The pianist who plays classical music for retired elephants
Pianist Paul Barton had an unusual 50th birthday wish: to play classical music for retired elephants at a sanctuary in Thailand. It has brought him friendships and followers.
Pianist Paul Barton had an unusual 50th birthday wish: to play classical music for retired elephants at a sanctuary in Thailand, where he lives. His wife, wildlife artist Khwan Barton, managed to arrange it for him and soon Paul's one-off birthday wish became a creative project and a passion. More than a decade on, he’s acquired millions of followers for his videos – and made lasting friendships with the elephants themselves.
Kiliwa is an indigenous Mexican language now spoken by only a tiny handful of people. When Leonor Espinoza, a Kiliwa speaker, first met Arnulfo Estrada, a Mexican oceanographer by trade who was curious about her language, she dismissed him. But gradually he won her trust and together the two of them wrote a Kiliwa-Spanish dictionary and embarked on a crusade to save Leonor’s language. First broadcast in June 2021.
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Laura Thomas
(Photo: Paul Barton playing the piano to an elephant. Credit: Paul Barton)
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Art and music themed videos for elephants
Broadcasts
- Mon 2 Sep 2024 11:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Mon 2 Sep 2024 17:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Mon 2 Sep 2024 21:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Tue 3 Sep 2024 02:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
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