Christopher Foley pointed out an article today on his excellent blog, written by Kerry Miller of Business Week on “Teaching Musicians to be Entrepreneurs”. As soon as I saw the title, it felt like a no-brainer. Of course musicians need to be entrepreneurs! What a wonderful initiative! Yet, the proposals in several prestigious institutions in …
I was completely stunned by two video excerpts I saw yesterday on the ubiquitous youtube of Dawn Upshaw singing Messiaen‘s “Saint François d’Assise”, directed by Peter Sellars. (I’m indebted to Alex for posting one on his blog). The excerpts show the rehearsal process, Dawn’s valiant struggles with the virtuosic music and Peter guiding, encouraging and …
Couldn’t resist posting these two photos of our two-year-old cat in an exploratory mood.
When I was studying at the Guildhall in the 80’s, I had the fortune to hear a talk by the late, great Leonard Bernstein. I don’t remember the content now as much as I remember his extraordinary charisma. He was the most wonderful speaker– relaxed, intelligent, warm, provocatively interesting… We all, male and female, fell …
I thoroughly enjoyed Stephen Hough‘s article in today’s Guardian about the relatively recent separation of the roles of composer and performer. It is only since starting to improvise and compose over the last ten years that I realize how my education was so separatist in that regard, both at school and university– “composing was for …
There’s a fascinating series of diagrams in the New York Times today, revealing the results of scientific study on violins made by Stradivarius and Guarneri. The study tells us more about why these instruments made such a beautiful sound and are still highly revered today. Make sure to click on the different tabs at the …
I recently returned from a trip to Sydney, and was drawn as usual to the fabulous wildlife. Here’s my first attempt at videoing my favorite Australian inhabitant– the duck-billed platypus. When underwater, playpuses (platypi?) close their ears, eyes and nose and navigate by a kind of radar. They are monotremes, which are egg-laying mammals, and …
I was interested to read an article by Frank J. Oteri in New Music Box today that resonated with me. He complains that increasingly all music is being described as ‘songs’. I’m grateful to know that I’m not the only one who calls a song a song, and an instrumental piece, a piece or composition. …
I was pretty shocked to read an article in the Denver Post a couple of days ago in which the recent playing of Ivo Pogorelich is described as “incoherent and interpretatively perverse”.
I was so pleased to read an article by Norman Lebrecht reporting the new look Barbican Centre, which apparently has a much improved concert hall and theatre, as well as a more user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing environment. Thanks to a Wikipedia article, I’ve discovered that the original architectural style is known as Brutalist (very apt)! …