Category: Alumni

Daniel Colaner (Organ/Piano) lives in Akron, Ohio and is a recipient of From the Top’s Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award. He is a student of David Higgs at the Eastman School of Music. Daniel is the Organ Scholar at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and is also a member of the […]

As we complete our 2022-2023 season of learning, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the 87  young musicians who completed From the Top’s Learning and Media Lab Fellowship. Each Fellow… Completed seven online learning sessions focusing on community engagement, artist life, and content creation/recording! Completed a community engagement project such as a virtual […]

A colorful imagination can definitely inspire a great classical music performance. It certainly inspired 14-year-old harpist Anna DeLoi in 2010. Anna shared a chilling tale and a riveting performance of Performis Valse by Arnold Bax, a piece Anna nicknamed the “demented doll dance”. Check out this spooky performance and humorous moment on this week’s installment […]

This week on From the Top’s new podcast series highlighting moments from our archives, we hear the work of an incredible 12-year-old composer who has gone on to a very successful career in music. In June 2000, composer and pianist Sebastian Chang, from Trebuco Canyon, CA, appeared on From the Top’s 25th show in Boston. […]

We’re so pleased to share From the Top: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert in honor of NPR’s 50th anniversary celebration. The intimate video performance series highlights several From the Top alumni, performing from their homes across the country. NPR’s Tom Huizenga writes: “It’s been said that our young people are the hope of our future. If that’s […]

NEW EPISODE CELEBRATES YOUNG BLACK MUSICIANS AND WORKS BY BLACK COMPOSERS Three-time Grammy® Award-winning artist Kevin Olusola joins Host/Pianist Peter Dugan and young Black musicians from across the country for a special Juneteenth-themed episode of the From the Top. Black teenage classical musicians share stories and performances, reflect on Juneteenth, what it means to them, […]

Congratulations to From the Top Host/Pianist Peter Dugan and alumnus/baritone John Brancy on the release of their new album: WWI, The Journey Home: Live from the Kennedy Center, released by Vocal Arts DC in collaboration with Avie Records. Inspired by the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, The Journey Home: Live from the Kennedy […]

It has been some time since we posted our Alumni in Action column, and we owe shout-outs to many alumni who have been in touch recently. We apologize in advance for those we might miss today. Please keep sending in your news; we plan to keep-up this column monthly. Send a note to info@fromthetop.org, and […]

Young Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and musicians of Asian descent have shared so much beauty with the listeners of From the Top over the last 20 years. They are core to the story-telling and spectacular performances that have come to define From the Top. In this time of growing anti-Asian sentiment and violence in the […]

Daily Joy: Simple Gifts with Black Violin We can’t think of a more fitting piece than “Simple Gifts” to share on Thanksgiving, and we’re certain you’ve never heard a version like this one! For today’s Daily Joy, enjoy a group of talented young musicians alongside the critically acclaimed duo “Black Violin.” Get More Daily Joy […]

From the Top would like to share a volunteer opportunity that one of our community partners, Bravo Waukegan, is putting forward for From the Top alumni who are age 20+. If you have an interest in virtually teaching/mentoring a high school music student one-on-one over a 10 – 15 week period, contact us to learn […]

As we all take a deep breath today, I thought I’d share some music to help us get through whatever lies ahead. Music can be a soothing balm or an ecstatic outburst of joy; and in the hands of our young musicians, great music-making is always a source of hope and inspiration. I encourage you […]

This week, guest host Orli Shaham returns for another new episode, enjoying the moving experience of performing live chamber music for the first time during the pandemic. The program, recorded partly on stage at Merkin Hall at the Kaufman Music Center in New York, features a wonderful group of young people, like a young violist, […]

Our host Peter Dugan catches up with WRTI’s Susan Lewis about being host of From the Top, balancing a diverse career, and life since Covid-19 in this episode of TIME IN.

This is a reminder to our alumni to make your voice heard this election. Get out and vote! You have the power to shape the future. Learn more at vote.gov.  

Today, Tuesday September 22nd is National Voter Registration Day. Alumni of From the Top daily remind us what the power of expressing their voice through music can do. Now, we all have the power to share our voice and VOTE. Make Your Voice Heard. Watch Alumni Testimonials on Instagram. From the Top alumni Charles Yang, Conor […]

From the Top is pleased to announce the 2020 recipients of the Alumni Leadership Grant. The Alumni Leadership Grant, generously funded by the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, seeks to support alumni of From the Top’s media and arts leadership programs who have created projects using music and the arts to impact their local […]

From the Top’s Alumni Leadership Grant, generously funded by the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, seeks to support alumni of From the Top who have created projects that use music and the arts to impact their local communities. Pianist Amir Siraj was awarded the Alumni Leadership Grant in 2019 for his project to advocate […]

The “lazy days of summer” is not an expression that applies to From the Top’s industrious alumni who are accomplishing a lot during these hot months. From benefit concerts to providing virtual access to music and arts education, our network is BUSY, and we have a lot to report in today’s update. As a reminder, […]

From the Top musicians teach the world daily about compassion, the power of voice and action, and most of all, unity – values critical for urgent change in our country. To the From the Top musicians, especially our young artists of the black community and all of our young artists of color: You are our family.  We believe […]