a 10-year-old pianist tackles the "Winter Wind" etude by Chopin.
Host Peter Dugan takes us on a trip down memory lane to enjoy some of the most outstanding music and memorable interviews from the past couple of seasons. We'll meet a teenage violinist who has grown up off the grid in rural Indiana, a young pianist from Georgia performs a beautifully impressionistic work for solo piano by Alexandre Tansman, and a 12-year-old cellist performs the music of David Popper and then solves a Rubik's Cube, live, on-stage in under 19 seconds.
Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe, the pianists who make up the popular piano duo, "Anderson and Roe" guest host the second of two episodes recorded in Fairfax, Virginia. Greg and Elizabeth collaborate with young performers on the program including a rather philosophical 17-year-old violinist from Indiana and an extraordinary counter tenor from Massachusetts tells us how he realized he was a counter tenor and performs music by Handel.
Featuring interviews with From the Top alumni and music they're making in their early professional careers, this program features an alum pianist who has released an album to raise money for the people of Flint, Michigan, the alum winner of last year's Queen Elizabeth Competition and an alum baritone who just won his first Grammy.
Hosted by pianist Peter Dugan this is From the Top's second "Blanket Fort" show. Created during the quarantine of the Covid19 crisis, this episode features young musicians recording themselves in their own homes (in makeshift studios or "Blanket Forts") under From the Top's supervision and it features long distance musical collaborations. Performers include one of the youngest classical guitarists From the Top has ever featured and a teenage composer who discovered his love for music during a difficult time when his immigrant family had no permanent home.
Pianist and From the Top host, Peter Dugan, performs his own piano arrangement of the "Jupiter" movement from "The Planets" by Gustav Holst.
In response to the Covid 19 pandemic and the required social distancing, this episode hosted by pianist Peter Dugan features our young performers recording in their own homes under From the Top's guidance and even doing some long-distance musical collaborations with Peter Dugan
Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe, the two pianists that make up the piano duo Anderson and Roe, host this week's From the Top. The first of two From the Top programs recorded in Fairfax, Virginia, both Greg and Liz collaborate with the young musicians on the program.
Show 383, From New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston and co-hosted by 14-Time Grammy Award winning clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera along with pianist Peter Dugan features collaborations between Maestro D'Rivera and From the Top's Young Musicians.
This episode features beautiful music and interviews selected out of From the Top's 20 year deep archive including a rambunctious performance by a 14-year-old pianist, a young bassoonist who shares the moving story of falling in love with the bassoon during difficult times ... and the National Youth Orchestra of America performs the music of Leonard Bernstein.
From the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, this week's program, hosted by pianist Peter Dugan includes a 12-year-old cellist performing David Popper and fiery Spanish music performed by a 15-year-old guitarist.
From Key West, Florida and co-hosted by pianist Peter Dugan and violinist Elena Urioste this program features a clarinet quartet from Miami and a jaw dropping performance by a 12-year-old from Ohio.