We’re proud to present the winning entries from our Sound Off competition: five listener-made short stories that rose to the very top. From clever tinnitus tonics to melodic subway signals, from mischievous church bells to a guitar that speaks in whispers, this Gold Collection is rich with emotion, originality, and sonic craft.
What happens when one of history’s greatest composers begins to lose the very sense he relies on most? In this episode, we explore how Ludwig van Beethoven continued to create groundbreaking music even as his world fell into silence. Along the way, we uncover the myths, inventions, and raw determination that fueled Beethoven’s defiant creativity, and hear how his lifelong struggles are reflected in his music. Featuring musicologist Laura Tunbridge, author of Beethoven: A Life in Nine Pieces.
When Matthew Shifrin was growing up, his blindness meant that trying to enjoy a movie or TV show was often a confusing and frustrating experience. But then, Matthew discovered something called video description—an extra audio track where a narrator describes the action on screen. And suddenly, everything changed. This story comes from the Radiotopia podcast Blind Guy Travels.
