Kirsten Zemke

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke shares some tunes that celebrate the rain, from Eddie Rabbitt's I Love a Rainy Night to Prince's Purple Rain. Kirsten Zemke is an ethnomusicologist at the University of… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to talk about the popularity of vocal harmony in the 50s and 60s. Audio

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response or ASMR is a perception phenomenon that generates a bioelectric current through auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory or perceptive stimuli. When it passes through… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to talk about what makes K-Pop so popular - and a $5 billion industry. She'll look at the phenomenal rise of the band BTS, known for its positive… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to rewind 50 years to a time when black action stars were all but non-existent to the public eye. But as the real life-heroes of the civil rights movement… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke gives us a flavour of Italy with some classic songs by musicians from that country, including some that have been remixed into even bigger hits, covered by well-known… Audio

Kirsten joins Kathryn to look at skiffle, a type of "folk music" performed with a mixture of manufactured and handmade instruments. Originating in the United States in the first half of the 20th… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to talk about songs over the decades that have whistling at their heart. How do they make you feel? Kirsten Zemke is an ethnomusicologist at the… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to talk about the ingredients to an "epic" playlist in an era where technology makes it easier than ever to compile options for you. What makes a song… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke takes us through the ages with songs that have ended up become dance hits - from the 'Twist' and the 'Hustle' to the 'Macarena' and 'Jerusalema'. What turns a hit song… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to talk about the Doo-wop music genre: how did it start, why was - and is - it so popular? She'll talk about the silly band names, the fashion and why… Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to look at the influence classical music has had on other genres - from disco to rock and even rap. She'll look at the classical backgrounds of some of… Video, Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to talk about a genre of music that is unique, a product of a schism in the church and geographical isolation. Audio

Ethnomusicologist Kirsten Zemke plays some tracks featuring lap steel guitar from across the decades, including Buddy Merrill, Elmore James and the late Bill Sevesi. Audio

Music commentator Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to play a few examples of Fado, a popular Portuguese music genre. Fado songs embody the Portuguese term saudade: melancholic longing, desire and… Audio

Dr Kirsten Zemke is back for this week's music feature, which looks at unusual time signatures in songs.  Audio

Kirsten Zemke joins Kathryn to talk about and play some of the most important and influential American popular songs from the early 20th century. Kirsten Zemke is an ethnomusicologist at the… Video, Audio