Take Note

January 13 is Korean American day! On this episode we listen to Juri Seo’s Toy Store, a work that draws inspiration from her Korean and American musical and cultural influences. 

January is Music American Heritage Month. On this episode of Take Note we take a closer look at the often overlooked contributions that Muslim Americans have made to America’s quintessential genre of music, jazz!

This week on Take Note, we’re celebrating Kwanzaa and the music that plays an important role as one of the binding forces bringing African and African American cultures together.   

This holiday season, explore rarely-heard contributions to the Christmas playlist from Franz Liszt and Arnold Schoenberg.

This week we’re learning about the ancient Roman winter festival Saturnalia, a time of feasting, merriment, gift-giving, and more.

This week on Take Note, we’re honoring the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah that begins on December 14th and lasts until the 22nd. We’ll hear a traditional blessing plus some rousing Klezmer tunes.

December 8th is Bodhi Day, a holiday commemorating the Buddha achieving enlightenment. In this episode, we learn about Tan Dun’s work Buddha Passion.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we’re highlighting the first Native American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for music: Raven Chacon.

We’re celebrating this year’s Latvian Independence Day by learning about composer Jāzeps Vītols who played a vital role in nurturing the musical culture of the newly independent country in the early 20th century.

Celebrate this Veterans Day with a full-scale work by Patrick Hawes dedicated to those who lost their lives in the first World War.

This week on Take Note, we’re honoring Puerto Rican Heritage month by learning about the musical traditions of the archipelago and well-known contemporary artists.

This week on Take Note, we’re celebrating National Immigrants Day by learning about Carlos Simon’s orchestral work, This Land, a musical tribute to this nation’s ideals of hope and unity. 

This week we are observing the Hindu celebration of Diwali. Along with traditions used to celebrate the festival, no Diwali is complete without dance and song.

October is Italian American Heritage Month, and we’re celebrating with the music of Henry Mancini, one of history’s most prolific composers of film and television soundtracks. 

October 10 is National Trumpet Day, and you can celebrate with trumpet music on Take Note. As aired on KBACH on October 7.

It is Hispanic Heritage Month! And on Take Note, we’re celebrating with a string quartet by Peruvian Jewish American composer Gabriela Lena Frank. As aired on KBACH on September 30.

This week on Take Note, we’re honoring International Week of the Deaf with famous deaf musicians and a special music program for deaf children. As aired on KBACH on September 23.

International country music day was established in the 1950s and is a time for country music enthusiasts to appreciate their favorite music. And today we’re celebrating by talking about the woman who brought a whole new audience to this genre. As aired on KBACH on September 16.

In honor of Brazil’s independence day, we’re learning about Brazilian music like samba and bossa nova. As aired on September 9th.

September 1 was World Letter Writing Day, and on Take Note, we’re learning about two particular letter writers whose correspondence we can read today. As aired on KBACH on September 2.

August 26th is Women’s Equality Day, and on Take Note, we’re celebrating an important composer in the fight for women’s equality: Amy Beach. As aired on KBACH on August 26th.

This week on Take Note, we learn about the Festival of Obon, a Japanese tradition dating back over 500 years. In this episode, we will dive into the folk music behind this special holiday. As aired on KBACH on August 19.

August 12 is National Vinyl Record Day, and on Take Note, we’re explaining how this classic medium works. As aired on KBACH on August 12.

This week on Take Note, it’s British Columbia Day. You probably didn’t even know some of these famous artists are from British Columbia! As aired on KBACH on August 5.

This week on Take Note, we’re celebrating bagpipe appreciation day by learning all about this ancient instrument and its uses over the years. As aired on KBACH on July 29th.