You recently took over as host of Performance Today. Congratulations! Please share a little bit about your background, and how you became hooked on classical music.
Growing up, there was a lot of music in our house. My parents loved music and loved to dance (jitterbug!), and my dad had a beautiful tenor voice. As soon as I learned to play the piano in 3rd or 4th grade, we spent many hours singing our way through the Great American Songbook, Reader's Digest Broadway collections, the Lutheran hymnal. My folks made sure all six kids learned a band or orchestra instrument as well, so in 4th grade I started playing the cello.
It wasn't til high school that I really fell in love when the discovery of a small collection of old classical LPs opened my ears to a new endless universe. I also credit my high school orchestra and a couple VERY demanding teachers who challenged us with serious music.
You took the reins of Performance Today from Fred Child, who hosted the show for 25 years. What words of advice did Fred leave you, and what is it like to take his seat?
Fred has been a dear friend for decades, and my biggest cheerleader. From the beginning, his advice was “Be yourself. Make it your own."
There are a million tiny details involved in making Performance Today, and Fred - and everyone on the PT team - was so patient as I got my sea legs.
From a creative perspective, how are you thinking about preserving the legacy of the show while leaving your own mark?
PT will continue to be a window to what is excellent in the world. We are committed to sharing real live performances from festivals and recitals and concert halls - and our own studio. We remain dedicated to spotlighting young talent and amplifying historically overlooked composers. That is PT’s legacy, and it is an honor to continue the work.
As far as leaving my own mark? There’s a lot to explore in the digital realm, I’d say. Expect to see a more robust PT presence on Instagram and on YourClassical’s YouTube channel, for example.
Live performance connects listener and performer in some sort of alchemical way.
Classical music can be intimidating to people who have not grown up with it. What steps can new listeners take to learn (and love) this genre?
- Go to live concerts and recitals! See the music up close, watch the cymbals crash and the trombone slides dance, the bows synchronize and the rosin fly. It’s nearly impossible to NOT feel moved by that experience. Live performance connects listener and performer in some sort of alchemical way. If professional symphony tickets are too expensive, ask about rush seating. Or take in a concert presented by a community or regional orchestra. Find chamber music in your community! I guarantee there are talented ensembles performing free concerts every weekend.
- Ask a friend (or a radio host) for a specific recommendation. Or, follow your own rabbit trails! If you love Barber’s Adagio, give his Violin Concerto a listen. Did you know Lady Gaga is a trained classical pianist and references Bach, Beethoven and Brahms as influences? If you loved the soundtrack of a video game, look for other music by that composer.
- If you don’t have the energy to go to a live performance, or the bandwidth to request and explore recommendations, just start by listening to classical music on the radio. This is why we’re here!
- I consider this my professional mission: tour guide/curator, NOT gatekeeper. I don’t care if you clap in between movements. I don’t expect you to know who Clara Schumann was when you tune in, but I hope you’ll know her a little better after listening.
Do you still have time to play music?
I don’t play the piano much anymore, but I still have my childhood Baldwin spinet and plunk out some songs every once in a while.
I DO play the cello regularly. I play with a regional orchestra, and I’m also a member of a string quartet. They’re all very talented musicians, and lovely humans to boot. We laugh a lot together, which is a balm in these tearful times.
What is a little-known fact that listeners should know about you?
I was once in a John Tesh music video for PBS, playing cello on top of a mesa in Monument Valley, Utah.
If you were to be stranded on desert island with just one album, what would it be?
Yo Yo Ma playing the Bach Cello Suites. I know he’s released three different versions - don’t make me choose!
Thank you for sharing with us, Valerie! Tune in to Performance Today weekdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM on WSCL 89.5 FM