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The use of music in space is literally 'out of this world!' (royalty-free-images/flickr)
NASA recently launched an Original Wake-Up Song Contest. The winning entry will be beamed up to the Endeavour during the final shuttle flight. Today: hear about the contest and the use of wake-up music on space missions.
Plus: One Ring Zero plays their indie reinterpretation of Holst's early-20th century orchestral suite, The Planets.
Wake Up, Major Tom!
Better known for launching rockets, NASA recently launched two contests that will determine the music used to wake up astronauts on the final two missions of the space shuttle program. Today: Kyle Herring of the Johnson Space Center joins us to talk about the contests and NASA's use of wake-up music, which dates back to the Apollo program.
An Astronomer's Playlist
Gustav Holst’s The Planets are a classical music favorite; but Holst wasn’t the first composer to write about the planets (or the astrological signs, to be specific), and he sure wasn’t the last.
One Ring Zero's The Planets
The quirky Brooklyn rock band One Ring Zero gained notoriety for their collaboration with novelists like Paul Auster and Jonathan Lethem. Now they’re finding inspiration on a more celestial plane. They join us to play music from their new Holst-inspired album, The Planets.
Out Of this World
John Schaefer scours the stars for a missing song.
Gig Alert: Snehasish Mozumder
Few know that the mandolin has a place on the Classical Indian stage. Snehasish Mozumder is one of his country’s mandolin masters. Download his track "Shyam on Eleven" here.
Gig Alert: Fennesz
Austrian experimental musician Christian Fennesz perfoms digitally enhanced soundscapes for the ears. Download his track "Antonia" right here.
Gig Alert: Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra
Tonight at Iridium, Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra plays Bjork covers with an 18-piece jazz orchestra. Download his freewheeling arrangement of the Icelandic singer's "Army of Me."