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.

From the Top

Black History Month Special

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.

Adventurous Music and a Clarinet Bromance

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.

Powerhouse Teen Quartet Performs Debussy

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

An Incredible Family Trio performs Kodály

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.

All Alumni Show - with music by Mozart, William Grant Still 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.

A Heartfelt Narration and Devilish Prokofiev

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 Thrilling Teenage Percussion Ensemble

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.

Bach, Brahms and the Red Violin Caprices

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.

Beautiful Seattle Rain Shared Through Music

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

Wild Paganini on Piano

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.

Anthony McGill, Clarinet Quintet and More!

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.

Erhu Experienced?

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.

Brahms, Debussy, and Marimba

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

Teen Saxophonist and the Cincinnati Pops

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.

Beethoven to Bluegrass

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

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