Search results for

W.G. Snuffy Walden's new CD is called music by.... It's a collection of themes and incidental music that he's written for television. Walden's music has appeared on Felicity, Rosanne, Once and Again and Thirtysomething. His latest score is the theme to NBC's The West Wing. Noah Adams talks with Walden about how he writes music for TV and the concept behind the West Wing theme.

NPR's Rob Gifford reports that the U.S. Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces is visiting China. The communist country is warning the U.S. not to develop its planned national missile defense program, or to sell arms to Taiwan.

NPR's Michael Sullivan reports on the bribery scandal embroiling the government of India. Several top politicians in the ruling political party have resigned.

NPR's Larry Abramson reports that Russian scientists are meticulously planning Mir's return to Earth, to prevent any harm. They're using computer models to anticipate where the 140-ton space station will splash down in the South Pacific, and warning away planes and boats from the area.

Host Melissa Block talks with Rob Turner, instructor of Baroque flute and recorder at the University of Virginia. He describes and plays a crystal flute owned by President James Madison. The flute was made in 1813 by French clock-maker turned flute-maker Claude Laurent. His design determined the way the keys are configured on most modern-day woodwinds. For more info on the flute maker, click here.

Donovan Reynolds of Michigan Radio looks at the career of actor David Oyelowo. He's been called "The Black Olivier," and is currently performing the lead in Shakespeare's Henry the Sixth for a touring production by The Royal Shakespeare Company. His casting caused quite a stir in England, where some say only whites should play Shakespeare's kings. Oyelowo sees the role as a way to break one of the last racial barriers in acting.

Host Melissa Block visits the staff of The Onion -- the news-satire tabloid self-identified as 'America's Finest News Source.' The Onion recently moved its editorial offices to New York City, and Melissa caught up with them during one of their planning meetings.

Noah Adams talks with Jerry Molen, one of the producers of the film Schindler's List about Leopold Page -- a Holocaust survivor credited with making Oskar Schindler a household name. Leopold Page died Friday in Los Angeles at the age of 87.

NPR's John Nielsen reports that President Bush made a last-minute decision to keep carbon dioxide unregulated by the federal government. The president was expected to act on campaign promises to cut the level of CO2 coming from power plants, in an effort to limit global warming.

Seattle has become one of the busiest places outside of Los Angeles for recording film scores. Session recordings made by some of the musicians from the Seattle Symphony Orchestra are cutting into a business once dominated by L.A. session musicians. The main reason is money -- film producers want to save money, and groups like the Seattle musicians help cut costs. Marcie Sillman of member station KUOW reports that musicians, some of whom are members of the Seattle Symphony recorded 100 soundtracks last year. Last month, they played 26 soundtrack jobs.