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Jen Shyu is a versatile composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Peoria, Illinois to Taiwanese and East Timorese immigrant parents, her instruments include piano, violin, Taiwanese moon lute, Chinese erhu, Japanese biwa, and Korean gayageum. For this WMI Plus At Home, she was joined by Rachel Cooper, Director of Performing Arts and Culture as Diplomacy Initiatives at the Asia Society, as the two mapped Jen’s journey through music.

More about Jen Shyu

Jen's Journey Through Music - Related Links

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Ariel Ninas has been playing the hurdy-gurdy since 2001, incorporating a unique style based on traditional Galician music. His work blends elements of contemporary avant-garde aesthetics, including electronic, droning, and free improvisation. Here he demonstrates the medieval instrument, shares music, and chats with journalist and fellow hurdy-gurdy enthusiast Devon Léger.

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Thandiswa Mazwai sits down with Farima Kone Kito to discuss her upbringing in Apartheid South Africa and shares insights on her latest album Sankofa, created in Soweto, Dakar, and NYC, in which she brings traditional music from across the African continent and archival Xsosa samples into the present in a collection that Songlines magazine praises as "eleven incredibly unique songs". Additionally, she reflects on the encouragement and inspiration she has received from fellow artists including Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, and Salif Keita throughout her career.

See Thandiswa in NYC on Nov 14, 2024 at (le) poison rouge

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Pura Fé, an Indigenous activist, singer-songwriter, and storyteller of Tuscarora/Taino descent, is known for her soulful voice. She founded the Native Women’s a cappella trio, Ulali, empowering Native women’s music. Pura Fé explores Native Blues, where she is known for her lap-steel slide guitar recordings. Her music has been featured in many films including the award-winning documentary “RUMBLE: The Indians that Rocked the World” and she engages in social justice events as a speaker and musician. Gwendolen Cates is an award-winning independent documentary filmmaker, photographer, and author.

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Ahead of his performance at the New York Guitar Festival, now in its 25th year, producer, guitarist, and composer Yonatan Gat (Stone Tapes) sat down with the Host of WNYC's New Sounds, John Schaefer, joined by two artists who will also perform as a part of Night Two of the festival - Daryl Black Eagle Jamieson of the Eastern Medicine Singers and Gnawa master Maalem Hassan Benjaafar. Rounding out the Night Two lineup will be Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Mamady Kouyaté, and Laraaji, John Schaefer will host both nights - June 14 and 15, 2024 at Kaufman Music Center in Manhattan.

Link to Night One - Marc Ribot & Leyla McCalla, Yasmin Williams, Neel Murgai & Kunal Prakash

Link to Night Two - The Medicine Singers featuring Yonatan Gat and Lee Ranaldo, Maalem Hassan Benjaafar, Mamady Kouyaté, and Laraaji

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Watch Haleh Liza Gafori and Shahzad Ismaily in a conversation about the timeless and universal appeal of the music and poetry of Rumi. Rumi was a Persian Sufi mystic and dervish from the 13th century whose spiritual writings have inspired people across borders and different faiths, making him one of the most beloved poets around the world. He has amassed a celebrity following including Brad Pitt, Chris Martin, Beyoncé, and Jay Z who are drawn to his eternal message of peace and transformation.

Other singers of Rumi's poetry mentioned in the conversation: Homayun Shajarian | Mohammad-Reza Shajarian | Shahram Nazeri | Parisa

Haleh Liza Gafori is a translator, vocalist, poet, and composer born in New York City of Persian descent. Her book of translations, "Gold: Poems by Rumi", was published by New York Review Books in 2022. Supported by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, Gafori has created a musical, cross-media performance piece based on the book, weaving translations, original text, and compositions sung in Persian and English which she debuted at the New York Public Library.

Shahzad Ismaily is a Brooklyn-based musician, composer, and engineer who founded Figure 8 Recording. Often referred to as the “musician’s favorite musician”, he has collaborated with many avant-garde artists and composers including Laurie Anderson, Anthony Coleman, and Marc Ribot. WMI presented Love In Exile, his collaboration with Arooj Aftab and Vijay Iyer based on their Grammy Award-nominated album, at Town Hall in 2023.

More about Haleh Liza Gafori - https://www.halehliza.com
More about Shahzad Ismaily and Figure 8 Recording - https://www.figure8recording.com

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Grammy Award-winning Israeli-born composer, clarinetist, and educator Oran Etkin and Brazilian pianist, arranger, composer, and producer Benjamin Taubkin came together to discuss their passion for and commitment to engaging in a musical dialogue with artists from other cultures to build bridges between people around the globe. They shared music and chatted about working together on Oran's innovative project Open Arms which will be released in January 2024.

More about Oran Etkin and the Open Arms Project

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Mehrnam Rastegari is an award-winning score composer, singer, and master kamancheh player. Originally born in Iran, she now lives in NYC. For this WMI Plus At Home session, she is joined in conversation with her friend and fellow composer and kamancheh player Niloufar Shiri. Mehrnam shares music and the two artists discuss their instruments and personal musical journeys, as well as the challenges facing women musicians in Iran today. Mehrnam also joined us for a FolkTales session.

More about Mehrnam Rastegari

Link to FolkTales session "Parinaz and the Golden Lamp"

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