In honor of America 250, let’s learn about the music and the instruments that created the soundscape of the Revolutionary War.

July 7th is Tanabata, or the Star Festival, in Japan. It is derived from the Chinese Qixi Festival. In this episode, we’ll hear the traditional Tanabata song.

This week on Take Note, we’re observing World Listening Day, a time to recognize the importance of sound in our lives and its role in shaping our understanding of the world around us.

As we wrap up the month of July, let’s celebrate the Fiesta de Santiago, a day that honors Spain’s patron saint St. James the Apostle. We’ll observe this holiday with 12th century sacred polyphonic music as well as some traditional sounds of the Spanish-speaking Americas.

This week on Take Note, we’re honoring the Theravada Buddhist festival Asalha Puja, which commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon. We’ll hear traditional Sri Lankan Buddhist music and learn about the instrument horanawa.

On this week’s Take Note, we’re honoring the Hindu holiday of Ker Puja, which occurs on August 7th. It’s a solemn celebration primarily observed in the Northeastern Indian state of Tripura. Listen to hear the sound of the bamboo flute sumui.

In this episode, we celebrate pride month with the story of Tchaikovsky, and we discuss why it’s important to acknowledge musicians’ sexuality.

In this episode, in honor of Juneteenth, we learn about the life of Blind Tom Wiggins, who is sometimes referred to as the “last American slave.”