[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-30011206m26sculturefile-pid0-386304.mp3]

Composer and @Ergodos co-founder, Garrett Sholdice, explains how classical music embraced the DIY spirit.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-27011206m00sculturefile-pid0-360648.mp3]

Where is the biggest collection of Robert Burns material outside Scotland? Why, in the Linenhall Library, Belfast, of course. We meet the woman who looks after it, Deborah Douglas.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-25011207m36sculturefile-pid0-456216.mp3]

What exactly goes into your favourite classical sausage? Virtual choir leader, Eric Whitacre hazards a guess…

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-26011208m03sculturefile-pid0-483792.mp3]

How is the sound of one hand clapping like the music of John Cage? Composer, John Godfrey attempts to explain, with the help of the I Ching.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-24011206m43sculturefile-pid0-403032.mp3]

Do you know your kozoechizen washi from your mitsumatagami? Painter, Richard Gorman on the ancient art of Japanese paper making.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-23011207m15sculturefile-pid0-435408.mp3]

How is composing a concerto like creating an African textile? Kevin Volans explains ahead of his Horizons 2012 concert at the NCH.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-19011207m37sculturefile-pid0-457944.mp3]

Barber’s Adagio for…saxophone? Jane O’Leary guides us through the unexpected delights of the Intimate Voices concerts series in Galway this weekend.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-20011207m36sculturefile-pid0-456576.mp3]

Singer, Sarah Savoy, of Savoy, Louisiana, tell us about what makes Cajun music great: the cooking!

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-18011206m54sculturefile-pid0-414336.mp3]

Culture File grapples with the wigs at rehearsals for Handel’s little seen opera, Semele, at St Werburgh’s Church in Dublin.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-17011206m48sculturefile-pid0-408840.mp3]

Culture File heads to an imaginary Donegal country pub, The Mother’s Arms, in the company of Little John Nee and his Caledonia Highly Strung Orchestra

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-16011206m28sculturefile-pid0-388968.mp3]

Culture File goes Skypeabout once more, to ask some of the nearly 100independentbooksellers around the island: “What was the last book you sold?”

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-13011206m42sculturefile-pid0-402720.mp3]

Composer and jazz bassist, Ronan Guilfoyle talks about his new work for electric guitar and orchestra, about how Jimi Hendrix made the guitar safe for the orchestra.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-12011205m40sculturefile-pid0-340800.mp3]

What are Apple up to now? Digital academic, Aisling Kelliher, reads the runes of the California technology company’s latest invitation to journalists.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-11011206m24sculturefile-pid0-384120.mp3]

Just be yourself, but make it good! As their show, The Family, opens @projectarts, we hear about @THEATREclub’s unique approach to making plays.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-10011206m11sculturefile-pid0-371856.mp3]

Why has the world of 2012 fallen in love with a silent movie? Luke Clancy attempts to understand Michel Hazanavicius’ film, The Artist.

[audio http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/culturefilepod/15574961839/tumblr_lxjothUcC11r3x39e?plead=please-dont-download-this-or-our-lawyers-wont-let-us-host-audio]

Does Margaret Thatcher retain the power to stir deep emotions? Culture File takes an exit poll at Dublin screening of The Iron Lady

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-06011206m58sculturefile-pid0-418800.mp3]

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be talking to composers in the Horizons 2012 Contemporary Music Series at the NCH. This week we talk to Karen Power, who will premier her new work, no chaos: only organised panic for orchestra and live electronics.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-05011206m56sculturefile-pid0-416136.mp3]

Feeling open to an empathic response? First Fortnight Festival might just be for you! We meet director,Una McKevitt and retired schoolteacher-turned-performer, Marie ORourke, who are reviving their collaborative show, 565+ for First Fortnight 2012.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-04011206m48sculturefile-pid0-408672.mp3]

Got baggage? We meet Alan O’Regan, whose new play, Those Sick and Indigent, tells the story of a homeless man via a suitcase of keepsakes.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-26121207m09sculturefile-pid0-429360.mp3]

Hugh Tinney talks Luke Clancy through one of the most difficult piano pieces ever written, Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit, as well as the pianist’s dreams of emulating Freddie Mercury. (repeat from April 2011)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-27121205m18sculturefile-pid0-318624.mp3]

Culture File goes to Wexford: In which we leave the opera house, to meet some of Wexford’s tree population… (repeat from October 2011)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-28121207m32sculturefile-pid0-452448.mp3]

Luke Clancy discovers how Opera North changed the meaning of the word ‘Leeds’. (repeat from November 2011)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-29121206m23sculturefile-pid0-383640.mp3]

Liam Ó Maonlaí, Michael Keegan Dolan and Donnacha Dennehy help us assess the impact of composer, Sean Ó Riada. (repeat from October 2011)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-30121207m18sculturefile-pid0-438456.mp3]

We meet those behind Music Generation, an ambitious U2-funded project to broaden music access in Ireland. (Repeat from September 2011)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pod-v-02011206m45sculturefile-pid0-405072.mp3]

Culture File meets illustrator, PJ Lynch, and hears the golden age of illustration, and about creating images for Dickens’ spectres of Christmas Future…

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-23121106m14sculturefile-pid0-374448.mp3]

Is there anything worse that a year-end “Best of” list? Perhaps a list of year-end “Best of” lists, suggests Luke Clancy.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-22121105m57sculturefile-pid0-357456.mp3]

Luke Clancy reviews Neil Hannon ofThe Divine Comedy’s first shot at a West End musical, Swallows and Amazons.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-21121107m00sculturefile-pid0-420768.mp3]

Luke Clancy talks to Richard Skelton about the artist’s long running commemorative project for his late wife, Louise.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-20121107m08sculturefile-pid0-428424.mp3]

How do you follow up a cult novel written entirely in questions? Would US author, Padgett Powell know?

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-19121106m48sculturefile-pid0-408480.mp3]

If you think the odd mobile phone going off during a performance is a new low, you clearly need a course in bad manners in the 17th century Dublin theatre, with Prof. Christopher Morash.

[audio http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/culturefilepod/14460556246/tumblr_lwgmnhYNCG1r3x39e?plead=please-dont-download-this-or-our-lawyers-wont-let-us-host-audio]

A special Hanukkah treat. Here is the full version of song that ended our piece with soprano, Judith Mok last week, featuring Judith, accompanied by Shane Booth on guitar on his arrangement of Una Pastora Yo Ami. We even enjoy the police sirens at the end.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-15121107m38sculturefile-pid0-458184.mp3]

If it’s good enough for De Falla and Llorca! Soprano, Judith Mok, guides us through the passion of the Sephardic tradition of Jewish song.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-16121105m56culturefile-pid0-356832.mp3]

Luke Clancy talks to bird-fancying recorder virtuoso, Laoise O’Brien about her collection of ornithologically inspired music, How Happy for the Little Birds.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-14121106m19sculturefilemp3-pid0-379344.mp3]

Let’s partita! Culture File talks to musicologist, David Ledbetter, about the buried secrets of Bach’s Clavier-Übung I.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-13121107m08sculturefile-pid0-428520.mp3]

Willie Doherty talks about his latest video work, Ancient Ground, set in an ancient Donegal bog.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-12121107m09sculturefile-pid0-429864.mp3]

Luke Clancy talks to Jes Benstock, director of The British Guide to Showing Off, a documentary about the Alternative Miss World.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-09121111m15sculturefile-pid0-675624.mp3]

Stand up comedian Maeve Higgins talks to Luke Clancy about the fine art of the comedy record.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-08121107m14sculturefile-pid0-434880.mp3]

In the final part of our Van Gogh special, we get all CSI Auvers, as we hear about a newly constructed theory of the painter’s death. (Part 4 of 4).

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-07121106m32sculturefile-pid0-392712.mp3]

Van Gogh wasn’t a good mixer — to put it mildly — and instead filled his days with hour upon hour of reading, much of which shows up in his paintings one way or another, according to his biographers, Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith. (Part 3 of 4)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-06121107m14sculturefile-pid0-434256.mp3]

Van Gogh-biographer, Gregory White Smith, explains how contemporary theories of colour and emotion fed into the painter’s work. (Part 2 of 4)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-05121107m10sculturefile-pid0-430944.mp3]

Culture File lends an ear (ouch!) to Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, authors of a blockbusting new biography of Van Gogh. (Part 1 of 4)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-02121106m56sculturefile-pid0-415968.mp3]

Samuel Pepys has 22,000 followers on twitter - not bad for a guy who hasn’t written anything in 300 years. What explains his enduring attraction?

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-01121106m06sculturefile-pid0-366600.mp3]

Luke Clancy reviews the opening of Carpet Remnant World, the latest stand up show from Stewart Lee.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-17111106m08sthursculturefile-pid0-368808.mp3]

Falling behind on your readings? Prof John Sutherland estimates there are around 12,000 new novels each year. So which ones to read? (part 1 of 2)

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/pod-v-30111105m47sculturefile-pid0-347640.mp3]

Consider the currach. Osaka-born sculptor, NaoMatsunaga did when creating his ceramics, for CGI’s Modern Languages show in Kilkenny.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/pod-v-29111107m32sculturefile-pid0-452352.mp3]

Luke Clancy discovers how Opera North changed the meaning of the word ‘Leeds’.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/pod-v-28111107m08sculturefile-pid0-428496.mp3]

Culture File listens to former Irish dancer Colin Dunne and his (radio mic-equipped) shoes.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/pod-v-25111107m25sculturefile-pid0-445848.mp3]

How did a British avant garde composer and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, Cornelius Cardew, become a fan of Father Murphy and the Croppy Boy?

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/pod-v-24111106m39sculturefile-pid0-399984.mp3]

Some of the original members of composer Cornelius Cardew’s remarkable 1970s ensemble, The Scratch Orchestra, talk about the group’s founder.

[audio http://culturefilepod.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/pod-v-22111107m47sculturefile-pid0-467112.mp3]

With the chatter about the Best Doc Oscar shortlist centring on the absence of Senna, we focus again on one that justly made the cut: Pina.