For this September 14, 1989 edition of "A Private Reel" John delved into some of the very first live performances ever presented on New Sounds. Although the program didn't have the facility for live performances during its first year, by 1983, an assortment of musicians began dropping by the studio on a regular basis. We hear an April 1984 performance by a string trio consisting of violinists Julie Lyon Lieberman and Darol Anger, and cellist David Darling; music by the Mikel Rouse Broken Consort (pictured); Polish composer Mieczyslaw Litwinski; and pianist and composer Mark Kyrkostas, who tragically, died of AIDS in 1990. View the Playlist.

Program No. 481

This April 26, 1990 edition of New Sounds runs a wide and fascinating stylistic gamut, from the Korean-born komungo player Jin Hi Kim (pictured), to guitarist Jed Mathews, to the Tibetan Singing Bowl Ensemble led by Raphael Mostel. The show kicks off with a November 1985 performance by Ben Tavera King, long a fixture on the tex-mex scene whose style incorporates elements of flamenco, American Indian music, and dare we say - New Age. We also feature the Mikel Rouse Broken Consort, a mixed ensemble that made a number of visits to the WNYC studios in the late 1980s. We hear "Ranger," a bracing blend of composed and improvised forms. View the Playlist.

Program No. 1022

This highly varied program from March 10, 1994 includes a special, rare appearance in the New Sounds studio by R. Suppangah and the Royal Court Gamelan of Solo, an Indonesian court gamelan orchestra. We also hear from Steven Gorn and Robert Dick, a pair of very talented dueling flutists, electric guitarist Gary Lucas, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and Irish flutist Seamus Eagan. The show kicks off with works by Michael Nyman (pictured) and Alan Hovhaness, a dean of American composition who was also an improviser. We hear him improvising at our piano on a traditional Armenian song. View the Playlist.

Program No. 1462

One-of-a-kind string quartets are featured on this November 13, 1997 program. Composer Peter Schickele (pictured) puts aside his alter-ego as P.D.Q. Bach for his Quintet No. 1 for Piano and Strings, but not his knack for writing colorful and descriptive music. This live performance by the Audubon String Quartet features the composer himself on piano in a short, snappy number that evokes the sounds of a train. Other highlights include the Kronos Quartet, brought together with the Tuvan Throat Singers (on tape), and the Lark String Quartet, performing the "Elegy" from Schickele's Quartet No. 2. View the Playlist.

Program No. 1521

A globe-trotting assortment of musicians has visited the WNYC performance studios over the years, and just a few are featured on this April 24, 1998 program, from pianist Richie Beirach to Australian didjeridoo player Adam Plack. We also hear sami music from Norway; Mecca Bodega, from the Subways of New York; and to begin, Toby Twining Music (Twining, pictured), an a cappella quartet that was active in New York during the early 1990s. The group performs "Between Stars," recorded in 1993, a year before the release of the group's debut CD on BMG. View the Playlist.

Dapper John: The host in the early days of New Sounds.

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