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A pair of young Curtis Institute grads started playing together in college, and are still together 12 years later. They gave a recital together in Atlanta's Spivey Hall just four weeks ago. Hilary Hahn is the violinist and Natalie Zhu the pianist in Mozart's Sonata in G Major, K. 301.

Cuba's younger musical generation has adopted the classic Cuban rhythms — familiar to fans of the Buena Vista Social Club and other old-school performers — and added international influences to create a new flavor of island music.

Static, distortion and an air raid siren. Now, that's my kind of music.

Beirut's Zach Condon is only 19, but his music brings to mind sights and sounds from older eras in other places. Created without guitars, Beirut's Gulag Orkestar instead incorporates an orchestra full of mandolins, ukuleles, violins and glockenspiels.

Matthew Herbert employs the dripping sounds of petrol pumps to ignite "We're in Love," a subversive lament for the end of the oil age. The song is distinguished by sweeping strings, a gentle piano melody, dreamy horns and Dani Sicilliano's winsome voice.

The singer-songwriter has a repertoire that ranges from soft ballads to tough rock songs to political anthems. A remarkable, empathetic songwriter, McMurtry has released seven enormously acclaimed albums in his nearly 20-year career.

With quirky melodies and a uniquely clever songwriting style, Sparks has remained one of the most innovative art-pop bands of the past three decades. While never gaining much more than a cult following, Sparks' peculiar brand of pop smarts has influenced everything from '80s synth-pop to Queen.

Our rock critic reviews albums by Tom Verlaine of the '70s New York punk band Television: the instrumental album Around, and Songs and Other Things, which includes his compositions and vocals.

The exotic strains of Ethiopian jazz are not widely heard by American ears. But the work of many talented artists can be enjoyed in an ambitious multi-volume CD series called Ethiopiques.

Our jazz critic reviews two new trio CDs by the Dutch pianist Michiel Braam, Change This Song and Hosting Changes. Trio Braam de Joode Vatcher is on a short U.S. tour June 12-17.