MUSIC NEWS: U2 caught us all by surprise earlier this week with the release of their new album, Songs Of Innocence, as part of a tie-in with Apple.

Classical: Defence Forces Massed Bands

MUSIC NEWS:

Classical: Calefax Reed Quintet - CIT Cork School of Music

American classical pianist, David Syme, has played to audiences of 10,000 at Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Centre, in New York, and the Kennedy Centre, in Washington DC.

Young people, according to Aristotle, “are in a state of permanent intoxication because youth is sweet and they are growing”.

Lady Gaga is planning a jazz album with Tony Bennett.

Words used on reality shows and in social media are getting their official place in the English language.

American pianist David Syme has become a familiar figure on the Irish concert circuit in recent years.

Co-writer with his wife, Julia, as Noel Holland.

Brian Wilson may reunite with The Beach Boys to mark their 50th anniversary.

“‘CHAPTER ONE. He adored New York City. He idolised it all out of proportion... no, make that: he – he romanticised it all out of proportion. Yes. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin.’ No, no, corny, too corny for a man of my taste. Can we... can we try and make it more profound?” – Woody Allen, Manhattan.

A MAN dived face-first into an extremely venomous, peanut-sized jellyfish in waters off north-east Australia and medics flew him to a hospital intensive care unit to treat the potentially fatal sting, officials said.

British acts dominated the nominations for record of the year at the US Grammy Awards today.

THE US national anthem rang out across a North Korean concert hall yesterday in a feat of musical diplomacy aimed at improving ties with a country that considers the US its mortal enemy.

Colin Tizzard banished a 33-day losing run when Mister Quasimodo put his rivals to the sword in the Kempton Park Graduation Chase.

Jordin Sparks, a teenager with a big voice and big dreams, was crowned as the newest and youngest American Idol.

The History of Broadway (Granada) is a fascinating double disc trip down memory lane exploring the extraordinary success of musicals, from the arrival of Ziegfeld Follies to the Gershwin brothers, Rogers and Hammerstein’s string of hits, such as Oklahoma, South Pacific and The Sound of Music.

Matthew Kelly, the TV presenter whose career was nearly ruined by child sex abuse allegations, has been named best actor at the Olivier Awards.

The bicycle flight at the end of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial has been named the most magical movie moment of all time.