NPR’s ‘From the Top’ broadcasts from Longwood Gardens

Posted by Press Release on November 3, 2018

Young musicians from Greater Philadelphia will appear on an upcoming episode of “From the Top,” the hit NPR radio program featuring America’s best young classical musicians, with Philadelphia-native, pianist and Guest Host Peter Dugan. The episode, taped at Longwood Gardens, in September, will air on WRTI on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. and on participating stations nationwide and by podcast at fromthetop.orgbeginning November 5.

The broadcast features local musicians including 18-year-old violinist Akili Farrow from Philadelphia performing “Sonatensatz” in C Minor by Johannes Brahms with pianist Peter Dugan; 15-year-old pianist Angeline Ma from Berwyn, performing “Waltz in F major, Op. 34 no. 3” and “Waltz in A flat major, Op. 42” by Frédéric Chopin and “I. Prelude from Eight Concert Études, Op 40” by Nikolai Kapustin; and 17-year-old violinist Faustina Housner from Cherry Hill, performing “Histoire du Tango: Cafe 1930” by Astor Piazzolla with 18-year-old guitarist Ria Mondak from New York.

Housner has also received From the Top’s Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award in conjunction with her performances on the show. The award of up to $10,000 is given to deserving young musicians to help further their musical studies.

As part of the “From the Top” taping at Longwood Gardens, the featured young musicians joined guest host Peter Dugan and Philadelphia Orchestra’s Joseph Conyers (also an alumnus of “From the Top”) to perform and visit with guests at Broad Street Ministry in Philadelphia, as a part of “From the Top’s” community engagement program.

Broadcast on more than 220 stations nationwide to an audience of nearly half a million listeners, From the Top is the most popular weekly one-hour music program on public radio. Young performers share their passion for classical music, and speak about their non-musical lives, from career goals and family traditions to hidden talents, school, and community life. “From the Top” appeals to diverse audiences but is especially suited for ages 7 and up.