Category Archives: Programming
Celtic Music for Samhain
It’s the first of November and we are celebrating Samhain today with a programme of Celtic and Celtic-influenced music (and we’re not being too specific about which Celtic festivals it applies to!).
Samhain is a Gaelic festival on 1 November marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or “darker half” of the year. It is also the Irish language name for November. Celebrations begin on the evening of 31 October, since the Celtic day began and ended at sunset. This is about halfway between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals along with Imbolc, Bealtaine, and Lughnasa. Historically it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. A similar festival is held by the Brittonic Celtic people, called Calan Gaeaf in Wales. (Wikipedia)
Today you can also hear the October edition of “Where Have You Been?” (details at the link), which covers both the Autumnal and the Hallowe’en aspects of the month just gone, with a selection of suggested places to visit in Second Life, many of which will remain accessible for the next day or two. The show goes out at 12 noon and 4pm SLT/Pacific Time. Note that the hour has gone back in Europe and not in the US — as a result there is one hour less between US (Second Life) and EU times this week — so for example in the UK, we are only 7 hours ahead of SLT instead of eight. This confusing fact applies for the week ahead — Daylight Saving Time in North America ends on Sunday 5th.
We also have a new episode or two of “Engines of Our Ingenuity” from the University of Houston, every four hours from 4am SLT/Pacific.
Image: A Neo-Pagan celebrating Samhain — author unknown (Wikimedia)
Hits In Hi-Fi
Today — Saturday 28th October — we’ll take a nostalgic journey back to the 1960s and beyond, when music was on vinyl and home stereo was new and excitingly futuristic… with Hits In Hi-Fi.
In the early days of stereo, a significant number of albums were released that were designed especially to show off the wonders of this new way of presenting musical entertainment. Sounds “ping-ponged” across the stereo soundstage; instruments appeared hard on one side and then hard on the other… and there were a lot of space references, bloops and bleeps starting and ending the pieces — and once the Moog Synthesiser became available, that was included in the mix too.
A selection of these albums forms the core of our music today. Often the tracks consist of instrumental arrangements of popular songs, but there are also plenty of original tunes too.
Where Have You Been?: Two Sides of October
In the latest episode of our original series, “Where Have You Been?”, which suggests things to do and places to visit around the Second Life Grid, we approach the month of October in two different ways: The Briar Woods present a pleasant Autumnal scene, while the Ride of Doom lends a Hallowe’en-ish feeling to the proceedings. Both are well worth a visit!
We also suggest a couple of other venues that might be worth your perusal.
This show airs on October 25 and 28, plus Nov 1 and 4, at 12 noon and 4pm SLT/Pacific.
To listen to Virtual Community Radio, tune to http://main.vcradio.org or “Alexa, Play Virtual Community Radio” on your smart speaker*. Other options for tuning in can be found here.
The Magic of The Musical: Ghostly and Spooky!
THE MAGIC OF THE MUSICAL — Saturday, October 21st @2pm Pacific/slt. This Month: “Ghostly & Spooky: The Haunting Side of Gilbert & Sullivan”
This episode is now available on Mixcloud — click here to listen
For this month’s episode we return to the Gold Hall at the elegant Angel Manor Estate. Join our live audience in Second Life or on-the-air!
Also on the air today: tune in at 12 noon or 4pm SLT for the latest edition of “Where Have You Been?”. Plus “Engines of Our Ingenuity” from the University of Houston, every four hours from 4am. Featured Music today will, of course, be “On Broadway!”.
TUNE IN at main.vcradio.org, or “Play Virtual Community Radio” on your smart speaker*!
(*If this doesn’t work first time, say “Enable Skill” and when asked what skill to enable, say “Virtual Community Radio”)
Where Have You Been?: Expedition Central
In the latest episode of our original series, “Where Have You Been?”, which suggests things to do and places to visit around the Second Life Grid, we discoverJosain Zsun’s Expedition Central, a long-lived and enjoyably old-school approach to presenting links to places of interest around and about in Second Life. There are two locations at the moment, both with plenty to offer. One is hosted by the Helping Haven Gateway owned by Lily Swindlehurst, and the other is on the mainland in the region Chilbo.
This show airs on October 11, 14, 18 and 21, at 12 noon and 4pm SLT/Pacific.
To listen to Virtual Community Radio, tune to http://main.vcradio.org or “Alexa, Play Virtual Community Radio” on your smart speaker*. Other options for tuning in can be found here.
Jack Flanders in The Ghost Islands
Tune in on Friday for the next episode of another exciting radio serial from our friends at ZBS Foundation: “The Ghost Islands” - featuring that seasoned esoteric tourist, Jack Flanders.
This adventure consists of four half-hour episodes, broadcast at noon and 4pm Pacific/SLT on Fridays.
Now read on…
Tarot @ Teatime — Episode 28: Astrological Correspondences
In Episode 28 of our original series, “Tarot @ Teatime”, Honey and Willow explore the correspondences between astrology and the twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana of the Tarot as conceived by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the late 19th century magical order that had a great influence on the popularity of the Tarot as well as building on its esoteric significance.
The programme airs on Thursdays and Sundays at noon and 4pm SLT/Pacific from October 1st to the 12th.
Book mentioned:
Stephen Arroyo, Chart Interpretation Handbook, CRSC Publications (April 2004), ISBN10: 0916360498
Deck used:
Smith-Waite Tarot Deck Centennial Edition
https://www.usgamesinc.com/Smith-Waite-Centennial-Tarot-Deck.html
Modern Classical Music
Today’s Featured Music is “Modern Classical Music” — but what does that mean, exactly?
Well, in the context of today’s programme, we’re talking about pieces of music written between around the mid-20th Century until the present day, that aren’t exactly “pop music” (though they may tip a hat to it from time to time).
This is a tricky definition, however. Mike Batt (some of whose work is in the playlist for today: there’s a lot more to his compositions than the Wombles! ) has remarked that there is no such distinction as “popular music” and “serious music” — there’s simply “popular” and “unpopular”, so the definition rather falls at the first fence.
Where Have You Been?: Return to Limoncello
In the latest episode of our original series, “Where Have You Been?” which suggests things to do and places to visit around the Second Life Grid, we pay a return visit to the Limoncello Gallery, a newly-enlarged art gallery with a signature airship, now placed at the top of a tower in which is exhibited a very large collection of Second Life Art. It was started some 16 years ago, and it’s a big private collection open to the public.
This show airs on September 23, 27, 30 and October 4 & 7, at 12 noon and 4pm SLT/Pacific.
To listen to Virtual Community Radio, tune to http://main.vcradio.org or “Play Virtual Community Radio” on your smart speaker*. Other options for tuning in can be found here.
The Magic of The Musical: “Three by Lerner & Loewe”
THE MAGIC OF THE MUSICAL — Originally broadcast Saturday, September 16th 2023. This Month: “Three by Lerner & Loewe”
THIS SHOW IS NOW AVAILABLE ON MIXCLOUD
For this month’s episode we return to the Gold Hall at the elegant Angel Manor Estate. Join our live audience in Second Life or on-the-air!
Also on the air today: tune in at 12 noon or 4pm SLT for an edition of “Where Have You Been?”. Plus “Engines of Our Ingenuity” from the University of Houston, every four hours from 4am. Featured Music today will, of course, be “On Broadway!”.
TUNE IN at main.vcradio.org, or “Play Virtual Community Radio” on your smart speaker*!
(*If this doesn’t work first time, say “Enable Skill” and when asked what skill to enable, say “Virtual Community Radio”)
