Poetry and music has been intertwined for thousands of years. We'll bring you several remarkable pieces for the 21-stringed zither or the Guzheng in Chinese, which were inspired by ancient Chinese poems. Let's feel the unique chemistry when the two art forms are blended. Our guest on the show is instrumentalist and composer Luan Siyuan.
Feb 2026
Galloping strings--The spirit within the bow
In this episode, the hooves are replaced by horse-hair: the Morin Khuur speaks, sighs and gallops in the hands of the soloist Morin Khuur performer Chaoke Jiletu. You’ll feel 180 nylon filaments tremble like prairie grass, and learn why the bow is called the instrument’s “two leg ... Show More
26 m
Sep 2025
Mustafa Alim: Choosing rhythm over the pulse
This episode follows Mustafa Alim, a musician from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, who fell in love with the accordion. Actively promoting accordion culture, he has engaged in cross-cultural exchanges through domestic and international accordion festivals and ... Show More
22m 34s
Aug 2023
Exploring Poetry, Authenticity with Special Guest: Def Sound
Join us on a thought-provoking journey as we light up unconventional conversations in the sacred halls of "Smoking at Church." In this episode, we're thrilled to have the multi-talented musician, poet, and professor, Def Sound, as our special guest. Get ready to dive into a capti ... Show More
1h 3m
Oct 2025
Classical Guitar, Sax Quartet, & More
We meet an award-winning saxophone quartet from Texas. A teen flutist who is also a talented figure skater performs Faure. An impressive 16-year-old performs a piece by a guitarist/composer who inspires him, and a violinist from Hong Kong studying in Los Angeles tells us about ho ... Show More
59m 19s