Even though drums were banned in colonial Peru, African slaves living there refused to abandon the rhythms that were so integral to their culture. They grabbed anything they could beat or shake, transforming ordinary items like storage crates and chairs into tools that would preserve their musical tradition. Read more...

If you saw Axel Schmitt, a UCLA student currently working on his Doctor of Musical Arts degree, on campus, you’d never guess he is a renowned pianist who has played in front of crowds all over Europe and the United States. Read more...

Getting young people excited about classical music can be difficult. In an effort to interest a wider audience, tonight’s chambermusic@ucla faculty concert will include student performers and an eclectic music selection. Read more...

Some people dance to the beat of a different drum. For students in one particular on-campus percussion class, that drum is from Africa. An eight-week African drumming class led by Fred Jones is one of the many cultural programs offered by UCLA’s Department of Cultural and Recreation Affairs. Read more...

“Miracle” Directed by Gavin O’Connor Walt Disney Pictures I know almost nothing about sports, but I love sports movies. “Miracle” is a big, old-fashioned, red-blooded sports movie that wears its heart on its sleeve, the kind that makes grown men cry. Read more...

At military funerals today, it’s not an unusual sight to see a person playing “Taps” with a digital bugle, or to hear a recording of the famous tune playing on a boom box. Read more...

Isamu Noguchi Japanese American National Museum Feb. 7 through May 30 To celebrate what would be Noguchi’s 100th birthday, an exhibition of modern Japanese ceramics organized by the Smithsonian is the perfect gift for the artist and museum-goers. Read more...