We meet young musicians from all over the country, from South Carolina to California. A 17-year-old cellist fulfills a childhood dream to be on From the Top and kicks off the program with a gorgeous Beethoven piece. We also hear a beautiful Chopin Nocturne, a Barber Sonata played by a teen flutist, and a young mandolin player shows off her gorgeous new instrument with a performance of Bach.

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 15-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.

This week features young musicians studying at the Colburn School in LA. They range from a 14-year-old cellist with a mature performance of Beethoven to the winners of a major chamber music competition whose secret to success just might be their musical handshake. We also hear from an incredible trumpeter, a globe-trotting teen violinist, and a 15-year-old pianist performing Mendelssohn.

We hear the first work Brahms wrote for a solo instrument and a stunning Wieniawski Polonaise played by a 13-year-old violinist. We also meet a teenage baritone who has been drawn to community activism since childhood, a guitarist who plays an arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie's Night in Tunisia, and a young pianist who shares a special tip she got from piano superstar Lang Lang... play like a grandma!

In recognition of Black History Month, this highlight program celebrates outstanding performances by Black musicians on From the Top through the years. Hosted by Peter Dugan and David Norville, an alumnus, oboist, and former Assistant Producer at From the Top.

A pianist speaks of his passion for rocket science and his work with NASA, a talented teen violinist plays Beethoven and shares how an accident transformed his musicianship, a young composer shares a piece inspired by the loss of a loved one, and a versatile saxophonist plays Coltrane.

Violinist Charles Yang returns as co-host. We meet a bubbly teen violinist, a pianist with a mission to connect with audiences, and a cellist who opens up about mental health. The Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir sing us out with a performance that will have you on your feet and smiling!

We meet a teenage pianist with an affinity for horror movie scores, a percussionist who adapts Debussy for marimba, a talented violinist who likes to read books upside down, and an outstanding trio from Utah play Café Music. They all answer the question — why classical music?

Guest Host Orli Shaham finds common ground with a pair of siblings who remind her of growing up with her brother Gil. A lively quartet from Chicago play Ravel. A teen soprano speaks about representation in classical music and connecting with a composer who shares her heritage. A talented young pianist talks about having pianist parents.

We'll hear the adrenaline filled performances taking place at the 37th Annual Irving M. Klein International String Competition, meet the players, hear from the jury, and of course, learn who wins. Violinist Tessa Lark and pianist Peter Dugan co-host this portrait of one of our country's top competitions for young players.

Pianist Orli Shaham guest hosts. We meet a sensational 11-year-old pianist, a self-directed flutist who describes the mouthwatering food he finds in his hometown, a violinist who shares a moving piece inspired by the Holocaust, a young harpist who explores her creativity on her own Youtube Channel, and a thoughtful teenage violinist with a multicultural background.

Brothers from Chicago talk Formula One racing and share performances of Ysaÿe and Kovács, an award-winning chamber group from San Francisco plays a fiery Spanish trio, and a teen violinist talks about his interest in neuroscience and performs Mozart.

This special episode is dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Sphinx Organization. Featuring musical excerpts from a live performance by critically-acclaimed chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi, and stories told by the musicians, leaders, and educators whose lives have been changed by Sphinx. It also explores the pivotal role Sphinx has played in expanding diversity in the arts.

In honor of long-time From the Top announcer Joanne Robinson, this program features some of Robinson's superb comedic contributions to From the Top skits and humor segments. It also features performances by young performers personally chosen by Joanne Robinson for their power and joy.

A moving and sensitive performance of the music of Dvorak performed by a teenage cellist from Chicago, a young violinist from Washington, D.C. who loves to contemplate dark matter when he's not practicing the music of Bach, a teenage trombone quartet made up of two sets of siblings and more.

The young artists on this week's show bring a range of musical choices to the program, including a Nocturne, a romance, and a piece that chronicles the African diaspora. We also meet a piano duo who act a bit like the odd couple, but they perform with beautiful unity. Clarinetist Alex Laing co-hosts and performs Weber with Host Peter Dugan.

Special guest Kevin Olusola co-hosts this commemoration of Juneteenth featuring outstanding young Black musicians performing works by Florence Price, Coleridge-Taylor, Sam Cooke and more.

A tenor from coastal Maine who helps out with his Dad's lobster fishing business, a talented teenage violinist who got his start following YouTube tutorials, an award-winning teenage sax quartet, and a pianist who is passionate about music history all share their music on this week's episode.

Genre-bending violinist Charles Yang returns as co-host, collaborating with some incredible teen musicians from Texas. And don't miss the outstanding double-bassist who gives a fiery performance.

This FTT Mini features guitarist Jiyeon Kim who appeared on From the Top back in 2011. Check out how she blew us away with her virtuosic performance of Paganini's Caprice No. 24 on the guitar.

This FTT Mini celebrates pianist Jennifer Tu's appearance on our program back in 2010. She performs Claude Debussy's L'Isle Joyeuse and tells a funny story of how a desire for revenge first motivated her to begin in music.

A 14-year-old violinist plays the wonderful Carmen Fantasy, a teen cellist plays an exciting Chopin Polonaise, a pianist recalls a childhood fear of Mickey Mouse, a violist shows off her talent for songwriting, and an inspiring teenage composer shares a new work.

FTT Alum, Marcelina Suchocka went on to become a founding member of Excelsis Percussion Ensemble, a group of amazing women percussionists. They tel their story and then perform "Threads" by Paul Lansky.

Back in 2004, the brilliant young organist, Keenan Boswell performed a movement of the Trio Sonata No. 1 in E Flat by J.S. Bach. In this FTT Mini, we revisit that and hear his funny story about being spooked in a cathedral at night.

A teenage mezzo soprano sings from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma" and shares stories about her Hawaiian background. We also meet a fantastic 13-year-old pianist who performs Chopin, a violist who aims to become tri-lingual social venture capitalist, and two young violinists tackle Bach and Wieniawski.

In this short form FTT Mini, we revisit Mostly Winds, an ensemble at the Interlochen Arts Academy. They play the music of Antonin Dvorak and we learn just how little arts students on the campus know about baseball.

This week's FTT Mini features 17-year-old harpist, Kerry Watson's performance of "Contemplation" by Henriette Renié. Also, Kerry shares a humorous pet peeve regarding people's reaction to her instrument.

We are treated to a rare performance by a brilliant teenage harpsichordist. We also meet a flutist who's helping connect kids with free music lessons, a trumpet player who's a leader in her student government, and a sibling duo who bring musical joy to their local children's hospital.

This FTT Mini episode features Dasha Bukhartseva, a young pianist from Ukraine who came on our program in 2007. We hear from two American tourists who arranged for her to study here and Dasha performs two Ukrainian pieces.

In recognition of Black History Month, this highlight program celebrates outstanding performances by Black musicians on From the Top through the years. Co-hosted by pianist Peter Dugan and producer/oboist David Norville, an alumnus of From the Top.

Teenagers studying at the famous Colburn School in Los Angeles perform adventuresome music including an emotional violin piece by Filipino composer, Abelardo, and a virtuosic clarinet duo performed by two BFFs.

Back in 2007, the Newman String Quartet brought the house down with their performance Debussy's String Quartet in G minor. This FTT Mini revisits that amazing moment and we learn what makes this group tick.

In 2003, the Ottava Trio, made up members of the Link Family graced the stage of From the Top and performed with such unity and precision we've never forgotten it. Check out their performance of the third movement of Serenade by Zoltán Kodály on this FTT Mini

On From the Top's annual "Where Are They Now Show" host Peter Dugan meets up with alumni of the program to discover the exciting creative projects they're doing now that they're in their 20s. We hear the music of Mozart, Bernard Hermann, John Adams and more.

In this week's FTT Mini, 14-year-old pianist Evan Ritter narrates a moving story about his life and the role of piano in it, and then delivers ferocious performance of Sergei Prokofiev's Suggestion Diabolique.

9 teenagers from Chicago's legendary Percussion Scholarship Group brought the house down when they performed the high energy piece, "Marimba Spiritual" on From the Top back in 2009. Check out this treasure from our archive.

A teenage violist with a talent for astronomy performs the music of Brahms ... a fiery violinist performs music from "The Red Violin" and shares his perspectives growing up with Aspeger's syndrome and a teenage pianist who's already touring the world as a pro performs Chopin.

Composer Joshua Deutsch wrote his evocative composition, Shades of Rain for woodwinds and cello as a teenager and we featured it way back in 2000. Featuring several short movements, it explores the differing moods of rain in Seattle, Washington.

Teenage pianists David Allakhverdov,and Weiyin Chen,17, tear up the keyboard in a performance of Variations on a Theme by Paganini by Witold Lutoslawski

Clarinetist Anthony McGill makes a guest appearance performing Brahms with a 14-year-old cellist, bonding with a teenage clarinet quintet over their shared instrument, and recalling stories from his childhood.

17-year-old Erhu player narrates a colorful multilayered audio introduction to this traditional Chinese instrument and then performs a medley to two contrasting Erhu pieces.

A 16-year-old violist plays one of Brahms' most beautiful sonatas, a young percussionist shares an experience that inspired him to connect with his Mexican-American heritage, and a teen violinist recalls his "bucket list" performance at the White House for First Lady Michelle Obama.

Corey Dundee, who is now a member of the award winning Kenari Quartet, appeared on From the Top as a teenager. Here his teen performance of Russell Peck's "The Upward Stream" with the Cincinnati Pops under the direction of Erich Kunzel

This week we hear a mambo for harp, one of Debussy's earliest works, a Spiritual arranged by composer Margaret Bonds, and a fiddle finale with a 12-year-old national champion. Violinist Tessa Lark joins as co-host.

This week's short form podcast features a 17-year-old pianist performing an excerpt from Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 1 and her swim-team coach chimes in to rave about her performance in the pool.

A pair of sisters from New York deliver a brilliant performance of Mozart. They're joined by a 16-year-old pianist playing Chopin, a talented young composer, and a violist who shares her powerful experiences with synesthesia.

Horror movies can definitely inspire a great classical music performance. They certainly inspired 14-year-old harpist Anna DeLoi in 2010. Back then, Anna shared a chilling tale and a riveting performance that's bound to get you ready for the spookiest of seasons. Check it out on this week's installment of our short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.

A piano duo plays Saint-Saëns' thrilling Danse Macabre, a teenage violinist performs Jessie Montgomery's "Peace" and reflects on a stunning experience deep in a cave in Virginia, we also hear from a winner of the prestigious Junior Sphinx competition.

In 2002, then 18-year-old guitarist Gohar Vardanyan treated our audiences to a inspired performance of Spanish guitar music and a funny story about her dad. 19 years later, we're revisiting that moment as part of our new short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.

The young violist on this week's show actually built his own instrument. Hear that story alongside dazzling performances of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Jessie Montgomery and more.

In 2001, 12-year-old composer Sebastian Chang shared his brilliant music with us. Twenty years later, his compositions are now performed by orchestras around the world. Hear Sebastian's early days as a composer as part of our new short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.

Featuring some of the most exciting performances from the past few seasons, this program features a powerful performance of a Chopin's Sonata; a moving story from a teenage guitarist who fled Iran for religious reasons, and a showy and charismatic performance of the Carmen Fantasy by a 16-year-old violinist.

Back in 2011, 55 high school aged vocalists from Norman, OK blew our audience away with their powerful performance of Eric Whitacre. It was so powerful that we're revisiting it 10 years later as part of our new short-form series of amazing FTT moments from the archives.

We're back, and we're kicking off our 22nd season with two up-and-coming composers, a 13-year-old's performance of Shostakovich, a 15-year-old playing Kreisler, and more. Listen to Co-Host / Creative Alex Laing join our host, Peter Dugan, for this episode.

Special guest Kevin Olusola co-hosts this commemoration of Juneteenth featuring outstanding young Black musicians performing works by Florence Price, Coleridge-Taylor, Sam Cooke and more.

Some of the most fun music written for violin is performed brilliantly by a 15-year-old violinist. Also on the program, a talented 10-year-old pianist, and young musicians performing exciting new repertoire.

A 15-year-old pianist performs the music of Shostakovich. She's joined by a teenage cellist performing Schumann, and a cellist who shares her experience rehearsing with an artificially intelligent piano.

A late Beethoven piano sonata is performed by a teenage pianist. He's joined by a string quartet made up entirely of siblings, a talented 16-year-old violinist, and a cellist who shares a moving performance of Rachmaninoff.

GRAMMY-nominated violinist and From the Top Co-Host / Creative Tessa Lark joins Peter Dugan and a cohort of extraordinary teenage musicians in this episode. A 15-year-old violinist gets a coaching from Tessa and we hear performances of Bach, Chopin, Dvorák and more.

A teenage flutist's playful performance of Carmen Fantasie kicks off this week's program. We also meet a precocious group of young musicians playing the music of Bach, Chopin, and Cahuzac.

A brilliant young trumpeter performs the music of Haydn. He's joined by a 15-year-old cellist performing a classic showpiece, a talented teenage piano duo from Hawaii, and two young musicians with deeply expressive solo performances.

It's our "Where are They Now" show where we find out what alumni of From the Top have been doing lately and hear their fantastic music. We revisit two alums who are part of the award winning Calidore String Quartet, speak to a harpist who's founded her own non-profit and enjoy a thrilling new work for cello.

Two sisters from Hawaii kick off the program with the virtuosic music of Sarasate, we enjoy an expressive performance of Villa-Lobos by a young cellist, a stunning harp-piano duo, and the world premiere of a teenage composer's work for string quartet.

The victorious finale from Stravinsky's Firebird Suite is performed by a teenage pianist. He's joined by a talented 14-year-old performing Beethoven, and a young violinist whose musical roots span two continents.

One of the strongest teenage piano trios in the country performs Beethoven with passion and precision. They're joined by a young vocalist performing Shakespeare, and a 15-year-old violinist who might be an orchestral conductor someday.

Charismatic violinist Charles Yang co-hosts a program that features a cheerful 11-year-old guitarist, a spirited performance of Shostakovich, and an imaginative 18-year-old's new music for quartet.

Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is a favorite of many, and this week we have a brilliant performance of this work by two young marimba players. Listen also for a 14-year-old pianist performing Rachmaninoff, and a stunning performance of Brahms by a young violist. Guest Hosted by Orli Shaham.

Pianist Orli Shaham returns to host From the Top and shares her Mozart expertise with two young musicians. We also meet a 14-year-old violinist with dreams of going to space, a dazzling young pianist who performs Liszt, and a teenage flutist who discusses her passion for the Supreme Court.

Violinist Vijay Gupta and pianist Peter Dugan perform "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" from Orfeo and Euridice by Christoph Willibald Gluck. This performance was recorded as part of From the Top episode 386 produced at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California.

Violinist and social activist, Vijay Gupta co-hosts this program with pianist Peter Dugan. We hear A teenage saxophone quartet from Texas perform a thrilling piece of contemporary classical music from Brazil ... also the superb Los Angeles Children's Chorus performs the music of J.S. Bach ... and a 10-year-old pianist tackles the "Winter Wind" etude by Chopin.

Host Peter Dugan takes us on a trip down memory lane to enjoy some of the most outstanding music and memorable interviews from the past couple of seasons. We'll meet a teenage violinist who has grown up off the grid in rural Indiana, a young pianist from Georgia performs a beautifully impressionistic work for solo piano by Alexandre Tansman, and a 12-year-old cellist performs the music of David Popper and then solves a Rubik's Cube, live, on-stage in under 19 seconds.

Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe, the pianists who make up the popular piano duo, "Anderson and Roe" guest host the second of two episodes recorded in Fairfax, Virginia. Greg and Elizabeth collaborate with young performers on the program including a rather philosophical 17-year-old violinist from Indiana and an extraordinary counter tenor from Massachusetts tells us how he realized he was a counter tenor and performs music by Handel.

Featuring interviews with From the Top alumni and music they're making in their early professional careers, this program features an alum pianist who has released an album to raise money for the people of Flint, Michigan, the alum winner of last year's Queen Elizabeth Competition and an alum baritone who just won his first Grammy.

Hosted by pianist Peter Dugan this is From the Top's second "Blanket Fort" show. Created during the quarantine of the Covid19 crisis, this episode features young musicians recording themselves in their own homes (in makeshift studios or "Blanket Forts") under From the Top's supervision and it features long distance musical collaborations. Performers include one of the youngest classical guitarists From the Top has ever featured and a teenage composer who discovered his love for music during a difficult time when his immigrant family had no permanent home.

Pianist and From the Top host, Peter Dugan, performs his own piano arrangement of the "Jupiter" movement from "The Planets" by Gustav Holst.

In response to the Covid 19 pandemic and the required social distancing, this episode hosted by pianist Peter Dugan features our young performers recording in their own homes under From the Top's guidance and even doing some long-distance musical collaborations with Peter Dugan

Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe, the two pianists that make up the piano duo Anderson and Roe, host this week's From the Top. The first of two From the Top programs recorded in Fairfax, Virginia, both Greg and Liz collaborate with the young musicians on the program.

Show 383, From New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston and co-hosted by 14-Time Grammy Award winning clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera along with pianist Peter Dugan features collaborations between Maestro D'Rivera and From the Top's Young Musicians.

This episode features beautiful music and interviews selected out of From the Top's 20 year deep archive including a rambunctious performance by a 14-year-old pianist, a young bassoonist who shares the moving story of falling in love with the bassoon during difficult times ... and the National Youth Orchestra of America performs the music of Leonard Bernstein.

From the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, this week's program, hosted by pianist Peter Dugan includes a 12-year-old cellist performing David Popper and fiery Spanish music performed by a 15-year-old guitarist.

From Key West, Florida and co-hosted by pianist Peter Dugan and violinist Elena Urioste this program features a clarinet quartet from Miami and a jaw dropping performance by a 12-year-old from Ohio.

Hosted by Peter Dugan, this week's From the Top comes from Morristown, New Jersey and features a fiery teenage cellist and a high school choir with a deep unified sound.

Show 377, the first of two shows in Morristown, New Jersey with host Peter Dugan

In our second 2019 episode from Portland, Maine, guest host, pianist Orli Shaham introduces us to a fantastic crew of young musicians

Pianist Orli Shaham hosts the first of two From the Top episodes in Portland, Maine.

Pianist Peter Dugan hosts a From the Top Highlights Program HL-28 featuring great performances and interviews from the past couple of seasons.

Pianist Alessio Bax is interviewed by From the Top host, Peter Dugan about being the Jury Chairman at the Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition.

Guest host, pianist Simone Dinnerstein performs the break piece from the show she hosted in San Marcos, Texas: Les Barricades Mysterieuses by Francois Couperin

Violinist Tessa Lark and bassist / composer Michael Thurber perform their original piece, "Cedar and Sage" with the teenage Kalico String Quartet from the New York Area; Cheng-Io Lo and Leena Marie Stoger, violins, Kevin Wallace, viola, and his twin brother, Andrew Wallace, cello.

The Multi-Style/Multi-Tradition Duo Tessa Lark, violin, and Michael Thurber, bass host From the Top Show 376 in Boston Massachusetts. They perform Bach with a young cellist and one of their own compositions with a teenage string quartet.

Guest host, pianist Jeremy Denk performs the second movement of Sonata No. 16 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

From New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston, this week's program features cellist and renowned music pedagogue, Paul Katz guest hosting a program featuring the outstanding students attending the Morningside Music Bridge

From the Top guest host, Peter Dugan, interviews the First Prize winner of the 2019 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival, Shuan Hern Lee. Shuan performs the first mvt of Rachmaninoffs 3rd Piano Concerto with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

From the 2019 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival in Dallas, Texas, this docu-style From the Top features the 6 semi-finalist of the competition and the astounding first prize winner.

Featuring concert pianist, Simone Dinnerstein as guest host, this program, recorded at the Texas State International Piano Festival, features outstanding young musicians showcasing the piano and the many ways its configured in classical music.

Pianist Jeremy Denk performs the "Rondo alla Zingarase" from Brahm's first piano quartet with three powerhouse From the Top alums: violinist Robyn Bollinger, violist Matthew Lipman and cellist, Gabriel Cabezas.

From Hanover, New Hampshire, this episode guest hosted by pianist Jeremy Denk, features a young violist who's also the photographer for the University of Miami Football team,a cellist who's this year's junior winner of the Sphinx Competition for African American and Latino Musicians ... and a world premier concerto.

Alumni pianist, George Li performs Variations on a Theme from Bizet's Opera "Carmen" by Vladimir Horowitz.

Charles Yang along with pianist Peter Dugan and 16-year-old guitarist Gwenyth Aggeler perform "Loopy" by Charles Yang.

From La Jolla, California, this week's From the Top features renowned violinist and social justice advocate VijayGupta as guest host. Along with co-host Michelle Cann, they'll introduce us to the incredible San Diego Youth Symphony Chamber Orchestra, a young cellist who shares how studying the cello has helped him stand up for what he believes in, and a pianist who was a prize winner in Russia's famous Tchaikovsky Competition.