Tigran Hamasyan launches an eight-city US tour in Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday. The tour, featuring music from his latest releases, For Gyumri and An Ancient Observer, continues with shows in Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Fresno, and San Francisco, culminating in New York City on October 24.

Rokia Traoré will be the artist in residence at New York University's Institute of African American Affairs this semester. Through three programs curated by Traoré, she will share her work, ideas, and philosophy. The events, taking place at NYU October 26–30, including two lecture-performances and a culminating concert, are free and open to the public.

Chris Thile, Emmylou Harris play free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass fest in San Francisco … Laurie Anderson is in London … David Byrne takes American Utopia to Texas … Jeremy Denk joins BBC Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven … James Farm continues European tour in Brussels, Netherlands … Kronos Quartet begins ballet residency in San Francisco … Conor Oberst tours California … and more …

Mountain Man stopped by WNYC Studios as the guest on New Sounds' Soundcheck. The trio spoke with host John Schaefer about Magic Ship and performed three songs from the new album: "AGT," "Underwear," and "Boat." "Their music features a timeless sound," says Schaefer. "Now they're back with a beautiful new album." Watch the first two performances and listen to the full session here.

Conor Oberst is the guest on the latest two episodes of the LSQ podcast with Jenny Eliscu. Oberst is "one of my favorite artists of all time and a dear friend of mine as well," says Eliscu, and "has released some of my favorite albums of the past couple decades." Listen to both episodes here. Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band are on tour now.

Emmylou Harris is the subject of a major new exhibition at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, titled Emmylou Harris: Songbird’s Flight, opening this Friday and running until August 4, 2019. Harris will discuss her life and work at the museum on November 3, to be streamed live. "From my first album release in 1975, country music has embraced me with open arms," she says. "This exhibit at the Hall of Fame makes me realize once more how grateful and honored I am to be part of such a remarkable musical family."

Lake Street Dive announces new tour dates for January 2019 in support of their album Free Yourself Up. Following a successful run of 80+ performances in 2018, shows in the New Year include Charlotte, Orlando, Birmingham, New Orleans, and more. The band will be honored for its support of music and arts education at the Little Kids Rock Benefit in NYC on November 8 and sit down for a conversation with Stephen Colbert at a sold-out 92nd Street Y event on November 12.

Olivia Chaney performs from Shelter in London … Sam Amidon is in Indiana … David Byrne brings American Utopia to Florida … Rhiannon Giddens plays Wide Open Bluegrass in Raleigh … Richard Goode gives solo recital in Houston … Lake Street Dive takes Free Yourself Up tour to Missouri, Memphis … Robert Plant wraps up fall tour in Austin … Phantom Thread premieres on HBO ... and more …

Fleet Foxes have released "Isles," a song from the B-Sides & Rarities disc of First Collection 2006–2009, their forthcoming special limited-edition collection marking the tenth anniversary of their debut album, due November 9. The song is included with pre-orders of the special collection and can be heard on Spotify, Apple Music, and here, via YouTube.

Punch Brothers stopped by Spotify Studios in NYC to perform "Jumbo," from their new album, All Ashore, and to offer a new spin on Tame Impala's "Let It Happen." Hear both as exclusive Spotify Singles here. The band brought its US tour to a close last week and heads to Europe to tour in November. Chris Thile has a solo show at the University of Florida tonight and kicks off the new season of Live From Here in October.

Congratulations to Rhiannon Giddens, who has made The Root 100 list of influential African Americans. "It's our way of honoring the innovators, the leaders, the public figures and game changers whose work from the past year is breaking down barriers and paving the way for the next generation," says The Root, "is a reminder of the beauty and brilliance of blackness, at a time when the political and cultural landscape has grown even more hostile to the idea of black achievement." Giddens' work shows "how music is often a soothing balm during some of our toughest times."

Paul Thomas Anderson's Academy Award–winning film Phantom Thread, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, and Vicky Krieps, will receive its HBO premiere on Saturday, September 29, and will be available to watch via the HBO GO and HBO NOW apps. The Guardian says there is "such pure delicious pleasure in this film"; Financial Times says Anderson "gets everything right here." The soundtrack, featuring Jonny Greenwood's Oscar-nominated score, is out on Nonesuch.