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Soundcheck

Thursday, October 16, 2003
  • The Secrets to their Success

    To the uninitiated, Indian classical music begins and ends with the legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar. But there are plenty of other advocates of this art form, including Ustad Shahid Parvez, who is appearing in a series of concerts this week in New York. For him, the road to the prodigious success was paved with much blood, sweat and tears. Similarly, conductor Marin Alsop faced plenty of obstacles on the path to stardom, not least, being a female in a male-dominated profession. Still, this one-time protégé of the late Leonard Bernstein enjoys a busy schedule leading top American orchestras today, and is entering her second season as principal conductor of England’s Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. There, she recently recorded a disc of essential Bernstein scores.

Best Live Performances of 2008

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We revisit memorable in-studio performances from Toumani Diabaté, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and others.

The Year in Music and Branding

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Pop music and advertising go together like peanut butter and jelly. Grey Group music director Josh Rabinowitz shares his picks for the best song picks and ad campaigns of 2008.

Critics Week

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Music writers look back at the year's best pop, rock, hip hop, classical, jazz, Latin and world albums. Plus: the worst music of the year and the best online music. Read our critics' lists here. And don't forget to cast your vote in our best-albums poll.

Noteworthy New York

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We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.