Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet's David Harrington were guests on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show to discuss their first-ever collaboration, Landfall. Anderson and Kronos perform the piece, which was inspired by her experience of Hurricane Sandy, for the Nonesuch Records at BAM series through Saturday, September 27. Landfall, says Lehrer, is "both a timeless meditation on loss and other themes and a very timely one for hurricane season and this week of the climate march and climate summit." You can listen to the interview here. Later this season, Anderson and Kronos Quartet perform Landfall in Columbus, Austin, and Chicago. 

Kronos Quartet is featured in new video from the New York Times, in which the Quartet performs Carlos Paredes's "Canção Verdes Anos" (heard on the five-disc box set Kronos Explorer Series) and discusses the special nature of making music through the quartet. "To me," says Kronos founder and artistic director David Harrington, "the challenge of music is to really be awake, really listen and to try to get your body to respond to what you're hearing inside." You can watch the video, which uses 3D-data capture to present the performance, here.

Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet bring Landfall, their first-ever collaboration, inspired by Anderson’s experience of Hurricane Sandy, to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) for five nights this week, September 23–27, for the Nonesuch Records at BAM celebration of the label's 50th anniversary. Landfall is an evocative meditation on transience, combining poignant texts and music fortified by innovative technology. Later this season, Anderson and Kronos perform the piece in Columbus, Austin, and Chicago. 

The Brooklyn Academy of Music's wide-ranging series of concerts and events Nonesuch Records at BAM: Celebrating a Label Without Labels, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Nonesuch Records, kicks off Tuesday night with the first of three consecutive nights of concerts from Philip Glass and Steve Reich plus a separate solo set from Brad Mehldau and continues through September 28. The New York Times says the series "reflects the broad curiosity and high standard of a label that has had notable successes ... with no guiding criteria other than instinct and taste." In conjunction with these events, BAMcinématek presents Nonesuch Records on Film, a salute to the label’s rich catalogue of movie soundtracks.

Kronos Quartet has announced its 2014–15 concert season, including a month-long tour of European summer festivals that culminates in a residency at Kraków's Sacrum Profanum. Kronos returns to the US in late September for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)'s celebration of Nonesuch Records' 50th anniversary, Nonesuch Records at BAM, featuring a concert of folk music with Natalie Merchant, Rhiannon Giddens, Sam Amidon, and Olivia Chaney, and five nights with Laurie Anderson performing her Landfall. Another season highlight is the multimedia program Beyond Zero: 1914–1918, which Kronos will perform throughout the US.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Nonesuch Records, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) presents a wide-ranging series of concerts, September 9–28. Part of the 2014 Next Wave Festival, these diverse engagements—featuring 23 evenings of music—underscore the longstanding relationship between Nonesuch artists and BAM. Performs include Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Timo Andres, Brad Mehldau, Chris Thile, Dawn Upshaw, Alarm Will Sound performing works by John Adams, Youssou N'Dour, Rhiannon Giddens, Devendra Banhart, Stephin Merritt, Iron and Wine, Kronos Quartet, Natalie Merchant, Sam Amidon, Olivia Chaney, Laurie Anderson, Rokia Traoré, Toumani & Sidiki Diabaté, Caetano Veloso, and Robert Plant.

Stanford Live has announced its 2014–15 season, and featured among the performers taking the stage at Bing Concert Hall are a number of artists familiar to readers of the Nonesuch Journal: Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer, Toumani Diabaté & Sidiki Diabaté, Emmylou Harris, Kronos Quartet, and Brad Mehldau Trio, as well as the world premiere of a new piece by John Adams and a celebration of the work of Stephen Sondheim.

Nonesuch Records marked Kronos Quartet's 40th anniversary year with two releases this month: the Kronos Explorer Series five-CD box set and a new album, A Thousand Thoughts. As a highlight of its anniversary season, Kronos was in NYC to perform at Carnegie Hall late last month and was the subject of a marathon stream of music and tributes on Q2 Music, the online new-music station from WQXR. The event culminated in a live, performance by Kronos Quartet from The Greene Space at WQXR, which you can watch here.

Nonesuch celebrates Kronos Quartet, long known as interpreters of music from around the world, in its 40th anniversary year with two releases: Kronos Explorer Series, a box set of five classic albums from five different parts of the world, and A Thousand Thoughts, a new album that looks at Kronos’s geographically wide-ranging sources, featuring music from 14 different countries. Both are out today in North America (international release April 21). Kronos continues its anniversary celebration at the Switchboard Music Festival in its hometown of San Francisco this Saturday.

Kronos Quartet's new album, A Thousand Thoughts, is due out next Tuesday, April 8. But you don't need to wait till then to hear it: the new album is streaming in full all this week as Q2 Music Album of the Week. "The album would be worth checking out just for the spectacular roster of guest stars the quartet has brought into the studio over the years," says Q2. "But just as impressive as these stellar cameos is the chameleonic playing of the quartet themselves, who manage to blend themselves into musics from Afghanistan, Vietnam and Austin, Texas, even while the core of their sound remains as warm and steady as ever."

Kronos Quartet, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, was the subject of a feature profile on NPR's Morning Edition today titled "Kronos Quartet: Still Daring After All These Years." Kronos will perform in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium this Friday, March 28, featuring collaborations with many close colleagues and longtime artistic partners. On the program is the world premiere of Terry Riley’s The Serquent Risadome, as well as works by Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Clint Mansell, and more. Special guests include Bryce Dessner, Wu Man, Jherek Bischoff, four young string quartets from Face The Music, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. Q2 rebroadcasts its recent 24-hour marathon stream of Kronos music on Saturday.

Clint Mansell’s score to visionary filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s film Noah is out now on Nonesuch Records; the film will be released on March 28. Russell Crowe stars as Noah in the film inspired by the epic story of courage, sacrifice, and hope. The cast stars Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Anthony Hopkins. The score is performed by Kronos Quartet, joined by Patti Smith for her song "Mercy Is." An orchestra and choir are led by Matt Dunkley, who was also the principal orchestrator and arranger. The album was produced by Clint Mansell and Geoff Foster.