From the Top

From the Top

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

  • 22 minutes 15 seconds
    Earth Day Special: Trees and Swans
    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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    29 April 2024, 7:00 am
  • 38 minutes 17 seconds
    Earth Day Special: Clouds and Beetles
    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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    22 April 2024, 7:00 am
  • 30 minutes 2 seconds
    Let's Get Together: Texas Youth Orchestra & More
    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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    15 April 2024, 7:00 am
  • 29 minutes 16 seconds
    Let's Get Together: Rachmaninoff to Barber
    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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    8 April 2024, 7:00 am
  • 33 minutes
    Sonatas! Saint Saëns and Frank
    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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    1 April 2024, 7:00 am
  • 42 minutes 44 seconds
    Sonatas! Bach, Beethoven, Brahms
    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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    25 March 2024, 8:00 am
  • 31 minutes 30 seconds
    The Swan & More from Michigan: Part II
    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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    18 March 2024, 7:00 am
  • 36 minutes 12 seconds
    The Swan & More from Michigan: Part I
    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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    11 March 2024, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    Celebrating Musicians with Disabilities: Encore
    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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    4 March 2024, 8:00 am
  • 48 minutes 20 seconds
    Chopin, Guitar Quartet & More from Minnesota: Part II
    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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    26 February 2024, 8:00 am
  • 38 minutes 43 seconds
    Chopin, Guitar Quartet & More from Minnesota: Part I
    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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    19 February 2024, 8:00 am
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