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Soundcheck

Tuesday, February 08, 2005
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  • Yungchen Lhamo
    Singer Yungchen Lhamo

    Year of the Rooster in Story and Song

    Born in a labor camp outside Lhasa in Chinese-occupied Tibet, Yungchen Lhamo is a singer committed to preserving the devotional music of her native Tibet. Her name translates to "Goddess of Melody and Song," and her music has inspired international praise, as she has traveled worldwide to tell her story. She joins us for a unique perspective on the celebration of the Lunar New Year. We're also joined by Vietnamese-born, New York-based conductor Co Nguyen, who will share her memories of celebrating the New Year in Vietnam. Rounding out the show: fusions of classical music and jazz have long problematic, but the Swiss-born, New York-based composer Daniel Schnyder has been more successful than most. He joins us to share some of his vibrant compositions.

Additional Resources:
» YungChen Lhamo website
» Ngawang Choephel website
» WNYC listings and programming for Lunar New Year 2005

» Daniel Schnyder's 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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