May 10 WATCH: After proposed travel ban, this Sudanese singer found her voice again By Elie Khadra, KQED Arts Salma Hagag, 51, learned to sing in Sudan as a child, before she moved to Egypt and, eventually, the United States. But nobody in her adopted country had heard her voice — until she performed at a sold-out concert in… Continue reading
May 03 South Sudan's violence hasn't stopped the spirit of dance hall music By Elizabeth Flock Despite civil war, many young people seek to keep living life as usual, a major part of which is the infectious, can't-stop-dancing, culture of dance hall music. Continue reading
Apr 26 American teenagers remain behind on music and visual arts, study says By Maria Danilova, Associated Press When asked to listen to George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," only about half of the students were able to identify that the opening solo is played on a clarinet. Continue reading
Mar 29 Watch 4:16 Library of Congress adds to list of sounds that shaped America By PBS News Hour It's the Library of Congress' tribute to significant sound recordings. Each year, 25 pieces of audio are selected to be inducted into the National Recording Registry. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden walks us through this year’s selections, from a 1888… Continue watching
Mar 03 SXSW's immigration clauses are 'not standard,' lawyers say By Elizabeth Flock Musicians are protesting the annual music, film and media festival South by Southwest after it was discovered that the festival reserved the right to alert U.S. immigration authorities about international artists if they violated their performance agreement. Continue reading
Jan 02 Watch 2:42 How sports gave way to singing for this rising star By PBS News Hour In our NewsHour Shares moment of the day, J’Nai Bridges dreamed of playing professional basketball, but when she chose choir as her senior year elective, her teachers immediately recognized her gift. Now she’s a rising opera star. Continue watching
Dec 30 Watch 8:01 In 2016, what stood out in music By PBS News Hour What were the best songs and biggest musical trends of 2016? Jeffrey Brown sits down with Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times and NPR’s Ann Powers to discuss their top picks. Continue watching
Dec 19 Watch 4:29 Watch Bruce Springsteen read from his autobiography By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Dec 06 Watch 6:37 The 'white heat' and vulnerability of improvisational jazz By PBS News Hour What is improvisational jazz all about? Saxophonist Joshua Redman and pianist Brad Mehldau agree that the answer is vulnerability. Their musical genre requires players to follow one another’s lead -- often letting another performer dictate the musical conversation. Jeffrey Brown… Continue watching
Nov 11 Watch The life and legacy of unlikely music icon Leonard Cohen By PBS News Hour Poet, novelist and musical cult figure Leonard Cohen passed away on Thursday at age 82. Not a great singer, Cohen was a reluctant performer and an unlikely musical star. But the eloquence and simplicity of his lyrics and melodies earned… Continue watching