Classical music and Ping-Pong
On this episode, Max and Paola explored the wide world of classical music, starting with a look at an experimental new work: a new concerto being performed by the New York Philharmonic which features two Olympic table tennis players as soloists. The piece, "Richochet" by the composer Andy Ahiko, employs the unorthodox rhythms of the ping pong players as the basis for its unique sound.
Next, Paola went on to explain some of the oft-heard but little-understood nomenclature of classical and orchestral music. Max discussed the works of Igor Stravinsky, particularly the controversial premiere of his ballet "The Rite of Spring," and Paola wrapped up the classical music discussion by filling us in on the recent rise of classical music in Colombia.
For our English learning portion, the illustrious Mark Bell joined us to point out some differences in North American and UK English pronunciation, and even went into some of the history of the linguistic divergence across the Atlantic.