February 8th will mark the 51st annual Grammy Awards, in which musicians from all over the world will be competing in 31 different categories. One of the contestants in the category of best instrumental solo performance is Cameron Carpenter, a 27-year-old New Yorker who has invented a twenty-first century version of the venerable pipe organ, using electronic equipment and techniques to create the sounds of the instrument at a fraction of the cost of the original.
You can read Roseanne Skirble's story on this enterprising young artist, and listen to excerpts of her interview with him (and see a YouTube video of his performance, including some most extraordinary footwork) on the VOA Website.
You can also read a brief profile of Carpenter in the 15 December issue of one of America's most distinguished weekly magazines, the New Yorker, and hear him in an October National Public Radio feature (the Web page of which includes an interesting series of comments).
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Musical events during President Barack Obama's inauguration
Music was featured prominently in the inaugural celebrations for Barack Obama as the 44th American President, as noted in the following VOA reports:
The opening event in the inaugural celebrations was on Sunday night, with an open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial, with appearances by superstars Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Bono, Garth Brooks, James Taylor, Beyoncé, and John Mellencamp, among others. VOA's Michael Bowman reports on the President-elect's speech on this occasion. More details on the concert itself can be found in an article from the New York Times. The concert was broadcast live to an audience of millions on HBO, and included a special guest appearance by America's greatest living folk singer, Pete Seeger, mentioned often in previous entries in my VOA World Music blog.
Monday was of course a national holiday, Martin Luther King Day, with two night-time concerts at the Kennedy Center. "Let Freedom Ring" featured "The Queen of Soul", Aretha Franklin (who also sang in the inaugural ceremony itself--see below). Listen to the curtain-raiser by VOA's Peter Clottey on the similarly titled "Let Freedom Swing," (which began an hour after the earlier concert), a jazz celebration organized by trumpet legend Wynton Marsalis. On this page you can also hear Clottey's interview with Ghanaian master drummer Yacub Addy, who collaborated with Marsalis in the composition of the two-hour suite "Congo Square," a portion of which was performed in the program.
From the parade preceding the actual inauguration of the new President, see Chung-wei Hsu's compelling report (in print and video) on the University marching band, which was one of some 80 bands selected from the more than 1,400 who applied to participate, and Carolyn Weaver's lively television feature on the Brooklyn "Steppers" Marching Band.
Ceremonial music for the inauguration itself was provided, as always, by the United States Marine Band. The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus together sang "America the Beautiful", "An American Hymn", and the "Hymn to Freedom;" and the United States Navy Band “Sea Chanters” chorus concluded the event with the U.S. National Anthem.
Other musical highlights included an inspired version of"My Country 'Tis of Thee" by Aretha Franklin, and the premier of an original arrangement by John Williams of "Air and Simple Gifts," featuring Itzhak Perlman on violin, Yo-Yo Ma on cello, Gabriela Montero on piano, and Anthony McGill on clarinet. In actuality, it was subsequently reported by the New York Times that the latter "performance" was in fact pre-recorded, since the musicians felt that it would be impossible to perform live in tune, given the near-freezing tempuratures--a fact that has given rise to some controversy, as noted in an NPR piece by Anya Grundmann, which also includes audio clips of some of the above performances. The controversy is similar to, though much less intense than the furor surrounding the lip-synched performance by the young Chinese girl in the opening ceremony of the 2007 Beijing Olympics (see my first entry in my VOA World Music blog).
Finally, though not directly referenced to the inauguration itself, and completed three days before the event, listen to Adam Phillips' fine radio feature on Yo-Yo Ma.
The opening event in the inaugural celebrations was on Sunday night, with an open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial, with appearances by superstars Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Bono, Garth Brooks, James Taylor, Beyoncé, and John Mellencamp, among others. VOA's Michael Bowman reports on the President-elect's speech on this occasion. More details on the concert itself can be found in an article from the New York Times. The concert was broadcast live to an audience of millions on HBO, and included a special guest appearance by America's greatest living folk singer, Pete Seeger, mentioned often in previous entries in my VOA World Music blog.
Monday was of course a national holiday, Martin Luther King Day, with two night-time concerts at the Kennedy Center. "Let Freedom Ring" featured "The Queen of Soul", Aretha Franklin (who also sang in the inaugural ceremony itself--see below). Listen to the curtain-raiser by VOA's Peter Clottey on the similarly titled "Let Freedom Swing," (which began an hour after the earlier concert), a jazz celebration organized by trumpet legend Wynton Marsalis. On this page you can also hear Clottey's interview with Ghanaian master drummer Yacub Addy, who collaborated with Marsalis in the composition of the two-hour suite "Congo Square," a portion of which was performed in the program.
From the parade preceding the actual inauguration of the new President, see Chung-wei Hsu's compelling report (in print and video) on the University marching band, which was one of some 80 bands selected from the more than 1,400 who applied to participate, and Carolyn Weaver's lively television feature on the Brooklyn "Steppers" Marching Band.
Ceremonial music for the inauguration itself was provided, as always, by the United States Marine Band. The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus together sang "America the Beautiful", "An American Hymn", and the "Hymn to Freedom;" and the United States Navy Band “Sea Chanters” chorus concluded the event with the U.S. National Anthem.
Other musical highlights included an inspired version of"My Country 'Tis of Thee" by Aretha Franklin, and the premier of an original arrangement by John Williams of "Air and Simple Gifts," featuring Itzhak Perlman on violin, Yo-Yo Ma on cello, Gabriela Montero on piano, and Anthony McGill on clarinet. In actuality, it was subsequently reported by the New York Times that the latter "performance" was in fact pre-recorded, since the musicians felt that it would be impossible to perform live in tune, given the near-freezing tempuratures--a fact that has given rise to some controversy, as noted in an NPR piece by Anya Grundmann, which also includes audio clips of some of the above performances. The controversy is similar to, though much less intense than the furor surrounding the lip-synched performance by the young Chinese girl in the opening ceremony of the 2007 Beijing Olympics (see my first entry in my VOA World Music blog).
Finally, though not directly referenced to the inauguration itself, and completed three days before the event, listen to Adam Phillips' fine radio feature on Yo-Yo Ma.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Music news notes from VOA's Mary Morningstar
Click here to see more details on the following musical updates:
Michael Jackson has been sued by Bahreini Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa for $7 million.
Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles hopes to release "Carnival of Light", a 14-minute experimental work that was only performed once by the supergroup.
In a remarkable sweep of three of the charts of last week's Billboard Magazine, 18-year-old Taylor Swift made a Number One debut on both the Billboard Country Albums and the Billboard 200 chart with her new CD, "Fearless", which includes "Love Story", which also zoomed to Number One on the Billboard Country Singles chart.
Guns 'N Roses has release its long-awaited new CD, "Chinese Democracy", more than a decade in preparation, and recorded in 14 different studios at a cost of $13 million.
Barry Manilow has brought out "The Greatest Songs of the 80's", the fourth album in his series of decade-wise hits.
Superstar Madonna and director/screenwriter Guy Ritchie were granted a preliminary divorce by the High Court of London.
Pop singerAshlee Simpson-Wentz and her husband Pete Wentz welcomed their first child, a boy they named Bronx Mowgli Wentz.
A number of prominent pop, rock and country artists have donated tracks to a special CD album, which is available at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Website as a free digital download to active duty service members and veterans worldwide.
And see:
The new album releases as of the 25 November, and
A list of recent award presentations and winners.
Michael Jackson has been sued by Bahreini Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa for $7 million.
Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles hopes to release "Carnival of Light", a 14-minute experimental work that was only performed once by the supergroup.
In a remarkable sweep of three of the charts of last week's Billboard Magazine, 18-year-old Taylor Swift made a Number One debut on both the Billboard Country Albums and the Billboard 200 chart with her new CD, "Fearless", which includes "Love Story", which also zoomed to Number One on the Billboard Country Singles chart.
Guns 'N Roses has release its long-awaited new CD, "Chinese Democracy", more than a decade in preparation, and recorded in 14 different studios at a cost of $13 million.
Barry Manilow has brought out "The Greatest Songs of the 80's", the fourth album in his series of decade-wise hits.
Superstar Madonna and director/screenwriter Guy Ritchie were granted a preliminary divorce by the High Court of London.
Pop singerAshlee Simpson-Wentz and her husband Pete Wentz welcomed their first child, a boy they named Bronx Mowgli Wentz.
A number of prominent pop, rock and country artists have donated tracks to a special CD album, which is available at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Website as a free digital download to active duty service members and veterans worldwide.
And see:
The new album releases as of the 25 November, and
A list of recent award presentations and winners.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Recent VOA Music programs
See Larry London's television interview of Frankie Valli, the lead singer of the Four Seasons, who had more than two dozen hits, primariy in the 1960s, and whose rise to fame is chronicled in a hit Broadway musical, Jersey Boys. Now 74, Valli is still performing actively.
Elvis Presley, who died in 1977, still has a formidable public presence, given that his name is at the top of a Forbes Magazine list of dead celebrities with the biggests earnings for the second year in a row; his estate reported earnings of $52 million. Greg Flakus reports from Memphis.
A University of Maryland scientist has completed research that suggest that listening to music you enjoy has positive effects on blood pressure. Listen to Rose Hoban's feature, which notes that the scientest, Dr. Michael Miller, also found beneficial effects on the heart from laughter.
The winner of last year's "American Idol" -style singing competition has released a new CD titled--and stressing--"Diversity," but as Derek Moyo reports from Harare, Zimbabwe, the album has not had a positive response from critics, despite the excessive buildup that the album received as a result of the contest.
Visitors to Nashville, the capital of country music, now have a chance to see the seamier side of life in that city in tours conducted by social activist Clemmie Greenlee, as reported by Mike Osborne in VOA's American Life series.
Elvis Presley, who died in 1977, still has a formidable public presence, given that his name is at the top of a Forbes Magazine list of dead celebrities with the biggests earnings for the second year in a row; his estate reported earnings of $52 million. Greg Flakus reports from Memphis.
A University of Maryland scientist has completed research that suggest that listening to music you enjoy has positive effects on blood pressure. Listen to Rose Hoban's feature, which notes that the scientest, Dr. Michael Miller, also found beneficial effects on the heart from laughter.
The winner of last year's "American Idol" -style singing competition has released a new CD titled--and stressing--"Diversity," but as Derek Moyo reports from Harare, Zimbabwe, the album has not had a positive response from critics, despite the excessive buildup that the album received as a result of the contest.
Visitors to Nashville, the capital of country music, now have a chance to see the seamier side of life in that city in tours conducted by social activist Clemmie Greenlee, as reported by Mike Osborne in VOA's American Life series.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Music news notes from VOA's Mary Morningstar
Click here to see more details on the following musical updates:
Rolling Stone magazine releases a list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.
A man who had been stalking American Idol judge Paula Abdul for several years committed suicide outside her home in Los Angeles.
Mitch Mitchell, the last surviving member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead of natural causes in a hotel room in Portland, Oregon. He was 62.
Singer Rod Stewart releases a two-CD compilation of his greatest hits.
Country music star Tim McGraw will host 'Saturday Night Live'.
MTV's "Total Request Live" (TRL) show ended After a 10-year run.
And see:
The new album releases as of the 18 of November. . .
A list of recent award presentations and winners, and
Who is going on tour.
Rolling Stone magazine releases a list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.
A man who had been stalking American Idol judge Paula Abdul for several years committed suicide outside her home in Los Angeles.
Mitch Mitchell, the last surviving member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead of natural causes in a hotel room in Portland, Oregon. He was 62.
Singer Rod Stewart releases a two-CD compilation of his greatest hits.
Country music star Tim McGraw will host 'Saturday Night Live'.
MTV's "Total Request Live" (TRL) show ended After a 10-year run.
And see:
The new album releases as of the 18 of November. . .
A list of recent award presentations and winners, and
Who is going on tour.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
More recent VOA music programs
Miriam Makeba, the world-famous singer from South Africa, died suddenly at the age of 76 after a concert in Italy. Listen to Delia Robertson's report from Johannesburg, about this outstanding artist. A subsequent extended piece, written by Howard Lesser and voiced by Matthew LaVoie, reflects on the enormous impact Ms. Makeba had on world politics and culture.
The latest CD by Nbabaningi Mabuye, the prominent hip-hop artist from Zimbabwe, has caused a controversy in neighboring South Africa for allegedly including a call to violence. You can hear Derek Moyo's story, also from Johannesburg, on the controversy.
Ralph Stanley II, the son of legendary bluegrass music master of the same name, is emerging as an artist of his own merit, as evidenced in the release of his CD "This One Is II (Two)." Katherine Cole interviews the young artist on his life and career.
The 42nd Annual Country Music Association Awards will be presented in Nashville, Tennessee on November 12. VOA's Mary Morningstar "gives us a glimpse of some of this year's top contenders, many of whom also competed last year.
Another Zimbabwean artist, Chiwoniso Maraire, is described in a feature, again by Derek Moyo, which describes the success of her new CD, "Rebel Woman" which has been three years in the making, and features a number of songs, mostly in the Shona language, of inspiration, hope, and resistance.
Learn how "Rock the Vote" has used music and celebrities to encourage young voters to go to the polls in the recent U.S. presidential elections. Kambiz Hosseini reports from Washington.
The latest CD by Nbabaningi Mabuye, the prominent hip-hop artist from Zimbabwe, has caused a controversy in neighboring South Africa for allegedly including a call to violence. You can hear Derek Moyo's story, also from Johannesburg, on the controversy.
Ralph Stanley II, the son of legendary bluegrass music master of the same name, is emerging as an artist of his own merit, as evidenced in the release of his CD "This One Is II (Two)." Katherine Cole interviews the young artist on his life and career.
The 42nd Annual Country Music Association Awards will be presented in Nashville, Tennessee on November 12. VOA's Mary Morningstar "gives us a glimpse of some of this year's top contenders, many of whom also competed last year.
Another Zimbabwean artist, Chiwoniso Maraire, is described in a feature, again by Derek Moyo, which describes the success of her new CD, "Rebel Woman" which has been three years in the making, and features a number of songs, mostly in the Shona language, of inspiration, hope, and resistance.
Learn how "Rock the Vote" has used music and celebrities to encourage young voters to go to the polls in the recent U.S. presidential elections. Kambiz Hosseini reports from Washington.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Music news notes from VOA's Mary Morningstar
Click here to see more details on the following musical updates:
The Jackson family, minus Michael, are planning a reunion tour.
AC/DC's first album in eight years, "Black Ice", brings the band its first Number One debut on the Billboard 200 Chart.
Disney's Hollywood Records is re-releasing the historic English rock band Queen's entire catalogue of studio albums on vinyl long playing records (as opposed to the now-dominant medium of CDs).
Neil Diamond has been named by the MusiCares Foundation as its 2009 Person of the Year.
British supergroup Led Zeppelin is featured on Rhino Records' 10-CD anthology of nine studio releases and a collection of rare tracks, including art work from the original U.K. vinyl releases.
The three slain family members of actress-singer Jennifer Hudson were remembered on November 3 in a private memorial service in Chicago, Illinois.
And see:
The new album releases as of the 4 of November. . .
A list of recent award presentations and winners, and
Who is going on tour.
The Jackson family, minus Michael, are planning a reunion tour.
AC/DC's first album in eight years, "Black Ice", brings the band its first Number One debut on the Billboard 200 Chart.
Disney's Hollywood Records is re-releasing the historic English rock band Queen's entire catalogue of studio albums on vinyl long playing records (as opposed to the now-dominant medium of CDs).
Neil Diamond has been named by the MusiCares Foundation as its 2009 Person of the Year.
British supergroup Led Zeppelin is featured on Rhino Records' 10-CD anthology of nine studio releases and a collection of rare tracks, including art work from the original U.K. vinyl releases.
The three slain family members of actress-singer Jennifer Hudson were remembered on November 3 in a private memorial service in Chicago, Illinois.
And see:
The new album releases as of the 4 of November. . .
A list of recent award presentations and winners, and
Who is going on tour.
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