Orli Shaham joins us from Minnesota Public Radio in the Twin Cities, a place bursting with talented young artists, including a teen from a long line of Florentine musicians performing Ravel, a quartet who bonded in a forest, and a multifaceted cellist whose interests range from tennis to quantum computing.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

We’re celebrating the release of our brand-new album From the Top 25. You’ll hear performances from young artists on the album and learn interesting facts and trivia about the repertoire they perform!

From the Top 25 is available on most major streaming platforms including Apple Music and Spotify!

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

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.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

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.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

A wonderful teen violinist who has lived all over the world performs Debussy. A 17-year-old saxophone player from Texas shares how he found his first instrument in a pawn shop and hasn’t put the sax down since. He performs an exquisite Rhapsody by André Waignein.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Today’s episode is dominated by instruments you’d find in a high school band room and many of our featured teen artists discovered their love for performing through school music programs. We meet a tuba player and a trombonist who followed their passion to Interlochen Arts Academy and a percussionist who is at home in front of the marimba.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Composer Jessie Montgomery joins us as we continue our celebration of Black From the Top alumni and their contributions to classical music. 

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Guest Host Alex Laing joins for a celebration of Black artists in classical music. We’re catching up with From the Top alumni who are making waves in the field.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

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.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

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.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy