John Schaefer

The New York Philharmonic arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea yesterday and it is making finnal preparations for its landmark concert tomorrow night. Soundcheck host John Schaefer is there and he joins us with his initial impressions.

Under other circumstances, the New York Philharmonic's performance here tonight might be a story unto itself. But with the orchestra leaving tomorrow morning, with its press corps in tow, for the history-making concert in North Korea, tonight is simply a prelude to the main event.

Greetings and welcome to Soundcheck’s Pyongyang blog! For the next week, Soundcheck host John Schaefer will be part of the New York Philharmonic’s Asian 2008 entourage as the orchestra makes a grand overture of cultural diplomacy, performing a concert in North Korea. If the internet access that we're promised actually ...

See what host John Schaefer and the listeners chose as the best albums of 2007.

New York, NY —

Hilly Krystal, the founder of the rock club CBGBs, died this past week at the age of 75. This coming Tuesday, one of CBGBs most legendary regulars, the singer Patti Smith, will headline the opening night concert at the new Music Hall of Williamsburg. All ...

New York, NY —

The gates at historic Saratoga Race Course open today, for a six week race-season considered to be the finest in North America. And each year, WNYC’s John Schaefer follows the horses north, pulled by the charm and the chance to place a bet.

New York, NY —

The Saratoga Race Track opened today. WNYC's John Schaefer offers his reflections on magic of Saratoga.

John Schaefer chooses the best of the best of 2006.

Saxophonist and composer John Zorn may have just won a $500,000 MacArthur fellowship, but he started out as a rebel in the 1970s and transformed New York's downtown music scene. Since then, he's led a hardcore band, a jazz quartet and a chamber ensemble, and he founded ...

Friday, October 28 at 7PM on 93.9 FM and online at wnyc.org

Information at 212-875-5757 |  www.newyorkphilharmonic.org | Program

WNYC will offer a live broadcast of “Bringing Back the Music,” a benefit concert for the Louisiana Philharmonic ...

New York, NY —

Renee Fleming has trained hard for years to hit the high notes. But she gets to ease up a little on her latest recording Haunted Heart. WNYC’S Soundcheck host John Schaefer talked with Fleming about taking on this new project.

New York, NY —

Artist Kehinde Wiley portraits of young African American men are now on exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum in a show called "Passing/Posing." His lushly colored paintings combine elements of hip-hop culture with quasi-religious imagery. Wiley dropped by WNYC's Soundcheck studio not long along to ...

New York, NY —

From Fulton Avenue in Brooklyn to 125th street uptown posters announcing the coming of The Great African Ball have been fluttering along street poles for several weeks now. And the mastermind behind this all-night musical dance party is none other than the great Senegalese pop ...

New York, NY —

A sold-out concert this evening celebrates the life and legacy of the great jazz vocalist Nina Simone. WNYC's John Schaefer took time on his afternoon music program Soundcheck to explore not only Simone's music, but her legacy of social consciousness......

New York, NY —

Veteran choreographer Bill T. Jones, sultry singer Cassandra Wilson and up-and-coming composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain are collaborating on a project called "Another Evening." This work features the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and will be performed this weekend at Aaron Davis Hall. ...

From Maria Callas to Lou Reed, Kurt Andersen and WNYC's John Schaefer talk about what makes a voice "flawed."

For centuries composers and musicians have been engaged by repetition. WNYC music host John Schaefer joins Kurt and Guru in the studio, to play them some examples.

(Originally aired: February 14, 2002)

From Maria Callas to Lou Reed, Kurt Andersen and WNYC’s John Schaefer talk about what makes a voice "flawed.” 

New York, NY —

In a world where most of the awards go to the usual suspects, the Grammy Award for "Album of the Year" went, surprisingly enough, to the movie soundtrack O Brother Where Art Thou . And it wasn't the only unexpected winner on Grammy night… WNYC's ...

For centuries composers and musicians have been engaged by repetition. WNYC music host John Schaefer joins Kurt and Guru in the studio, to play them some examples.