From the Top

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Celebrating Musicians with Disabilities 2026: Part II May 04, 2026

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Co-hosted by violinist and disability activist Julia LaGrand and host Peter Dugan, this week’s episode spotlights the perspectives and artistry of young musicians with disabilities and is part of a broader initiative by From the Top to increase inclusivity and transparency for disabled artists.
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Celebrating Musicians with Disabilities 2026: Part I Apr 27, 2026

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Talented Teen Soprano & Violinist plus Etta James Tribute at FAME Studios Apr 20, 2026

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We’re back at the famous FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. A teenage violinist performs Kreisler and a young soprano who shares her journey from Gospel to classical voice. Plus, guest artist KJ Willis, a talented soul singer who is currently featured on NBC’s The Voice, joins with host Peter Dugan and the young performers to pay tribute to Etta James, one of the legendary musicians who recorded at FAME in the past. We close with a flashback finale, featuring an Alabama native who is now an ICU doctor chronicled by the New York Times for bringing music into her hospital.
Thanks to Focusrite and ADAM Audio for making From the Top’s recording at FAME possible.
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From FAME Studios: Bluegrass Banjo, Amy Beach & more Apr 13, 2026

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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.
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13-year-old Pianist and an Award-Winning Sax Quartet Apr 06, 2026

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A young pianist describes how she finds inspiration in nature and performs Liszt’s Transcendental Etude. A saxophone quartet from North Texas share how winning the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has boosted their confidence. Our Flashback Finale revisits the teenage performance of Vienna Philharmonic violinist, Lucas Stratmann.
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Playing with Emotion Mar 30, 2026

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We meet an imaginative 13-year-old oboist who draws on colors, shapes, and stories in her performance of Marcello’s Oboe Concerto. An 18-year-old violist draws on his multicultural background in his performance of Bach and shares how he’s using music to help others. A 17-year-old guitarist showcases her adept technical skills and describes how volunteering with animals has impacted her musicianship.
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Prokofiev, Flute Fantasies & the San Diego Youth Symphony Mar 23, 2026

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A teenage violinist compares the power of persuasion in oral debate and musical performance and a 17-year-old flutist shares the lyrical beauty of Georges Hüe’s Fantaisie. Young musicians from the San Diego Youth Symphony and the Sinfónica Juvenil de Tijuana conclude the program with a powerful cross-border collaboration.
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Mozart, Marimba & Young Musicians from San Diego Mar 16, 2026

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We meet a 13-year-old violinist with a passion for studying the connection between music and the brain. Next a 16-year-old clarinetist delivers an elegant Mozart Rondo and a teenage percussionist blends classical, Latin, and jazz influences.
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Brilliant 9-Year-Old Pianist & More with Orli Shaham Mar 09, 2026

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Sparks fly when 9-year-old pianist Alexander Zhou takes the keys. Orli Shaham hosts this episode where we also hear from a teenage violist performing Rebecca Clarke’s beautiful viola Sonata.
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Four Handed Mozart with Orli Shaham Mar 02, 2026

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Orli Shaham collaborates with a teenage pianist on a Mozart Sonata for four-hands. We also hear from a trumpeter who plays Gershwin and a 17-year-old violinist performing Beethoven.
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