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Soundcheck

Friday, November 16, 2007
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    Naming Rights and Wrongs

    Sports stadiums are regularly named after corporate sponsors -- and orchestras may not be far behind. Today on Soundcheck, we look at the state of "strings attached" funding in the classical music world. Plus: Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel an unusual role in Mendelssohn’s oratorio "Elijah" and he explains what it takes to project one’s voice in a big opera house.

Classical Music and Corporate Sponsorship

After the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra adopted the name of a financial giant, some in the music world wondered if corporate sponsorship had gone too far. We talk about the changing role of corporate sponsorship with with Joanne Benjamin, managing director of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra, Reynold Levy, president of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and New York Times reporter Robin Pogrebin.

Bryn Terfel

Also: Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel is known for his big voice and for tackling all the great Wagner parts. On Monday, he’s singing in Mendelssohn’s oratorio "Elijah" at Carnegie Hall. Terfel joins us to tell us about this unusual role

Noteworthy New York

Soundcheck

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.

Your "Democracy Song"

Soundcheck

As we march toward Election Day, Soundcheck wants you to identify a song that captures the spirit of democracy. It might be Woody Guthrie’s populist classic “This Land Is Your Land” or Sly and the Family Stone’s funky hit “Everyday People.” It might even be a current Top 40 hit with mass appeal. Put on your musical thinking cap, get creative, then post your song here.

Buying Music: A Smackdown Series

Soundcheck

Check out our ongoing series of Soundcheck Smackdown debates on the music marketplace -- and how we shop inside it. Part I: the pros and cons of MySpace. Part II: two documentarians throw down over music at Wal-Mart. Coming up: Part III: iTunes and Part IV: iPod vs. Zune

Atmosphere

Soundcheck

With minimalist beats and confessional rhymes, the hip-hop duo Atmosphere became the toast of the hip-hop underground after it formed 10 years ago. Now, the group has turned to classic funk and soul, and frontman Slug is still telling captivating stories. They perform in our studio.

Tin Pan Alley

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A two-block stretch of West 28th Street was once the home of American songwriters and music publishers. But buildings in area are now up for sale, and preservationists fear a major development is in the works. We look at the history and future of Tin Pan Alley.

I Am Azerrad ... No, I Am Azerrad!

Soundcheck

Nirvana biographer and indie-rock historian Michael Azerrad writes about musicians for a living. Now, the British band Tubelord (pictured) has written about him -- and the lyrics are a tad scary.

Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile

Soundcheck

Two major players from the worlds of classical and American roots music have joined forces for an album of new material. They perform in our studio.

Tina Dico

Soundcheck

Singer-songwriter Tina Dico tops the charts in her native Denmark. She joins us to share songs from her latest full-length album, "Count to Ten," as well as a trilogy of EPs.