July 4, 2009 (#97)- The Migration Show
Originally aired July 19, 2008

Legs, Hope and Water
Peggy Giakoumelos and Lea Redfern - Producers, Radio Eye (Australia)

The fragments of sounds, smells, and images that you remember from your youth form an imperfect mental roadmap of the particular place where you grew up. And as an adult, that roadmap usually remains folded away. But on occasion, something might inspire you to find it and spread it out before you, to re-trace old roads and rivers you knew before. The map, of course, is an artifact: the places of your childhood have changed since you left them. But that doesn't quash your innate curiousity or, in some cases, the need to return.

Peggy Giakoumelos was born in Australia to  Greek parents. She also lived in Greece for part of her childhood. She returned again as an adult - retaining childhood memories of a place, that because of mass migration into Greece, no longer existed at all. In 2003 she travelled back to find out about the changes.


What's Your Status?
Judith Sloan - Independent Producer, Earsay

Immigrating to a new country is always hard : new language, new culture, new people... But when you're young, and you're here illegally, living with the threat of deportation all the time, well, it doesn’t exactly seem like the  proverbial pot of gold. Judith Sloan works with at-risk youth, teaching theater, writing, and juggling in alternative schools and jails. What's Your Status? was inspired by her work with undocumented students.


An American Tail
Anastasia Ivonova - Independent Producer, TCF Dollar Storeys

And finally, here's a story about a cat and a mouse, peace and war, Russia and America. All in two minutes and thirty seconds.


Music:

Andrew Coleman, "Pi Four", Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt (Thrill Jockey, 2001)
Thomas Belhom, "Pink Turns to Blue", No Border ( Ici D'ailleurs/Darla, 2008)
Hauschka, "Paddington", Room to Expand (Fat Cat, 2007)
J. Spaceman and Sun City Girls, "Music Box Underwater", Mister Lonely (Drag City, 2008)

Extras:

Hear more stories from Radio Eye on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Check out Judith Sloan's website and read a Third Coast interview with her here.

That tape at the beginning of the show? "You're stepping on my shadow"? That was from the wonderful (and recently deceased) Tony Schwartz. Hear more.

Listen to all the Dollar Storeys!

June 27, 2009 - Fundraiser!

It's fundraiser time again! Show your support for the Third Coast Festival, Re:sound, and Chicago Public Radio. Here's how.

June 20 , 2009 (#113)- The Quiet Show

Whisper Essay
Laura Mayer - Independent Producer

A whispered meditation on...whispering.

El's Story
Natalie Kestecher - Producer, Australian Broadcasting Corporation

A small number of adults in the world – no one knows quite how many—suffer from a rare disorder called selective mutism. They’re unable to speak with anyone outside their immediate family and they communicate by writing notes, using a keyboard, or (in this age of omnipresent social networking) uploading testimonial videos to Youtube. In Natalie Kestecher's documentary, El -- young woman with selective mutism -- shares stories about her attempts to interact with the wider world.

The Secret Sound Worlds of Chris Watson
Delaney Hall - Producer, Re:sound

Chris Watson is a big deal in the world of nature field recording. He's created radio documentaries for the BBC and done sound design for David Attenborough and other wildlife documentarians. He's created sound installations all over the world and collaborated with musicians inspired by his work. He specializes in the sounds and music of nature: from the tiny, almost imperceptible sound of ants’ footsteps to the thunderous groan of glaciers.

Sounds of Dublin + Call for Suprising Sounds!

The TCF's artistic director Julie Shapiro recently traveled to Dublin for the International Features Conference and she brought back some recordings to share with us. One in particular stuck in her ear: the sound of Georgie, a busker on Grafton street, who defies all Once-influenced stereotypes you might have about Irish street musicians. In fact, he's the anti-Once, a completely unexpected and delightful find.

Inspired by this idea of unexpected sounds, we're starting a new project on Re:sound. We're turning the tables: we want YOU to share your surprising sounds with US. What are the ear-catching sounds in your neighborhood? When you travel to other places, what sounds surprise you? Send your mp3s (just two to three minutes, please) to thirdcoastfestival (at) gmail (dot) com and include a brief description of the sound and where you recorded it. If we like your sound, we'll get in touch with you and play it on Re:sound.

We can't wait to hear your surprising sounds!


Music:

Air, "Night Sight," Pocket Symphony (Astralwerks, 2007)
Melodium, "Residual Song," Anaemia (Audiodregs, 2004)
Biosphere, "Dissolving Clouds," Dropsonde (Touch UK, 2006)
Chihei Hatakeyama, "Bonfire on the Field," Minima Moralia (Kranky, 2006)
Melodium, "Felt Melt (Primitive Version)," Anaemia (Audiodregs, 2004)


Extras:

Check out the How Are You Doing Project by Laura Mayer, our amazing (and, sadly, former) Third Coast Festival intern. Good luck in NYC, Laura!

Learn more about Chris Watson, hear more of his work, and see pictures of him at work in the field with his astonishing array of gigantic microphones.

Send us your surprising sounds! Convert 2-3 minutes to an mp3! If we like what we hear, we'll get in touch with you, and play it on Re:sound!