From A-ha to OK Go: A museum exhibit all about the music videoIn the early ‘80s, before MTV turned its attention to reality TV, David Bowie, Madonna and the Pretenders lit up small screens, using a new medium to showcase their songs: the music video. Recently, we’ve seen a resurgence of this art form as cinematographers, musicians and artists join together to supersize their visual creativity. But […]
The live meshing of a real life and virtual chorusEric Whitacre has spent most of his career conducting traditional choirs. Then, in 2009, a fan video posted to YouTube sparked a crazy idea: could he take singers from across the globe, have them sing the same piece on video, and edit it together into a virtual choir? The results of this experiment quickly went […]
11 entertainers who sidestepped the usual avenues and found creative ways to make a livingMusician Amanda Palmer has spent her career seeking out connection: first as a living statue on the street, who traded intimate eye contact and a rose for a passerby’s money; then, as one half of the band The Dresden Dolls, who didn’t hesitate to ask fans for support, either in person or over Twitter. “I […]
Rhythms of starlight, melodies of astrophysics: Fellows Friday with Lucianne WalkowiczEver wondered what the music of the cosmos sounds like? You’re about to find out. Astrophysicist and TED Senior Fellow Lucianne Walkowicz works on the Kepler mission, looking at a patch of our galaxy to learn about stars and their planets. During an interview at TED2013, she mentioned that she is also an artist and […]
Laying down the beats on the main stage: Pedrito Martinez back at TED2013Pedrito Martinez is back onstage at TED, and this time he’s brought his band, including the dynamite Ariacne Trujillo on keys. “They have almost a psychic communication,” says TED music advisor, Bill Bragin, a longtime fan who describes taking guests who visit New York City to go see Martinez play at the local Cuban restaurant […]
Mouth music: Wang Li at TED2013It sounds like music that could be pumping from the sound system of a packed nightclub. But these electronic-tinged sounds actually come from the mouth of one man, Wang Li, a master mouth harp musician, as he plays the kouxiang. In session 7 of TED2013, Li gives the audience a taste of his sonic stylings. Raised in […]
Let classical music rock your world: Ji-Hae Park at TED2013“The TED Salon in Seoul was lit up by this performer, by her extraordinary passion for her music,” says TED curator Chris Anderson by way of introduction. He’s referring to the Talent Search auditions held in 14 cities around the world that provided the conference with 33 speakers this year. And in particular, he’s talking […]
Any noise I can imagine: Beardyman at TED2013Beardyman, né Darren Foreman, is a London-based beatboxer and inventor who has always been frustrated by the limitations of the human voice and body. After all, Beardyman’s instrument is his voice — and he only has one. No one, for example, can sing two notes at the same time. So naturally, Beardyman built a machine […]
“The musician’s musician”: Pedrito Martinez at TED2013“He is simply one of the best musicians in the country,” says TED music advisor Bill Bragin of Pedrito Martinez, who’s just taken the TED stage to air a traditional Afro-Cuban bata drum solo. “As a musician’s musician, he leaves other musicians’ jaws on the ground.” Wearing a bright yellow Pittsburgh Pirates cap, a red waistcoat, […]
Amanda Palmer’s TED Talk is 8 feet longAmanda Palmer — performer, writer, former Dresden Dolls frontwoman — speaks at TED2013 on Wednesday morning. And to prep, she rendered her talk on paper in Sharpie. She writes on Tumblr, “It is about eight feet long. I am taking this as a good omen.” Back in Boston, the “Queen of Kickstarter” also held a prep […]
X marks the spot: This week’s musical TEDx TalksEach week, TEDx chooses four of our favorite talks, highlighting just a few of the enlightening speakers from the TEDx community and its diverse constellation of ideas worth spreading. Below, give this week’s talks — all about music — a listen. Learn 100 songs in five minutes: Jordan Hume at TEDxMacquarieUniversity The structure of music might seem […]
On musical creativity: A talk to watch as you discuss the Grammy winnersThe 2013 Grammy Awards, which aired last night, offered up many a surprise with indie-tinged acts grabbing major awards over more established contenders. British folk-rockers Mumford & Sons (above) won the award for Album of the Year for Babel while electronic master Gotye took home Record of the Year for his infectious song “Somebody That […]
New playlists: “Maestros, if you please … !” and “Design of useful things”TED playlists are collections of talks around a topic, built for you in a thoughtful sequence to illuminate ideas in context. This weekend, two new playlists are available: “Design of useful things” and “Maestros, if you please … !” Maestros, if you please … ! These 7 extraordinary maestros bring you into the world of […]
Macy Gray creates TED playlistDo you still know every word to Macy Gray’s lovesick ballad “I Try?” Us too. In fact, Gray’s chart-toppling album, On How Life Is, still sounds as refreshingly modern as it did when it was released in 1999. At TEDGlobal2012, Macy Gray took to the stage and got the audience on their feet with a […]
A Latin ode to Michael JacksonGot a case of the Mondays? We’re hoping that this performance from TEDxFIU might be enough to snap you out it. In this video, Peruvian and Japanese musician Tony Succar gives an big band tribute to his favorite musician, Michael Jackson, imagining what his classic songs would sound like with Latin flair. Get ready to […]
