Premieres Friday, April 19, 2024 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / PBS App + Encore Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m. on KPBS 2
With time and practice, rising stars become virtuosos. On this episode, Scott Yoo revisits the legacy of one of the greatest violinists of all time, Niccolò Paganini, with one of today’s violin stars, Augustin Hadelich, and even meets with the great-great-great-grandson of Paganini.
Observing how talented artists improve their craft in other fields, Yoo also follows Cirque du Soleil acrobat Sarah Turner as she learns a new stunt and discovers the mental prowess it takes in addition to physical skill.
Yoo also explores the background of early 20th century blues musician Robert Johnson with five-time Grammy Award winner Keb’ Mo’, and even walks through the artisan process of creating the most perfect Parmigiano Reggiano in Italy.
Places visited: Parma, Italy; Las Vegas; Nashville; New Haven, Connecticut
Watch On Your Schedule: This episode will be available to stream with the PBS App.
Yoo is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic and the Music Director of Festival Mozaic, conductor of the Colorado College Music Festival and the Founder of the Medellín Festicámara, a chamber music program that brings together world-class artists with underprivileged young musicians. Recently, he conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and also led L’Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Yomiuri Nippon Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, San Francisco Symphony and many others.
Credits: GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS was created by producer, writer and director Harry Lynch and is a production of Arcos Film + Music. Harry Lynch, Scott Yoo and Richard Lim are executive producers.
