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Soundcheck

Wednesday, January 28, 2004
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  • WNYC Young People's Chorus Photo
    WNYC Young People's Chorus

    Master, Commander and Choir Director

    Choral music takes center stage when WNYC Young People's Chorus stops by for a live performance. If your impression of youth choirs is of a cute band of undisciplined and out-of-tune singers, the Chorus, directed by Francisco Núñez may surprise you with their selection of rich and challenging new music. Among the highlights of today's program is a work by New York composer Jim Papoulis, whose music has been a staple of children’s choirs and choral competitions around the world. Also on the show, Asmira Woodward-Page and Monica Bauchwitz from the String Orchestra of New York City stop by to shed light on the group's unique outreach program, which teaches young people about classical music through a series of concerts profiling living composers from countries such as Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

Additional Resources:
» WNYC Young People's Radio Chorus: A Listener's Guide
» The String Orchestra of New York City Web site
audience

Soundcheck Smackdown: When Contemporary Met Classical

Soundcheck

Like vegetables stuck into a delicious meal, contemporary classical music is forced on concert audiences before they are allowed to enjoy their Brahms. So says humorist, critic and author Joe Queenan. Today, Queenan and John Berry, Artistic Director with English National Opera, join us for a Soundcheck Smackdown debate on the merits of contemporary music.

musical clouds

You Are What You Hear

Soundcheck

Washington Post reporter Paul Farhi takes us through some of the most famously botched song lyrics in rock history. We’ll explore why the words we make up are usually more interesting than the real version. Then, listeners confess their favorite and most embarrassing reinvented lyrics.

Leave a comment: Give us your favorite set of misheard lyrics! Were you disappointed when you learned the actual words?

Rosanne Cash and Mark O'Connor

Soundcheck

For her, he was a father. For him, he was a boyhood hero. For the nation, he was an icon. Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash and composer and violinist Mark O'Connor join us to talk about how Johnny Cash has inspired their musical collaboration. And they will play live.

Katy

Soundcheck's Summer Song Poll

Soundcheck

Every year, popular and critical opinion somehow converge to settle on a "summer song." In 2007, it was Rihanna's "Umbrella." The year before, it was "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. The practice stretches back to the very dawn of pop radio. Yet defining the essence of a "summer song" is a bit elusive. We enlist the help of Blender editor at large Lizzy Goodman -- and of our Soundcheck listeners, in an online poll.

Cast your vote: Soundcheck's Summer Song Poll 2008

Can't decide? Check out audio and video clips of the contestants here.

Our blog: John Schaefer asks what makes a good summer song,

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