Performance Today
Former logo for Performance Today | |
| Genre | Live concert selections worldwide |
|---|---|
| Running time | 2 hours, daily |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language | English |
| Home station | American Public Media Saint Paul, MN |
| Syndicates | 237 NPR stations |
| Hosted by | Valerie Kahler |
| Recording studio | APM studio at MPR |
| Original release | 1987 – present |
| Website | performancetoday.org |
Performance Today is a classical music radio program, first aired in 1987 and now hosted by Valerie Kahler (who took the helm in November 2025). It is the most listened-to daily classical music radio program in the United States, with 1.2 million listeners on 237 stations. It builds its two-hour daily broadcast (some stations broadcast only one hour) from live concert performances from around the world. It airs from the American Public Media (APM) studios in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and frequently simulcasts special programs from festivals and public radio stations around the country.
The show also airs in-studio performances and interviews. Until October 2025, weekly features included the popular “Piano Puzzler” segment with composer Bruce Adolphe.
Through the PT Young Artist in Residence program, the show highlights young soloists from American conservatories who have the potential for great careers. Former Performance Today young artists include pianists Orli Shaham, Jeremy Denk, and Jonathan Biss, guitarist Jason Vieaux, and violinist Colin Jacobsen among many others.