Music Talks

An exclusive interview with American singer-songwriter Andy Tubman. His music once awakened a friend from a coma and soothed many troubled, depressed hearts. Quiet Inside, a signature song from Andy Tubman plays during a pivotal moment in the 2005 psychological thriller The Jacket.

In this episode, the hooves are replaced by horse-hair: the Morin Khuur speaks, sighs and gallops in the hands of the soloist Morin Khuur performer Chaoke Jiletu. You’ll feel 180 nylon filaments tremble like prairie grass, and learn why the bow is called the instrument’s “two legs.” Just let the steppe gallop straight into your headphones.

This episode follows Mustafa Alim, a musician from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, who fell in love with the accordion. Actively promoting accordion culture, he has engaged in cross-cultural exchanges through domestic and international accordion festivals and concert tours, showcasing the instrument’s role as a cultural symbol of Xinjiang.

Over the past decade, Liu Yuening, a Chinese dulcimer professor with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, has committed herself to using music as a bridge to enhance intercultural communication between China and India. She believes cultural exchanges between the two giants play a significant role in helping people understand each other's cultures more deeply. This episode was produced on June 24, 2022.

The Chinese Orchestra of Renmin University of China brings together students from diverse majors like finance, mathematics, information management and more. Bound by a shared love for music, they cherish and create music with passion, drawing solace and strength from every note they play.

American-born Jake Pinnick has great passion for Wudang martial arts and the wisdom of Daoism. He has also been exploring the art of traditional Chinese flute called dongxiao, among other instruments, as a means of self-cultivation.

Li Shuyou, an 80-year-old music teacher, has turned his home into a music school. Here, children and teenagers have gathered for years to take lessons and learn about the art of traditional Chinese music, free of charge.

Meet different people across China, who live and breathe traditional Chinese music, and find out how music inspires, heals, and connects generations in ways beyond words.

Huang Ye is an innovative Jazz musician and music director at the Lincoln Center Shanghai. It won't be surprising to hear segments in his music reflecting the clamor of horns beeping during rush hour or a tiger's mighty roar. The 26-year-old artist once composed 24 works within one single month, but it took him more than a decade to find all the motifs he needed to create them. Let's find out how Huang has been devoting himself to transcending cultural barriers and incorporating diverse cultures into his music.

Shaun Gibson is a British singer and songwriter who weaves his narratives into music. His music is so catchy that it often goes around in listeners' heads once they hear it. He represents the distinctiveness of the instruments from the East to make them accessible and appealing. In this episode, we're thrilled to get up-close with Shaun Gibson who has been immersing himself in the rich tapestry of Chinese music and culture to discover inspiration in every corner of the country.