Category Archives: archive

Persian instruments on TV!

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Last Saturday, Iranian people were taken by surprise in a strange way. The Good Morning Iran Show for IRIB’s Channel 1, broadcasted music from the group Avaye Parsian (Persian voice)! The group, led by musician Saman Alipour, consists of kamancheh (a bowed string instrument) santoor (a trapezoid-shaped dulcimer) played by wooden hammers and tar (lute). You might think that it is pretty normal to show traditional instruments on TV, but this is really unusual for Iranian people. They were even not sure if they were dreaming or not. For many of them it was the first time they had seen such instruments on national television.

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Pussy Riot’s next move

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Yesterday the two members of Pussy Riot got free from prison. Masja Aljochina and Nadejda Tolokonnikova were supposed to stay until March next year. After two years they are reunited again. For them it was a bit abrupt, because they were deprived from any information. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the constitution, Putin wanted to give amnesty to different groups of people, like for mothers with children. They both are mothers. Tolokonnikova, who wrote an open letter about the slavery and violence in camp number 14, district of Moldovia, and who later went on hunger strike, gave her comments to the reporters right after she got free.

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Calle 13 features Julian Assange

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Today the Puerto Rican band Calle 13 premiered the single “Multi_Viral” off their fifth studio album to be released in 2014. The track features spoken-word contribution from Wiki-leaks’ Julian Assange, guitarist Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Palestinian singer Kamilya Jubran. The sound is filled with electronics, rap, fast moving rhythms, lyrical singing of Jubran and the screaming guitar of Morella. Calle 13 has always been outspoken and socially engaged like their hit Querido F.B.I. (2005). This time the new single ‘counterattacks manipulation and turns it into a collective expression’.

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Musical Right Awards 2013

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Last Saturday the International Music Council (IMC) announced the winners of the Musical Right Awards. IMC is an independent non-governmental organization, based at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris. According to the IMC all people should be able to express themselves freely, learn musical languages and skills, and have access to musical involvement. Musical artists got to have the right to ‘develop their artistry and communicate through all media and to obtain just recognition and remuneration for their work’ (IMC). The awards will be presented during the opening ceremony of the 5th IMC World Forum on Music in Brisbane, Australia, on 21 November 2013. There are three programs that stand out this year.

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Mercedes Sosa was on the black list

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In Buenos Aires there has been a major discovery of secret documents dating back to the years of military rule in Argentina. ‘The files contain the transcripts of all meetings held by the military junta, which ruled the country from 1976 to 1983, said Defence Minister Agustin Rossi. The documents also name famous artists and intellectuals who were blacklisted. Folk singer Mercedes Sosa, writer Julio Cortazar, tango musician Osvaldo Pugliese and actress Norma Aleandro are among many banned or subjected to censorship for opposing the government’ (BBC News). The documentary Mercedes Sosa, the Voice of Latin America of Rodrigo H. Vila is about to premiere in Europe.

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