Show Notes
FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama has played a role in some of the most iconic recordings in American popular music history. Today it hosts From the Top and the next generation of classical musicians. We meet a 13-year-old bluegrass banjo player with a talent for improvisation. We hear from a 16-year-old pianist performing Amy Beach and learn about the challenges and rewards of the French Horn.
Thanks to Focusrite and ADAM Audio for making From the Top’s recording at FAME possible.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
More from From the Top
When was the last time music made you feel like a part of something greater than yourself? This week, we meet teens who have a special passion for finding connection through music and hear their outstanding performances of Poulenc, Telemann, and Schumann.
Both teen artists on today’s program have forged meaningful connections with living composers: our teen cellist worked closely with composer José Elizondo on the piece he performs today, and our violist co-founded an organization dedicated to introducing more people to contemporary composers and new music.
We hit the jackpot of incredible repertoire. A teen guitarist describes her Spanish-inspired work like a fiesta, a cellist with insights into physical and mental wellbeing brings fire to her performance of Cassado, and a piano trio from the Pacific Northwest perform Shostakovich with gusto!
A passionate young clarinetist performs Brahms and we meet a New England brass player with the fortitude to lug around two tubas at once.
A Georgia teen shares how the children’s cartoon “Little Einstein’s” influenced him to pick up the French Horn and speaks from the heart about the superpowers that come with playing music. A young bassoonist shows the range of her instrument, and we learn about percussion instruments from a South Carolina teen with a love for playing Bach on marimba.