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Performance Today is a two-hour unique celebration of today’s art of classical music delivered by acclaimed classical music host and commentator Fred Child.
Here's what Fred Child said in a recent interview about the program that he has been hosting since 2000.
What is the origin of the show?
Performance Today was founded in 1987 by NPR, National Public Radio.
How has its mission/focus evolved? Performance Today is a music program with a clear focus on classical music and those two words: Performance Today. In the beginning, and still, the focus is on music in PERFORMANCE – i.e., the presence and vitality found in concert recordings. And TODAY: the current state of the music scene – contemporary music, diverse talent and the most inventive and enthralling of today’s interpreters of the great works of the past.
How much “new/contemporary” classical is played per program/per year?
Generally, a new piece of classical music broadcasts on Performance Today once per program, a couple of times each week – or roughly 100-150 contemporary pieces annually of the approximately 1600 featured pieces of music on our show each year (about 5-10% of our music).
How are the new pieces introduced on PT selected?
Our producers listen to live concert recordings after the year 2000 that we receive from around the world. From those we chose compositions that are musically interesting, have fascinating stories behind them and fit in our programming principle to ‘delight and surprise.’
The Piano Puzzler is a weekly quiz where listeners from around the country call in to try to identify the familiar tune and the classical composer’s style that Bruce Adolphe is mimicking in his weekly compositions. Interested in being a contestant?
Explore now at: pianopuzzler.com.
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