Think Globally, Listen Locally

Since Sept. 11, 2001, obtaining a visa to tour the United States has grown more difficult for many international musicians, particularly those from non-Western countries. Still, there’s a rich world-music scene thriving right here in New York, one that includes Japanese music group Ensemble East. If the classical music of Japan can seem intimidating to the newcomer, this group has worked to make the art form approachable and engaging by featuring innovations like English supertitles. We’re joined today by its shakuhachi player and musicologist James Nyoraku Schlefer. Also on the show is the Dutch composer Sinta Wullur, whose music combines Western idioms with the sounds of the Indonesian Gamelan and other traditions from the country's former colonies. Wullur joins us from Radio Netherlands to reveal how Dutch and Eastern cultures interact in her music.
Additional Resources:

More about Ensemble East’s upcoming performance in New York

More about Sinta Wullur