MUSIC

World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma has just wrapped up a week-long residency in western Massachusetts — called We The People — to explore America’s past, present, and future. As is his style, he brought together different musical genres and historical conversations in a setting not normally focused on current affairs: the classical music venue of Tanglewood.

We hear live music with Kimaya Diggs, check out the programming at Adams Theater, and find out about the vital grief support Rick's Place is providing in the 413.

We visit artist Muriel 'Monik' Johnson's new exhibit at A.P.E. Gallery, we check out the Miles for Music fundraiser that supports the local music scene, and McGovern with Rep. Jim McGovern.

We take a trip to Tanglewood to check out the festivities of Tanglewood on Parade.

We talk to organizers of We the Land, a conference joining Black and Brown farmers across the region, visit newly opened cafe Violet in South Hadley, and talk with interim Word Nerd Peter Sokolowski about the origins of jazz.

We speak with Bang on a Can co-founder Julia Wolfe, composer Shelley Washington, and pianist Karl Larson. We also hear music from some of the Bang on a Can fellows and Larson himself.

The rising young conductor's new album, Ukrainian Mixtape, is a introduction to composers even some Ukrainians don't know very well.

The former Longmeadow resident shares how the 2018 Hawaii alert inspired his western Mass.-set debut novel, tracing the local fallout, satire, and trauma of a tech error.

We speak to Peaceful Ensemble and Abby Kingsman of Mountain River Taiko, tour Jericho in Holyoke, have a summer white thunderdome with Mary and Ben Daire, and hear about a BIPOC maker's market in Florence.

We talk to Karen Randall of Randall's Farm, check out Greenfield's 2nd Congregational Church's new concert series, and chat with Rep. Jim McGovern.