From The Top

Violinist Charles Yang returns as co-host for this episode of NPR's "From the Top" as 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're celebrating a musical Thanksgiving with guest host Orli Shaham. Get ready to gobble up some wonderful performances of Tchaikovsky and Chopin by some remarkable teens.

We meet a sensational 11-year-old pianist and a self-directed flutist who describes the mouthwatering food he finds in his hometown. A teen violinist shares a moving piece inspired by the Holocaust and a young harpist speaks about how exploring her creativity on her Youtube Channel.

We meet a teen cellist from a large musical family who performs a theatrical piece by Cassadó. An 18-year-old saxophone player with a commitment to community engagement delivers a moving Elegy by Fauré.

We're in Philadelphia where we meet a local teen composer who aspires to create more opportunities for fellow Black composers and learn how co-host Joseph Conyers, Philadelphia Orchestra's principal bassist, is making an impact through his service to the community. We also hear a young violinist perform a phenomenal work by contemporary composer Jessie Montgomery.

Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us on "From the Top" for our exciting musical journey out of Nashville. A talented teen flutist plays an elegant Bach Sonata and then improvises on that same work with Victor Wooten and Peter Dugan. We meet the drum major from Tennessee State University's Aristocrat of Bands and hear selections from their Grammy Award-winning album.

Grammy Award-winning bass player Victor Wooten joins us this week on From the Top as we celebrate great music out of Nashville! We hear an electric performance on violin, imitating sounds from Jimi Hendrix's guitar, by a teen musician who already holds a real job in an orchestra. We meet a talented pianist who performs Beethoven. And a teen bluegrass mandolin player with a career on the rise performs solo and collaborates on a toe-tapping tune with Victor Wooten and Peter Dugan.

We continue our exploration of the sonata with two teens from Southern California. We hear a bassoonist performing Saint Saëns and a pianist performing an exciting work by American composer Gabriela Lena Frank. Finally, we are treated to a flashback finale of an outstanding flutist playing Dorff's Salmon Lake.

We hear a range of sonatas including Bach performed on marimba, a late Beethoven work for cello and piano, and a Brahms viola sonata. Performed by teens from Arizona and Texas!

On this edition of From the Top, a 17-year-old violist performs a moving Brahms Sonata with guest host Orli Shaham and we meet a talented teenage pianist who plays one of Liszt's great works for piano.