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Our Common Nature: Daily Summaries Delivered
by WNYC
When the world stopped in 2020, cellist Yo-Yo Ma started thinking about how music can reconnect people to the natural world. In this limited podcast series, Yo-Yo goes around the country to places where people have deep connections to the earth and begins to play. 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 symphony 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 his entire 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.
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- Nov 19, 202543 min
Hawai‘i: Yo-Yo Ma and the Whales
Yo-Yo Ma has wanted to use his cello to communicate with whales for half his life. And, in Hawai’i he got a chance. With help from the Polyneisan Voyaging Society and hula master Snowbird Bento, Yo-Yo learns about the ancient art of Hawaiian chant, what one local singer describes to him as their “contribution to the orchestra of the world.” Then Ana and Yo-Yo board a legendary canoe, Hōkūleʻa, with local fishermen, seafaring captains, and marine biologists. The musicians play cello for whales through the hull of the ship, all in the red glow of volcano Mauna Loa’s active eruption. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma and Snowbird BentoListen to the Our Common Nature EPCredits: 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 Pai 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
- Nov 12, 202544 min
Hawai‘i: Yo-Yo Ma on Moloka‘i
On the island of Molokaʻi in Hawaii, we trace the spiritual power of mana, from a sacred grove to the Kalaupapa colony, where music, story, and Yo-Yo Ma’s performance honor the resilience and memory of those who came before.Perched on a plateau on the southeast side of the island of Molokaʻi sits a grove of kukui trees. Mikiʻala Pescaia tells us that beneath the roots of these trees are the bones of Hawaiian spiritual leader Lanikaula. It holds his energy and power, his mana, a key concept in Hawaiian culture. On the north side of the same island, on a rugged peninsula called Kalaupapa, we explore the mana left behind by another history. It’s the site of a government-mandated colony for people who contracted Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. Historian Anwei Law tells us the story of Bernard Punikaiʻa, who came to Kalaupapa as a boy with a disease and created a life of music and community within the bounds of the colony. We reflect on how to memorialize the residents of Kalaupapa as the last remaining living residents listen to Yo-Yo play in one of the peninsula's many cemeteries. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma and Bernard PunikaʻiaWatch a video of Bernard performing “Where Birds Never Fly”Listen to the Our Common Nature EPCredits: 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 Pai 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
- Nov 5, 202545 min
West Virginia: Yo-Yo Ma and West Virginia Coal
West Virginia is defined by its beauty and its coal, two things that can work against each other. Yo-Yo Ma felt this as soon as stepped foot in its hills.This episode explores how music and poetry help process the emotions of a community besieged with disaster and held together by pride and duty. We travel down the Coal River with third-generation coal miner Chris Saunders, who tells us how coal has saved and threatened his life. Poet Crystal Good shares her poetry, which channels her rage and love. And musician and granddaughter of West Virginia coal miners, Kathy Mattea, explains the beauty of belting out your home state in a chorus. The end of the episode finds host Ana floating down the New River with help from a group of high schoolers and Yo-Yo Ma. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma, Dom Flemons, and Kathy Mattea and poetry by Crystal Good. 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 Pearl MarvellSound design and episode music by Alan GoffinskiMixed by Joe PlourdeFact-checking by Ena AlvaradoExecutive Producers : 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 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
- Oct 29, 202544 min
Alaska: Yo-Yo Ma and the Gwich’in play for the salmon
This episode begins in Fairbanks, AK. Yo-Yo Ma is at a house concert with drag queen environmentalist Pattie Gonia, singer/songwriter Quinn Christopherson and Princess Daazhraii Johnson, a writer and filmmaker from the Gwich’in Nation. They were all performing to help their communities process the negative effects of climate change in Alaska. Salmon have been disappearing for decades, but now there are laws preventing fishing along the Yukon River, an ancestral practice for many Alaska Native people. Host Ana travels up to the 2024 Gwich’in Gathering in Circle, Alaska to learn how the Gwich’in nation uses its centuries-old tools of music and discussion to speak with one voice and bring back the salmon.Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma, Quinn Christopherson and Pattie Gonia, poetry by Princess Johnson, and traditional music by members of the Gwich’in Nation. 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
- Oct 22, 202542 min
The Smokies: Mountains and Forgotten Family with Yo-Yo Ma
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
- Oct 15, 202533 min
Kentucky: Yo-Yo Ma and the Louisville Orchestra perform in Mammoth Cave
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 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
- Oct 8, 202532 min
Acadia: Yo-Yo Ma and the Wabanaki Play for the Dawn
The series opens with a window into the Yo-Yo universe, one where music and nature work together. Host Ana González guides us into Yo-Yo Ma’s mindset, connecting Bach to leaves, birds, and sunlight. That takes us to a sunrise in Acadia National Park in Maine, where Chris Newell leads Yo-Yo and Wabanaki musicians in a musical performance to welcome the dawn. Featuring music by Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Newell, and Lauren Stevens.Yo-Yo’s performance of In the Gale by Anna ClyneAdditional audio provided by the Upstander Project. Watch the Upstander Project film about this sunrise performance here: https://www.reciprocity.org/films/weckuwapokListen to the Our Common Nature EP here.Preview more videos on @wnyc Instagram/Facebook 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 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 NewellSpecial thanks to Acadia National Park. 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.Episode photo by Austin Mann; episode and show art by Tiffany Pai 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
- Sep 11, 20251 min
Our Common Nature with Yo-Yo Ma
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. 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
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About Our Common Nature
When the world stopped in 2020, cellist Yo-Yo Ma started thinking about how music can reconnect people to the natural world. In this limited podcast series, Yo-Yo goes around the country to places where people have deep connections to the earth and begins to play. 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 symphony 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 his entire 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.
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