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Take Note

Arizona PBS

Take Note is a ninety-second weekly dive into music history where we choose topics based on music’s intersection with national and international cultural celebrations. Highlighting diverse topics within the history of music, Take Note aims to promote inclusivity in the world of classical music. Each Take Note episode has its own focus whether fun or educational so that listeners from all backgrounds will find something to enjoy from week to week. From holidays like Cinco de Mayo and the 4th of July to World Day of Social Justice and National Eisteddfod, Take Note covers a breadth of topics displaying the many roles music plays in our world.

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29 episodes
weekly
Avg 1 min
English

Episodes 29

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S5 · E177
Wednesday · 1 min
Symphonic Metal Day
November 13th is symphonic metal day, which is a time to dive into this fusion genre and learn about all of the elements that make it what it is.
November 4 · 1 min
Native American Heritage Month 2026
This month is Native American Heritage Month, and to honor this celebration, we’re learning about Native composers Louis W. Ballard and Dawn Avery.
S4 · E176
October 28 · 1 min
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
In honor of World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, we’re taking a listen to a 1912 Edison wax Amberol Cylinder recording - one of the earliest forms of recorded audio media.
S4 · E175
October 21 · 1 min
LGBT History Month
October is LGBT History Month, and Equality Forum is honoring 31 LGBT icons, one of which is Dutch cellist and conductor Frieda Belinfante. In this episode, we learn about her musical career and about her involvement in the Dutch resistance movement during WWII.
S4 · E175
October 14 · 1 min
Global Cat Day
In honor of Global Cat Day, we’re looking at a few classical composers who adored their feline companions and at one classical work that takes its inspiration from a cat’s piano improvisation.
S4 · E173
October 7 · 1 min
Oktoberfest
From September 19th to October 4th, Munich will celebrate the 191st Oktoberfest with food, beer, traditional garb, and music. Learn about that traditional Bavarian musical sound right here on Take Note!
S4 · E172
September 30 · 1 min
Broadway Musicals Day
September 29th is Broadway Musicals Day, and we’re celebrating with what some enthusiasts and scholars consider the first example of a staged musical production: The Black Crook.
S4 · E171
September 23 · 1 min
Chuseok
This week, we’re recognizing the Korean holiday of Chuseok, the harvest festival that falls from September 24th to 26th. Among Chuseok observances, a significant historical practice is "ganggangsullae" (강강술래), a communal dance in which participants join hands in the shape of the full moon and act out various scenes from rural agricultural life accompanied by traditional music.
September 16 · 1 min
Hispanic Heritage Month 2026
It is Hispanic Heritage Month! And on Take Note, we’re celebrating with a string quartet by Peruvian Jewish American composer Gabriela Lena Frank.
S4 · E170
September 9 · 1 min
Ge'ez New Year
On this episode, we ring in the Ethiopian and Eritrean New Year, which is marked by the end of the region’s rainy season. Ge’ez New Year is also called Enkutatash in Amharic and Kudus Yohannes in Ge’ez and Tigrinya. We’ll hear some celebratory music and learn about the traditional instruments of the region.
S4 · E169
September 2 · 1 min
Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna Janmashtami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. The celebration falls on Friday, September 4th and is celebrated with devotional chant and singing, which we’ll hear in a recording of the Hare Krishna Maha mantra.
August 26 · 1 min
Women's Equality Day
August 26th is Women’s Equality Day, and on Take Note, we’re celebrating an important composer in the fight for women’s equality: Amy Beach.
August 19 · 1 min
National Radio Day
In this episode we celebrate National Radio Day by taking a look back at the history of classical music aired on radio.
S4 · E168
August 12 · 1 min
National Hip-hop Day
This August 11th, marks the 3rd annual National Hip-hop Celebration Day! Listen to learn about this iconic American genre - its influences and its place in significant American music.
S4 · E167
August 5 · 1 min
Ker Puja
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.
S4 · E166
July 29 · 1 min
Asalha Puja
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.
S4 · E165
July 22 · 1 min
Fiesta de Santiago
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.
July 15 · 1 min
World Listening Day
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.
#164
July 7 · 1 min
Star Festival
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.
S4 · E163
July 1 · 1 min
America 250: Sounds of the Revolution
In honor of America 250, let’s learn about the music and the instruments that created the soundscape of the Revolutionary War.

Showing 1–20 of 29 episodes