From the Top at Carnegie Hall Full Program Podcast | PBS

From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2, Program 13

The Interlochen Arts Academy Chamber Orchestra, under the dynamic direction of conductor Matthew Hazelwood, performs “Simple Gifts” from Copland’s Appalachian Spring to kick off this episode of From the Top at Carnegie Hall. Kevin Bao, an 11-year old pianist from Mason, Ohio volunteers with the Bach, Beethoven, Brahms Club and taught his sister to love rollercoasters. Kevin performs “Polichinelle” from Rachmaninoff’s Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3, No. 4. Eighteen-year old Noah Brown, a student at the Interlochen Arts Academy tells Host Christopher O’Riley why he loves his hometown in Iowa, playing the bassoon, and learning to rap in French, after wowing the audience with a performance of the first movement Allegro from Mozart’s Concert in B-flat Major, K 191.

From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2, Program 12

This week on From the Top at Carnegie Hall, we see Johann Sebastian Bach through the eyes of 11-year old Hilda Huang from Palo Alto, California, who plays the piano and hopes to share her love of Bach’s music with the world. We then meet 15-year old Kyla Moskovich from Tarrytown, New York who grew up playing her trumpet at jazz clubs, where she was once heard by Tony Bennett. Kyla also enjoys classical trumpet music. The Colburn School Honors String Quartet, a Californian group comprised of 16-year old John Heffernan and 17-year olds Akemi Leung, Rachel Li, and Eunice Kim, rounds out the episode with a lively performance of the fourth movement Presto from Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 44.

From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2, Program 11

Tonight on From the Top at Carnegie Hall, we meet 13-year old violinist Chad Hoopes from Shaker Heights, Ohio and 17-year old violist Shundeena Beard from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Chad, who comes from a very musical family, is somewhat of a local celebrity in his hometown where he was recently featured in a Cleveland Indians television commercial. Shundeena draws a great deal of her musical inspiration from her brother who is severely disabled, and to whom she is extremely devoted. Chad and Shundeena will each perform a solo piece accompanied by Christopher O’Riley, and will then join 17-year old Rachel Sandman from La Canada, California, 17-year old Patrick McGuire from Westford, Massachusetts, along with O’Riley to perform the third movement Scherzo from Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44.

From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2, Program 10

This week on From the Top at Carnegie Hall, we learn that no matter how far from home we are, we always have a home in the things we love. Seventeen-year old pianist Ronald Joseph grew up outside of New Orleans, but temporarily relocated to New York in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to study at the Juilliard School before returning home to finish out his senior year of high school. Ronald performs the second movement Mardi Gras from “The Enchanted Garden” by Richard Danielpour. Thirteen-year old Nikki Yanofsky from Hampstead, Quebec tours North America as a jazz singer, and used the first paycheck she earned from her singing to establish a cancer foundation. Nikki performs “Old McDonald Had a Farm” accompanied by Geoff Lang on drums, Rob Fahie on bass, and John Sadowy on piano. Host Christopher O’Riley then accompanies 17-year old violinist Allyson Tomsky from Brooklyn, New York as she performs the first movement Allegro ben ritmato e decisco from Gershwin’s Three Preludes to round out the episode.

From the Top at Carnegie Hall Season 2, Program 9

This week on From the Top at Carnegie Hall, we go behind the scenes with extraordinary young performers from both coasts. Fifteen-year old Clare Yeo from New York, New York plays the piano and often jokes that she has very small hands, but plays very big pieces. Matthew Woodard is a 13-year old composer and violinist from South Hadley, Massachusetts. Matthew attends concerts and lectures at Mount Holyoke College, takes composition classes at Smith, and frequents Springfield Symphony concerts. The Luna Trio features 18-year old violinist Jennifer Wey from Saratoga, California, 14-year old cellist Tessa Seymour from Berkeley, California, and 16-year old pianist Mayumi Tsuchida from Mill Valley, California. The trio will be performing the Allegro from Paul Schoenfield’s “Café Music.”