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Playlist
Maestros, if you please ... !
These extraordinary maestros bring you into the world of writing and conducting music.
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19:56
Michael Tilson Thomas
Music and emotion through time
19 minutes 56 seconds
In this epic overview, Michael Tilson Thomas traces the development of classical music through the development of written notation, the record, and the re-mix.
20:34
Itay Talgam
Lead like the great conductors
20 minutes 34 seconds
An orchestra conductor faces the ultimate leadership challenge: creating perfect harmony without saying a word. In this charming talk, Itay Talgam demonstrates the unique styles of six great 20th-century conductors, illustrating crucial lessons for all leaders.
20:13
Benjamin Zander
The transformative power of classical music
20 minutes 13 seconds
Benjamin Zander has two infectious passions: classical music, and helping us all realize our untapped love for it -- and by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, new connections.
20:12
Maya Beiser
A cello with many voices
20 minutes 12 seconds
Cellist Maya Beiser plays a gorgeous eight-part modern etude with seven copies of herself, and segues into a meditative music/video hybrid -- using tech to create endless possibilities for transformative sound. Music is Steve Reich's "Cello Counterpoint," with video from Bill Morrison, then David Lang's "World to Come," with video by Irit Batsry.
16:36
José Antonio Abreu
The El Sistema music revolution
16 minutes 36 seconds
José Antonio Abreu is the charismatic founder of a youth orchestra system that has transformed thousands of kids' lives in Venezuela. He shares his amazing story and unveils a TED Prize wish that could have a big impact in the US and beyond.
16:44
Gustavo Dudamel and the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra
El Sistema's top youth orchestra
16 minutes 44 seconds
The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra contains the best high school musicians from Venezuela's life-changing music program, El Sistema. Led here by Gustavo Dudamel, they play Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, 2nd movement, and Arturo Márquez' Danzón No. 2.
20:21
Tod Machover + Dan Ellsey
Inventing instruments that unlock new music
20 minutes 21 seconds
Tod Machover of MIT's Media Lab is devoted to extending musical expression to everyone, from virtuosos to amateurs, and in the most diverse forms, from opera to video games. He and composer Dan Ellsey shed light on what's next.
19:19
Charles Hazlewood
Trusting the ensemble
19 minutes 19 seconds
Conductor Charles Hazlewood talks about the role of trust in musical leadership -- then shows how it works, as he conducts the Scottish Ensemble onstage. He also shares clips from two musical projects: the opera "U-Carmen eKhayelitsha" and the ParaOrchestra.
31:55
Evelyn Glennie
How to truly listen
31 minutes 55 seconds
In this soaring demonstration, deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie illustrates how listening to music involves much more than simply letting sound waves hit your eardrums.
17:23
Ge Wang
The DIY orchestra of the future
17 minutes 23 seconds
Ge Wang makes computer music, but it isn't all about coded bleeps and blips. With the Stanford Laptop Orchestra, he creates new instruments out of unexpected materials—like an Ikea bowl—that allow musicians to play music that's both beautiful and expressive.