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Steven C. Foster 7/4/1826 |
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Gian Carlo Menotti 7/7/1911
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The Sound of Spy-craft
Apparently the NSA has nothing on a bag of chips or a potted plant when it comes to the cutting edge of covert listening. Consider your half eaten bag of Doritos or that potted palm sitting in the corner of your office. Scientists at MIT have concluded that they could be a threat to your conversational privacy. Yes, really. These researchers, with input from Microsoft and Adobe, have developed an algorithm that can reconstruct sound by analyzing video of the micro-vibrations of the objects around you. Prepare to be amazed or paranoid depending on your point of view. Watch this short explanatory video and then move that plant out of 'ear-shot'.
Listen
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The Brooklyn Youth Chorus, founded in 1992, trains over 350 young singers every year and performs all over the US and Europe. This auditioned chorus melds kids ages 7 to 21 from all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and geographies in the New York area. They won a Grammy in 2005 for Best Classical Album, titled 'On the Transmigration of Souls' (John Adams). Their repertoire is eclectic and challenging, and they make it sound effortless. Check them out.
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It seems that two current world leaders are also amateur pianists. According to many news sources, newly elected French president Emmanuel Macron has a fondness for karaoke and loves to play the music of Robert Schumann and Franz Liszt. Reportedly he studied piano for 10 years at the music conservatory in Amiens and won a prize for his efforts. So far, we haven't found a recording or video of Mr. Macron tickling the ivories. If you find one, let us know. Russian president, Vladimir Putin, can play a tune too. And, the last US president who played the piano, at least in public, was Richard Nixon. He also played the accordion.
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