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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Behind the Scenes at the Cliburn, Part I

NPR's From the Top showcases the music, stories, and unique humor of America's best young classical musicians.

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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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Earth Day Special: Trees and Swans

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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Earth Day Special: Clouds and Beetles

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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Let's Get Together: Texas Youth Orchestra & More

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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Let's Get Together: Rachmaninoff to Barber

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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Behind the Scenes at the Cliburn, Part I

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