Christian performs on Show 414.

Christian Luevano (double bass), 18, hails from Corinth, Texas, and is a senior at John H. Guyer High School. Christian started studying bass at the age of 5 in Ann Arbor with Derek Weller. In 2009, Christian moved to Texas where he studied with Gudrun Raschen until 2018. Christian currently is a student of Jeff Bradetich. In 2019, Christian attended the Perlman Music Program, in 2020, Christian was scheduled to attend the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, in 2021, Christian was a member of the National Youth Orchestra (USA), and he will performing as a member of the National Youth Orchestra on their 2022 tour to Europe. Christian was a finalist in the International Society of Bassists Age 15-18 Division, won third prize in both the Lynn Harrell Concerto competition and the Eismann Competition, 2nd prize in the Fort Worth Symphony Young Artist Competition, 1st prize in the Rising Talents of America competition, was named a National YoungArts winner as an Honorable Mention, and won 2nd prize in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition. Christian has also been ranked as the #1 high school bass player in Texas two times, #2 once as a freshman, and has made the highest youth orchestra in Texas all four years of his high school career. Since 2019, Christian is the principal bassist in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra (GDYO), but he has been a part of the GDYO program since 2013. Christian has also been hired as a member of the lab orchestra for Miguel Harth-Bedoya’s Conducting Institute. Next year, Christian will be attending the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he will be studying under Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer. When not practicing or performing, Christian enjoys to workout, play sports, hang out with friends, play guitar, and play video games.

Peter was named Host of From the Top in January 2020.

Peter Dugan’s position is sponsored by Susan and Gerald Slavet.

Peter first appeared on From the Top Show 158, recorded in April 2007, at age 18.

Prizing versatility as the key to the future of classical music, pianist Peter Dugan is equally at home in classical, jazz, and pop idioms.

He is heard nationwide as the  host of NPR’s beloved program From the Top.  He has appeared as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician across North America and abroad. 

In 2020, Mr Dugan performed with Joshua Bell on a PBS Broadcast “At Home with Music” and appeared on  the album of the same name on Sony Classical. He was also featured on PBS Great Performances with mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan for the series “Now Hear This”.

A sought-after multi-genre artist, Mr. Dugan has performed in duos and trios with artists ranging from Itzhak Perlman and Renee Fleming to Jesse Colin Young and Glenn Close. Mr Dugan’s debut performances with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony were described by the Los Angeles Times as “stunning” and by the SF Chronicle as “fearlessly athletic.” The Wall Street Journal described Mr. Dugan’s collaboration with violinist Charles Yang as a “classical-meets-rockstar duo.” Mr. Dugan has been presented in chamber music recitals by Carnegie Hall, Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Music at Menlo, Moab Music Festival, and recently in recital with Joshua Bell at the Minnesota Beethoven Festival.  He was the 2019 featured recitalist for the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, and has soloed with the San Francisco Symphony, Houston Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, New World Symphony, and Mid-Texas Symphony.

His album with baritone John Brancy –  A Silent Night: A WWI Memorial in Song – pays homage to composers who lived through, fought in, and died in the Great War. Brancy and Dugan toured this program across North America in commemoration of the centennial of WWI, including performances at The Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall, Stanford University, the United States Naval Academy, and the Smithsonian Institute.  Together Brancy and Dugan won first prize at the 2018 Montreal International Music Competition and second prize at the 2017 Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. He can also be heard as the piano soloist on a recording of Ives’ Fourth Symphony from Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony, a recording which the New York Times named one of the top classical albums of 2019. 

Mr. Dugan advocates the importance of music in the community and at all levels of society.  As a founding creator of Operation Superpower, a superhero opera for children, he has traveled to dozens of schools in the greater New York area, performing for students and encouraging them to use their talents – their superpowers – for good.

Mr. Dugan holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where he studied under Matti Raekallio. He was a recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Young Scholar, College Scholar, and Graduate Scholar awards.

He resides in New York City with his wife, mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan, and serves on the piano faculty at the Juilliard School Evening Division. Mr. Dugan is a Yamaha Artist.