From the Top

Sundays at 6:00pm on Classical WETA 90.9FM

Hear the next generation of classical champions as talented teens from across the nation play the classics in concert. Often credited for its innovative and fun approach to classical music, From the Top has helped to build a bridge between classical music and youth.

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Recent Broadcasts

Interlochen, MI

Sunday, May 31, 2020 - 6:00pm

From the Corson Auditorium at Interlochen Center for the Arts, this week’s From the Top features a cast made up entirely by students of the renowned high school. Film and television actor Damon Gupton is guest host and sets the stage for a young tubist who performs a virtuosic concerto backed by the full orchestra, a group of seven percussionists perform the aptly titled work “Shared Space”, and a 17-year-old cellist passionately performs a beautiful work by Tchaikovsky.

JunMing Wen, 17-year-old tuba player from Guangzhou, China, currently studying at Interlochen, performing: I. Prelude. Allegro moderato from the Tuba Concerto by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), with the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Leslie B. Dunner
Esther Chae, 17-year-old cellist from Miami, FL, currently studying at Interlochen, performing: Pezzo Capriccioso by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), with Michelle Cann, piano
Interlochen Percussion Ensemble performing: Shared Space by Ivan Trevino (b.1983 Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra performing: Selections from Swan Lake, Op. 20 by Pyotr
Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), conducted by guest host, Damon Gupton.
Luis Marquez Teruel, 17-year-old bassoonist from Venezuela, currently studying at Interlochen, performing: II. Allegro scherzando from the Sonata for Bassoon and Piano by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), with Michelle Cann, piano
Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Leslie B. Dunner, performing Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez (b.1950).

Los Angeles, CA

Sunday, May 24, 2020 - 6:00pm

Recorded in the Hollywood Scoring Studio in Los Angeles, this week’s From the Top features a prize-winning string quartet who performs Mendelssohn’s second string quartet and a teenage saxophone player from Texas playing a virtuosic work by a 20th-century composer. Guest hosted by Peter Dugan.

15-year-old pianist Josephine Chan from San Francisco, CA performing: L'Isle joyeuse by Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
17-year-old violinist Enrique Rodrigues from Fair Lawn, NJ performing: Sonata in D minor, Op.27, No.3 "Ballade" by Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931)
The Bear Quartet, ages 15-17 from Salt Lake City, UT, performing: I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace from String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13 by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
17-year-old saxophone player Edward Chen from Plano, TX performing: II. Andante and III. Presto from Divertimento for Alto Saxophone and Piano by Roger Boutry (b.1932), with Peter Dugan, piano
16-year-old cellist Shengyu Meng from Arcadia, CA performing: "Capriccio" by Lukas Foss (1922-2009), with Peter Dugan, piano
15-year-old pianist Josephine Chan from San Francisco, CA performing: Sonata No.3 in A minor, Op.28, by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Boston, MA

Sunday, May 17, 2020 - 6:00pm

This week’s From the Top celebrates the 125th Anniversary of one of the great teaching grounds for classical musicians, the Walnut Hill School for the Arts! You might recognize this episode’s guest host from his roles on The Wire and HBO’s The Deuce, but you may not know Lawrence Gilliard Jr. is also a fantastic clarinetist. Listen as he introduces to us current students and a few illustrious alumni of Walnut Hill.

Walnut Hill String Chamber Orchestra performing IV. Finale. Vivace ma non troppo from String Quartet No.12, Op.96 by Antonín Dvořák, arr. Beatrice Affron
Cellist Tony Rymer performs III. Rasch und mit Feuer from Fantasiestücke, Op.73 by Robert Schumann
16-year-old pianist Taylor Wang from Dayton, Ohio performs "Ondine" from Gaspard de la Nuit by Maurice Ravel
19-year-old trumpeter Huanyi Yang from Beijing, China performs “Legende” by Georges Enescu
Soprano Lauren Michelle performing "Si, mi chiamano Mimi” from La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini, with Jung-A Bang, piano
Walnut Hill Alumni Piano Trio (Tony Rymer, cello; Gergana Haralampieva, violin; Evren Ozel, piano) performs II. Scherzo: Allegro con brio from Piano Trio No. 2 in e minor, Op. 67 by Dmitri Shostakovich