BBC National Orchestra of Wales

For the first time ever, Afternoon on 3 has a live concert every day of the week - one by each of the five BBC Orchestras, playing at their respective homes in Cardiff, Salford, London and Glasgow. An American thread runs throughout the week, as part of Afternoon on 3's celebration of American music this autumn.

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales kick us off today live at BBC Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff with the last of their series of four afternoon concerts called Americana. Fiona Talkington and American radio host Fred Child introduce a wide-ranging programme - from a popular favourite by Aaron Copland through a lesser-known piece by Leonard Bernstein, a Symphony by Bernstein's teacher Randall Thompson and beautiful pieces by two American composers whose music really deserves to be better known, Howard Hanson and Walter Piston.

During the interval you can hear a recording of the orchestra in an orchestral hit by George Gershwin. And after the concert Katie Derham presents the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Welsh conductor Grant Llewellyn in more music by Copland. The BBC SO will be back on Friday with their own live Afternoon on 3 concert of American music - pieces by Barber, Gershwin and Bernstein.

LIVE from BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff
Copland: El Salon Mexico
Randall Thompson: Symphony No 2
BBC National Orchestra of Wales,
Carlos Kalmar (conductor).

2.40pm
(Interval)
Gershwin: An American in Paris
BBC National Orchestra of Wales,
Eric Stern (conductor).

3pm
LIVE from BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff
Howard Hanson: Elegy in memory of my friend Serge Koussevitzky
Bernstein: Halil
Walter Piston: The Incredible Flutist - Ballet Suite
Adam Walker (flute),
BBC National Orchestra of Wales,
Carlos Kalmar (conductor).

4pm
Copland: Inscape
BBC Symphony Orchestra,
Grant Llewellyn (conductor).

Concerts later in the week:
Tuesday: BBC Philharmonic live at MediaCity in Salford
Wednesday: BBC Concert Orchestra live at the Mermaid Theatre, London
Thursday: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra live at City Halls, Glasgow
Friday: BBC Symphony Orchestra live at Maida Vale Studio 1, London.