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'From the Top' Radio Program to Move to Texas

February 17, 2026, 11:50 PM · From the Top, the public radio program that features young classically-trained musicians, will move its home base from Boston to the Dallas area this spring, when it will officially become a program of North Texas’s not-for-profit public media organization KERA on June 1.

KERA includes an array of public television, digital, print and radio programs, including KERA-TV, KERA FM radio and more.

Founded at the New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston in 2000 and hosted by pianist Christopher O'Riley until 2018, "From the Top" is a weekly radio program distributed by National Public Radio (NPR) and currently heard on some 200 radio stations across the U.S. The program features young classical musicians, ages 8–18, in performance and in conversation with pianist Peter Dugan, its host since 2020. A team of co-hosts includes violinist Tessa Lark, clarinetist Alex Laing, pianist Orli Shaham and violinist Charles Yang.

"This was a forward-looking decision grounded in responsibility," said Gretchen Nielsen, From the Top's Executive Director. "From the Top has accomplished a tremendous amount with a small, highly effective team. But as the scope and complexity of our national work have grown, so has the need for a larger operational engine. By joining KERA, we’re ensuring that this work can evolve and expand – while staying true to our mission and the community of artists, families, and supporters who have sustained us from the beginning."

The "From the Top" radio program will continue to be distributed by NPR, with the show maintaining its current format and editorial team. As part of KERA, it will also have access to its growing resources, including a new headquarters that begins construction in March in Dallas. That new headquarters will include recording studios, performance spaces, and gathering rooms designed to support creative production and civic engagement.

"For 'From the Top,' this infrastructure offers meaningful new possibilities for recordings, convenings, and collaborative projects that bring young musicians from across the country together while enriching the North Texas community," From the Top said in a statement.

"It’s an honor to welcome 'From the Top' as a program of KERA," said Nico Leone, President and CEO of KERA. "Our organizations share a belief in the power of public media to educate, inspire, and connect communities. We’re excited to support 'From the Top' as it continues to serve young musicians nationwide while exploring new possibilities, both nationally and locally, through our combined resources."

You might also like:

• The Clemens Quartet: Performing 'From the Top'
• Violinist.com interview with Christopher O'Riley (2009)

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