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Soundcheck

Friday, June 04, 2004
  • Portrait of JoAnn Falletta by Gloria Coker - gloriacokerfinart.com
    Portrait of JoAnn Falletta (Gloria Coker/Gloria Coker Fine Arts)

    Pushing the Glass Ceiling

    The world has gotten used to seeing women as police officers, construction workers and soldiers. But the sight of a woman holding a baton still raises eyebrows. JoAnne Falletta, music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, has faced this issue throughout her distinguished career, and she joins host John Schaefer to discuss the challenges facing women conductors. She’ll also bring us up to speed on the Buffalo band’s busy season which includes a new disc on the Naxos American Classics series and an upcoming Carnegie Hall performance. Also: classical crossover female musicians often find themselves being criticized for their good looks, sex appeal and strong personalities. One of them is violinist Lara St. John, who once appeared naked on the cover of a Bach CD (except for a strategically placed violin) – a move that was a decidedly mixed blessing career-wise. She joins us to discuss how the playing field is far from level for classical artists.

Introducing our Video Contest

Soundcheck

John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.

In Studio: Angel Deradoorian

Soundcheck

The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.

Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico

Soundcheck

Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.

In Studio: Stephanie McKay

Soundcheck

The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.

In Studio: The Decemberists

The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.

Sound Off

Soundcheck

Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.