Classical Music Happy Hour

In the Smoky Mountains, traditions layer and intersect. Yo-Yo Ma believes that story and song can help us grapple with America’s complicated history. This episode highlights two stories of people who are reclaiming their connections to the land. The first brings us to Cherokee, North Carolina, where Lavita Hill and Mary Crowe are working to change the name of the tallest mountain in the range back to its original Cherokee name.Then, we go to the other side of the mountains, where musician Eric Mingus meets up with some long-lost family, and grapples with the weight of his family’s history. His performance reconnects him to a lineage he never thought he’d find.Featuring music by Eric Mingus, Rhiannon Giddens and Yo-Yo Ma.“Grinds My Bones/The Mill” was composed and performed by Eric Mingus. Flute and vocal performance in this episode by Jarrett Wildcatt. Additional audio recording provided by Taylor MacKay.Credits: Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings Hosted by Ana GonzálezProduced by Alan GoffinskiWith editing from Pearl Marvell Sound design and episode music from Alan GoffinskiMixed by Joe PlourdeFact-checking by Ena AlvaradoExecutive Producers are Emily Botein, Ben Mandelkern, Sophie Shackleton, and Jonathan BaysOur advisors are Mira Burt-Wintonick, Kamaka Dias, Kelley Libbey, and Chris NewellEpisode photo by Austin Mann; Episode and show art by Tiffany PaiAnd if you want to listen to more music from this series, you can check out the Our Common Nature EP, featuring Yo-Yo playing with Eric Mingus, Jen Kreisberg and an Icelandic choir, now available on all streaming platforms.This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world.Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies.Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings.Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcastsYo-Yo Ma wants to know: what place do you love most? What reminds you that you are part of the Earth? Snap a photo of your favorite place on the planet and share it on social with the tag #ourcommonnatureVisit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org

A cave can hold secrets. Louisville Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams knows that, which is why he wrote a piece for symphony orchestra to be performed entirely underground. This episode takes us into Mammoth Cave to hear a performance that unlocks a centuries of stories preserved by the caves' seemingly endless walls. One of those is the story of Jerry Bransford, who brought the Bransford name back to Mammoth Cave 80 years after his ancestors were removed from  their jobs as cave guides because of their race.Featuring original music from Louisville Symphony Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams, performed by the Louisville Symphony Orchestra, Davóne Tines, and Yo-Yo Ma.Special thanks to: Mammoth Cave National Park and Louisville Orchestra for their recording of Mammoth used throughout this episode. Find out more about their projects and concerts by visiting louisvilleorchestra.org  To learn more about all the history of enslaved guides at Mammoth Cave, read Making Their Mark: The Signature of Slavery at Mammoth Cave, written by Joy Lyons.Listen to the Our Common Nature EP. Credits: Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings Hosted by Ana GonzálezProduced by Alan GoffinskiEditing from Pearl MarvellSound design and episode music by Alan GoffinskiMixed  by Joe PlourdeFact-checking by Ena AlvaradoExecutive Producers are Emily Botein, Ben Mandelkern, Sophie Shackleton, and Jonathan Bays.Our advisors are Mira Burt-Wintonick, Kamaka Dias, Kelley Libbey, and Chris NewellEpisode photo by Austin Mann; Episode and show art by Tiffany PaiThis podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world.Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies

Yo-Yo Ma, the world-renowned cellist, and Chris Newell, Passamaquoddy musician and educator, join for a mesmerizing exploration of music and nature. They delve into how Bach connects with the natural world, reflecting on the absence of nature in Yo-Yo's life. Chris shares insights on Wabanaki traditions, including sunrise songs meant to welcome the day. The podcast captures the magic of a collaborative performance at Acadia National Park, blending classical music with indigenous rhythms, showcasing music as a medium for cultural unity and healing.

When the world stopped in 2020, cellist Yo-Yo Ma started thinking about how music can reconnect people to nature. In this limited podcast series, Yo-Yo travels around the country to make music and meet people who have deep connections to the earth.  Host Ana González joins him to uncover stories of the ways that culture binds us to nature, from Maine to Appalachia and Hawaii. The result is a seven-episode series that fuses music, personal narratives, and local histories from across the United States. We travel into the world's largest cave to hear the Louisville Orchestra perform. In Hawai‘i, an elder says her “chants are our contribution to the human orchestra of the world.” And the Wabanaki teach us about their duty to welcome the sun each day in Maine. For Yo-Yo Ma, who has spent most of his career indoors, a connection to the natural world is “what doesn’t exist in my life, that I know is missing.”  Our Common Nature helps to bridge the gap – for Yo-Yo and for all of us.