Tracks From Abroad

Italy/Colombia -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.79

For episode 79 of Tracks From Abroad we speak with Isabella Milano, a classical voice performance student in U of T's music department. 
Isabella performed her original song, Up In the Air, at Youth Day this summer at Yonge and Dundas Square, and on this episode you will hear about how that project came together. 
Isabella's family is Italian and Colombian, so we chatted about the kind of music she grew up listening to, code switching between Spanish and English, and her first trip to Colombia to visit her abuela. 
The music on today's show is a mixture of Italian and Colombian tracks with lots of Canadian artists like Frank Moyo, Beny Esguerra, and Dia. Tune in to our show Mondays at 6pm on CIUT for episode 80 coming up next week!

Taiwan -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.78

After last week's show in Slovenia, Tracks From Abroad is crossing to eastern Asia to visit the island of Taiwan. We are approaching episode 80 of TFA while entering into a new chapter of our show as we bring together a team of talented CIUT volunteers to carry the show for the next 8 months. 
First on the episode we speak with Simon, a U of T student who lived in Taiwan from age 4 until age 18 before coming to study in Canada. Simon talks on TFA about Taiwanese restaurants, we compare the island's social norms to Canada's, and we touch on the gory Taiwanese horror film industry. 
Next on the episode you'll hear Ross, a TFA listener who shares about his experience being married to his Taiwanese wife, a Daoist, who practices the religion of Daoism. Ross talks about the six visits he's made to Taiwan, the religious festivals he's witnessed, and the different paper objects he's seen burned in order to be sent to ancestors in the afterlife. 
If you're hungry for some soup dumplings and a look into Taiwanese culture, this is the episode for you. Check it out on Tracks From Abroad, Mondays at 6pm on CIUT 89.5 FM. 

Slovenia -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.77

Ever wanted to travel to Slovenia? Now is your chance, because this week on Tracks From Abroad you will hear an interview from a Slovenian exchange student and some fantastic Balkan music. 
We welcomed Andrej to our show who studied abroad in Toronto during the last winter semester. Andrej talks about Slovenian folk music, the languages he speaks (ever heard of Serbo-Croatian?) and of his family back in Slovenia. 
What music will you hear on this episode? Well my favorite track is a Slovenia cover of She's a Lady by Tom Jones...Dama by Oto Pestner! Keep it locked on TFA Mondays at 6pm on CIUT, and send us a message anytime, at TracksFromAbroad@ciut.fm 

Vermont #2 -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.76

We head back to Vermont this week on Tracks From Abroad--the home state of TFA's founder, Jesse McDougall. On the cover of this week's show you'll see a timeless Vermont treat, the maple creemee! 
On this episode you'll hear reporting from David Goodman's radio show, the Vermont Conversation. David spoke with Vermonters in the aftermath of a devastating flood which hit central Vermont on July 9th, flooding 4000 homes and 800 businesses. Vermont is still recovering from this disaster with grace as hundreds of volunteers turn out to help their neighbors clean and rebuild their homes. 
We also learn about David Goodman's career in journalism, and a writing award he will soon win from the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. David's 5th edition of his book, Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast, was updated and rereleased in recent years.  
Kal Traver of Rubblebucket and Kalbells is up next speaking to Jesse about discovering music in Vermont at a young age. Kal says she loves to return to Vermont for it's tranquility and community which encouraged her to set off on a career as a musician. 
And lastly TFA hears from Steve Rand, a high school English teacher working in Jesse's hometown who has two decades of experience running a study abroad program for Vermont students to travel to Rwanda. After Rwanda's genocide in 1994, Rand says this has been a life changing experience for him and the hundreds of students who have experienced the beautiful countryside and powerful stories of the Rwandans they've worked with. 
Listeners interested to learn more about Steve Rand's program can contact TFA at TracksFromAbroad@ciut.fm

Québec -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.75

Bonjour - Hi!
For this episode of Tracks From Abroad we jump one province over to Québec to listen to some folk music and chat with Simply Chloe the Band, a student band based in Montreal. 
The host of this show is Rosa Caramazza who selected some great Quebec tracks from across the decades, and the host of the interview was Elizabeth Chernyak. Elizabeth and her partner Bo Hong Fu speak with Chloe, a student in Montreal, about the formation of her band, their experiences performing, and the significance of bilingual music in the region. 
In the next episode we're considering scrapping the formula and ranking the menu items at St. Hubert BBQ. Catch Tracks From Abroad Mondays at 6pm on CIUT 89.5, or anytime at CIUT.fm . 
 

TFA WINS BEST IN STUDENT PROGRAMMING

At the start of June, 2023, Tracks From Abroad was recognized with the Excellence in Student Programming award by the National Campus and Community Radio Association. 
The recognition took place in Calgary at the CRABO Awards (Campus Radio Awards in Broadcasting and Online), and you can see a video of the event here:
https://youtu.be/6WiCwUBqVbk
A big thank you goes out to TFA listeners for supporting the show over the past two years. During that time we were one of the few student-made shows on CIUT 89.5 FM, and this show is continuing with a new slate of volunteers in the September of 2023. 
But truly, without the participation of U of T students, local musicians, comedians, politicians, and professors who have been guests on our show, this would never have happened. 
So thank you for listening and checking in (TracksFromAbroad@ciut.fm). You know where to find us next week, Mondays at 6pm on CIUT. 

Japan #2 -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.74

This week on Tracks From Abroad you'll get a taste of Japan with two special interviews and a wide range of international and Canadian music. 
We start the show with Masayo and Kate of the University of Toronto Japan Association. They introduce us to vocaloid music, the chaos of Tokyo's streets, and the respectful traditions of Japanese society. 
Our second interview is with Sugar Brown (Ken Kawashima), a professor of East Asian Studies at U of T and a blues musician in Toronto. Sugar Brown also serves in a trio of hosts on the Calling All Blues radio show broadcast on CIUT every Saturday from noon until 1pm.
Ken tells us about his research on Japanese history, his discovery of the blues in Chicago, and his upcoming album to be released this fall. Juggling academia and performing around Toronto ain't easy, but Sugar Brown is the man for the job. 
Keep up with Tracks From Abroad Mondays at 6pm on CIUT 89.5 FM, or any time through our podcast. We'll see you next week. 

France/Italy -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.73

This week we welcome Julien to Tracks From Abroad for an episode about France and Italy. Julien is an engineering student at U of T, and he's lived in several European countries including Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, and Italy! 
With Julien we talk about French protests, about the short WWII film he acted in, and he shares some of his favorite music from classic Euro artists. 
You can check out Julien's work, including the short film, here: https://linktr.ee/frajulien
Next week you'll hear some Japanese music on TFA and a special interview with Toronto blues musician Sugar Brown. Drop us a line, or follow the show at @TFA.radio on Instagram. 

Trinidad #3 -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.72

For episode 72 of Tracks From Abroad we sample some chicken pilau while visiting Trinidad for the third time. 
On this episode you'll hear from Shameel, a U of T graduate who first joined TFA in 2022. Along with co-host Quinn Carlisle we talk about Trini slang, curry chicken, and why the hummingbird had been made a symbol in Trinidad. As always on TFA you'll hear some music from the country in question, and we threw some of Toronto's Kobo Town into the mix as well. 
In the second part of the episode you'll hear from Chaddy Cub, an artist from Trinidad who is well versed in island culture. Want to develop a dreadlock hairstyle? Look no further! Chaddy tells TFA listeners the background stories behind his tracks on this episode. 
TFA plays every Monday at 6pm in Toronto on CIUT 89.5 FM, and you can reach out at TracksFromAbroad@ciut.fm . 

Nigeria #3 -- Tracks From Abroad Ep.71

Welcome to the 8th season of Tracks From Abroad, a student-made radio show broadcast on CIUT 89.5 FM where we talk about countries around the world in order to learn about the diverse city of Toronto. 
This week we visit Nigeria for the 3rd time welcoming Stella-Maris as our guest. She is going into her second year as an international relations student at the University of Toronto, and together we talk about African icons, Fela Kuti's politically charged song 'Zombie', and Stella breaks down how ancient tribal categories affect society in the present day. 
This episode was edited with the help of CIUT volunteer Rosa Caramazza, and if you want to be a part of CIUT's volunteer-powered station, check us out at @CIUT895fm on Instagram. 
On every episode of TFA you'll hear music from around the world, and if you have a song or artist to suggest, please drop us a line at TracksFromAbroad@ciut.fm !