Hear Here!

This is a practice of... anticipation. At a live concert put on by WSKG's Sam Goodyear, the audience was encouraged to smell a big bowl of Hershey Kisses but they could not indulge until the end of the performance. Just as we anticipate the end of a piece of music, the audience anticipated eating the chocolate.

Moms, dads and their kids share music they like on this episode of Hear Here! They talk about why they like it, and how it makes them feel. We also meet a therapeutic harpist who plays for people living in a nursing home, and hear the music of Calpurnia. Find additional resources for parents and teachers at WSKG.org.

This episode is all about how voice is used in jazz music. We learn about improvisations and other vocal techniques, and listen to some scat singing from the iconic Ella Fitzgerald. We also meet a young drummer who counts to keep the beat, and hear the Sant Andreu Jazz Band. Find additional resources for parents and teachers at WSKG.org.

We meet Ithaca-based composer/performer Annie Lewandowski during a tech rehearsal of a one-woman show. She's the star, but many people contribute behind-the-scenes. We'll see some of them at work and talk with the director. Also in this episode, we'll visualize music and hear the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura. Find additional resources for parents and teachers at WSKG.org.

If you think classical music is lifeless and boring. You might be in for some surprises during this episode of Hear Here! Classical music can be amusing, funny, or just plain wacky, like the soundtrack of a crazy cartoon. Music has entertained people throughout history. Let's discover how music can actually make us laugh! We'll also hear the music of Flau'jae. Find additional resources for parents and teachers at WSKG.org.

Come along as singer-songwriter Joe Crookston explores the world of music, sound and songwriting! What kind of sound do various instruments make? How do stories and sounds then turn into songs? Let's find out together! Plus, music as a universal language and we'll hear music from Voice of Baceprot. Find additional resources for parents and teachers at WSKG.org.

When you hear 'Hip-Hop' what comes to mind? DJs, MCs, beat-juggling, graffiti... yep, you've got it! We're going to explore the roots and music of hip-hop. Special guests Ben Ortiz of the Cornell Hip-Hop Conservancy and DJ ShockWave help us along the way. Produced by Dan Davis. Segment voice talent provided by Tommy Kazmark and Brandon Beesley.

Brian Manker went to school in upstate New York in the Endwell, Vestal, and Binghamton communities. He wanted to be a football player, but then he discovered the cello.  Now he's the principal cello for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Produced by Bill Snyder.

Many of us know and love traditional spirituals like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot or Wade in the Water. But a lesser known aspect is that many of these songs served as coded messages for the Underground Railroad. We’ll explore the connection between slavery and the songs that slaves sang on their way to freedom. (Producer: Crystal Sarakas)

Traditional instruments are not necessary to make music! In this episode: an orchestra who plays vegetables, a professor who builds instruments using found objects, and a pioneer of early electronic music, Delia Derbyshire, who would record a seemingly simple sound and then manipulate that tape to create complex music. Plus, WSKG staffers compose a song, but their only instruments are things they can find on their desks! (Produced by Sarah Gager)