American Ballet Theatre will give the world premiere of C. to C. (Close to Chuck), created by Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo, at New York City Center on October 27. The piece was inspired by Philip Glass's A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close, which the composer wrote for pianist Bruce Levingston in 2005. Glass is "the most inventive and innovative composer of my adult life," Close tells the New York Sun. The addition of Elo's choreography reminds him of those earlier collaborative days in the 1960s: "To get a good choreographer and composer and visual artist together," he tells the Sun, "it's like old home week!"

On October 20, at the seventh annual World Soundtrack Awards in Ghent, Belgium, composer Clint Mansell picked up two awards for his score to The Fountain, performed by Kronos Quartet and Mogwai. Mansell received both the award for the year's Best Original Soundtrack and the Public Choice Award. 

In a sprawling interview with pitchforkmedia.com, folk rocker Devendra Banhart talks about everything from colonial American history to making his new record using an authentic Nicolai Tesla–made microphone. Banhart, who appeared earlier this year at a David Byrne–curated concert at Carnegie Hall, also recalls what he says is the "best review" he's ever gotten; it was from Caetano Veloso.

Canada's CBC News reports that South African police have arrested five men linked to the shooting death last Thursday of reggae star Lucky Dube. Late last week, Youssou N'Dour urged South African leaders to use Dube's death as a wake-up call to address that nation's high incidence of violent crime.

The Guardian honors Philip Glass with an editorial, on the occasion of his 70th birthday celebration, Glassworks, at London's Barbican Centre. The events included a rare performance—the first in London since 1985—of Glass's entire Music in 12 Parts by the Philip Glass Ensemble.

In the October 12 episode of NPR's All Songs Considered, Robert Christgau, a contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, calls Youssou N'Dour and Super Étoile "the best band in the world." Before closing the episode with the song "4-4-44" from Youssou's new record, Rokku Mi Rokka (Give and Take), Christgau urges listeners to catch one of the live shows on Youssou's upcoming US tour: "It's very simple," he says, "If you're within 150 miles, don't miss them."

Playbill.com reports that ABC's Private Practice, the Grey’s Anatomy spin-off starring Audra McDonald, has been picked up for a full season. The show, which airs Wednesday nights at 9 PM EST, will add nine new episodes for a total of 22 shows this season. Audra was among the performers last night at a gala benefit for the Motion Picture & Television Fund hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Hugh Jackman. The MPTF offers retirement care and social services for people in the entertainment industry.

In recapping Boston's 7-1 win over Cleveland in last night's game five of the American League Championship Series, bostonist.com sportswriter Michael Fernia offers a suggestion of music opener for tonight's game in Boston: Randy Newman's "Burn On," about the fire that set Cleveland's Cuyahoga River ablaze in 1969. This follows rumors that the woman the Indians brought out to sing before last night's game in Cleveland was an ex-girlfriend of Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett. A spokesman for the Indians denies having known of the connection.

Glenn Kotche and Kronos Quartet sent in some photos from a recent rehearsal for their October 25 and 26 performances at the San Francisco Jazz Festival, where they'll premiere Glenn's piece Anomaly. To view the pictures, visit the photo gallery at nonesuch.com/media.

The latest edition of BBC Radio 3's flagship arts program, Night Waves, features an interview with Youssou N'Dour about his upcoming Nonesuch release, Rokku Mi Rokka (Give and Take), and the social and political issues behind his music. 

In today's Kansas City Star, music writer Paul Horsley recommends that runners prepping for a long-distance run, like this weekend's Kansas City Marathon, avoid the common mistake of training to disposable Top 40 hits ("simple carbs"). He recommends instead a healthy dose of "high energy" compositions to motivate through the long haul. On his list of Top 10 training tunes: Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians and Philip Glass's score to Koyaanisqatsi.

Steve Reich recently participated in a special event at Manhattan's Aish NY as part of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days—an international music celebration promoting tolerance, inspired by the legacy of journalist Daniel Pearl. At the October 9 event, which included a discussion with Reich, the composer played a recording of Daniel Variations, a piece he wrote in Pearl's memory. The recording is set for release on Nonesuch early next year.