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Fred Child Fred Child is the host of America's most-listened-to classical music radio program, NPR's Performance Today. The program reaches 1.5 million listeners on 250 stations around the country. The program features classical music in concert around the nation and the world, in concert from the NPR studios, and classical music news, interviews, and issues.

Stories By

Fred Child

Tuesday June 28, 2005

Performance Today

Copland

June 28, 2005 • We're spending this week highlighting music by American composers, as played by the Seattle Symphony and conductor Gerard Schwarz. Host Fred Child talks with Schwarz about Aaron Copland Tuesday, and we hear the Seattle Symphony play Copland's Symphonic Ode.

Copland

Audio will be available later today.

Sunday June 26, 2005

Performance Today

Brahms

June 26, 2005 • Just like anybody else, musicians have their favorite people to = spend time with. Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and pianist = Anne-Marie McDermott have a special musical connection. = Salerno-Sonnenberg talks with Fred Child about that connection, and we hear Salerno-Sonnenberg and McDermott play the Violin = Sonata No. 3, Op. 108 by Brahms.=20

Brahms

Audio will be available later today.

Saturday June 25, 2005

Performance Today

Brahms

June 25, 2005 • Just like anybody else, musicians have their favorite people to spend time with. Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott have a special musical connection. Salerno-Sonnenberg talks with Fred Child about that connection, and we hear Salerno-Sonnenberg and McDermott play the Violin Sonata No. 3, Op. 108 by Brahms.

Brahms

Audio will be available later today.

Friday June 24, 2005

Performance Today

Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Rameau

June 24, 2005 • Christopher O'Riley is an enterprising radio host, an accomplished pianist, and also an arranger of music. He stops by the NPR studios to talk with Fred Child about his transcriptions of songs by the band Radiohead and by the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. O'Riley plays songs by both, and also music by French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau.

Radiohead, Elliott Smith, Rameau

Audio will be available later today.

Wednesday June 22, 2005

Performance Today

Brahms

June 22, 2005 • Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott share a special musical connection, which Salerno-Sonnenberg discusses with host Fred Child. Afterwards, Salerno-Sonnenberg and McDermott play the Violin Sonata No. 3, Op. 108 by Brahms.

Brahms

Audio will be available later today.

Thursday June 16, 2005

Music Interviews

Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Alexander Kobrin

June 16, 2005 • Russian pianist Alexander Kobrin took home the gold medal at the 12th Van Cliburn Piano Competition held in Fort Worth, Texas, last week. Performance Today host Fred Child talks with Kobrin in the wake of his victory.

Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Alexander Kobrin

Audio will be available later today.

Performance Today

Ravel

June 16, 2005 • Russian pianist Alexander Kobrin took home the gold medal at the Twelfth Van Cliburn Piano Competition last week. Host Fred Child talks with Kobrin, and we hear a performance from Kobrin's final round at the competition. He plays Gaspard de la Nuit by Maurice Ravel.

Ravel

Audio will be available later today.

Sunday June 12, 2005

Performance Today

Bach Discovery

June 12, 2005 • On Tuesday, music scholars in Germany announced the discovery of a previously unknown aria written in 1713 by Johann Sebastian Bach. This is the first newly discovered vocal work by Bach in 80 years. Performance Today wanted to hear the music, so we brought musicians into NPR's studio for a sneak preview. Soprano Ah Hong and harpsichordist Joseph Gascho perform an excerpt from the aria. And host Fred Child speaks with Peter Wollny (VOHL-nee), head of research at the Bach Archive in Leipzig, about the discovery.

Bach Discovery

Audio will be available later today.

Saturday June 11, 2005

Performance Today

Bach Discovery

June 11, 2005 • On Tuesday, music scholars in Germany announced the discovery of a previously unknown aria written in 1713 by Johann Sebastian Bach. This is the first newly discovered vocal work by Bach in 80 years. Performance Today wanted to hear the music, so we brought musicians into NPR's studio for a sneak preview. Soprano Ah Hong and harpsichordist Joseph Gascho perform an excerpt from the aria. And host Fred Child speaks with Peter Wollny (VOHL-nee), head of research at the Bach Archive in Leipzig, about the discovery.

Bach Discovery

Audio will be available later today.

Friday June 10, 2005

Music News

The Story Behind Bach's Unknown Aria

June 10, 2005 • For the first time in a generation, a new piece of music by Johann Sebastian Bach has been discovered. The young composer wrote the aria in 1713 while working in Germany. NPR has a portion of the forgotten aria — and its amazing story.

The Story Behind Bach's Unknown Aria

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Transcript

Thursday June 9, 2005

Performance Today

Bach Discovery

June 9, 2005 • On Tuesday, music scholars in Germany announced the discovery of a previously unknown aria written in 1713 by Johann Sebastian Bach. This is the first newly discovered vocal work by Bach in 80 years. Performance Today wanted to hear the music, so we brought musicians into NPR's studio for a sneak preview. Soprano Ah Hong and harpsichordist Joseph Gascho perform an excerpt from the aria. And host Fred Child speaks with Peter Wollny (VOHL-nee), Head of Research at the Bach Archive in Leipzig, about the discovery.

Bach Discovery

Audio will be available later today.

Music

Unknown Bach Aria Discovered in Germany

June 9, 2005 • A previously unknown composition by Johann Sebastian Bach has been discovered by a classical music scholar in Germany. The two-page, handwritten aria was composed in 1713 for soprano, strings and basso continuo.

Unknown Bach Aria Discovered in Germany

Audio will be available later today.

Sunday June 5, 2005

Performance Today

Soprano Renée Fleming

June 5, 2005 • Soprano Renée Fleming talks with NPR's Fred Child about Haunted Heart, her new jazz recording with pianist Fred Hersch and guitarist Bill Frisell. Fleming talks about the CD with NPR's Fred Child. And then we hear a critic's opinion from Anne Midgette, who reviews concerts and recordings for The New York Times.

Soprano Renée Fleming

Audio will be available later today.

Saturday June 4, 2005

Performance Today

Soprano Renée Fleming

June 4, 2005 • Soprano Renée Fleming talks with NPR's Fred Child about Haunted Heart, her new jazz recording with pianist Fred Hersch and guitarist Bill Frisell. Fleming talks about the CD with NPR's Fred Child. And then we hear a critic's opinion from Anne Midgette, who reviews concerts and recordings for The New York Times.

Soprano Renée Fleming

Audio will be available later today.

Friday June 3, 2005

Music Interviews

Yo-Yo Ma Continues His 'Silk Road Journey'

June 3, 2005 • In their new CD, Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble continue their exploration of the cultural traditions along the ancient trade route. Ma talks with NPR's Fred Child about the project.

Yo-Yo Ma Continues His 'Silk Road Journey'

Audio will be available later today.

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