Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Canada, France
Corneille reflects on his fifteen-year career as a hip hop variety singer. Born in Germany but raised in Rwanda and now residing in Canada, Corneille absorbed various musical influences, which resulted in an eclectic and interesting mix of genres that he will explain in this video. You will also hear short music clips, one of which is from his latest album Entre nord et sud [Between North and South].
Difficulty: Beginner
France
In guitar lesson number three of this series, it's time to learn a song now that you know how to play rhythms. The song is called "Les Mots" [The Words] by La Rue Ketanou. So pick up your guitar (if you have one) and play along while you learn a little French!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
In lesson two of this series on playing guitar, Lionel will talk to you about several playing techniques to create a rhythm that he will demonstrate on his guitar.
Difficulty: Newbie
France
Lionel demonstrates some basic guitar techniques to help you familiarize yourself with the instrument. He also gives an overview of various percussion instruments. You may not get to play like Lionel overnight, but you are sure to learn some interesting music vocabulary.
Difficulty: Advanced
Canada
Meet Geneviève Morissette, a singer-songwriter from Montreal whose smart lyrics and beautiful compositions make her stand out on stage.
Difficulty: Advanced
France
Meet the members of IAM, a very popular French rap group originating from Marseille. They discuss their successful career and their latest album, Arts Martiens (Martian Arts).
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The Musée des Abattoirs (Slaughterhouse Museum) in Toulouse devoted an entire exhibition to dub music, a subgenre of reggae. The exhibition featured a selection of Jamaican-style sound systems and culminated in a big dub concert.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Discover a unique instrument called the ondes Martenot, a precursor to the synthesizer named after its inventor, Maurice Martenot. This electronic piano-like instrument, once a musical sensation in the 1930's, quickly fell into disuse, but is experiencing a revival thanks to Christine Ott, a talented pianist who adopted this unusual instrument and has worked alongside such musical greats as Radiohead and Yann Tiersen.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The pianist Alexandre Tharaud plays Beethoven and Chopin in the beautiful surroundings of the Chambord castle. It's an outdoor concert, but the acoustics are so powerful that the performers can hear a pin drop from the audience!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The Lille Piano Festival is taking place in a subway station, where pianists bring music to the train commuters for their enjoyment and perhaps a gentle introduction to jazz and classical music.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
The Marseille-based rap group IAM is back after a six-year hiatus with their new album, Arts Martiens (Martian Arts), which is already topping the charts in France. Check out a preview of their song "Notre Dame veille" (Our Lady Watches) in this video.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The musician Yacine Boularès talks to us about his large family, which spans two continents, and explains the origins of French influence in Tunisia.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Yacine Boularès, from the band Afro Groove Collective, talks about the different kinds of saxophones and gives a demonstration of each one. If you'd like to expand your saxophone knowledge even further, check out these Yabla videos from jazz musician Alex Terrier!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Yacine Boularès, a young French musician of Tunisian origin, demonstrates some of the differences between Western and Arabic music on his saxophone. If you like what you hear, check out Yacine's jazz band, Afro Groove Collective.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
The teenage violist Valentin Tournet plays an excerpt from Marin Marais' "Folies d'Espagne" (Follies of Spain) in this interview. He talks about the folia, an early music theme from Spain, as well as the passion for music he developed at a very young age.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Overwhelmed by the amount of text messages and other technological annoyances in his life, singer-songwriter Benjamin Perrot uses this acoustic session on Le Mans TV as an opportunity to "disconnect." Don't let your phone distract you while watching this video!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In this nursing home in France's Pays de la Loire, musical therapy is used to stimulate the minds of residents suffering from Alzheimer's and other mental disorders. The directors of the program and the home explain the benefits of this still underdeveloped technique.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
The young singer-songwriter Benjamin Perrot has some loud neighbors, and his walls made of cardboard aren't exactly soundproof. You'll see in the video why he wonders if his neighbors are actually "rabbits"....
Difficulty: Beginner
Burkina Faso
Though Mai Lingani grew up in Côte d’Ivoire, she is one of the most popular singer/songwriters in Burkina Faso, where she was born. In 1998 that country presented her with its highest award for a musician, the “Prix national de la chanson.” In addition to her beautiful French and melodious English, Mai also speaks (and sings in) three African tongues: Moré, Dioula, and Bissa. Please enjoy our interview with this delightful talent!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
At nightfall in Gstaad, the preeminent ski resort in the Alps, a privileged few among the stars and high society can listen to the most popular classical musicians in the world…
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Alex explains the differences between the soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. This is one of those situations where size definitely matters.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Alex gives a detailed description of the saxophone and all its different parts. Did you know that, despite its association with jazz music, the saxophone was actually invented in the 1840s for use in military bands?
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Alex Terrier’s second project as a bandleader, Roundtrip, is a critically-acclaimed album in the vein of John Coltrane. Listen to it in full (and for free!) here.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Saxophonist Alex Terrier talks about how he came to be a jazz musician and shares some photos. Come take a glimpse inside the life of this gifted artist.
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