Tag Archives: classical music
Art and Wallpaper, Part 3: Why Wallpaper Is Not Art
As I was saying, that beautiful wallpaper … does it evoke a heart response? By looking at our three tenets of creating art (link here), it should become obvious why wallpaper is not art. Wallpaper does not engage with any of these— it is not specific in its emotional conveyance, it is purposefully unclear in […]
Art and Wallpaper, Part 2: The Three Tenets of Creating Art
In my previous article, we addressed the notion of what art is—it is a fundamental piece of the human condition that connects two or more people in a shared emotional state. An artist is the person who creates the thing (painting, dance, musical performance, creative writing, etc.) that transports the audience member into a similar […]
The Difference Between Doing What You Love and Loving What You Do
Love what you do, and do what you love, so the saying goes. The two phrases are inextricably tied together, but don’t confuse one for the other. Loving what you do… …is a choice. …will make you successful. …will inspire others to do the same. …is a daily commitment to not let jealousy, greed, or […]
(re)Focus
I have begun a journey into the practice of meditation. In addition to simply sitting alone in a room listening to my breath, I have been using several guided meditations found on YouTube. Some I have enjoyed, others not so much. The process of meditation is first about calming the mind and allowing all of […]
What We Learn from Our Instruments
As musicians we should be more like the instruments we play. I recently watched Note by Note, the documentary about the Steinway Piano Company. It’s available on Netflix and I urge you to seek it out. The film takes you step by step through the whole process of creating these amazing pianos, works of art […]
The Biggest Concert Hall (or The Smallest Restaurant)
Have you ever noticed that many times the best restaurant in town is usually in the smallest space? Because my dad’s career is in the food and beverage industry, I have always taken a keen interest in food and restaurants, and I’ve been thinking about these small restaurants. The biggest restaurants are always the chains, […]
What Music Looks Like / Edouard Ferlet
Edouard Ferlet is a fantastic jazz pianist. His career has covered many styles of music, from gospel to cabaret and many points in between. And he clearly has a love for classical music. In yesterday’s post, I talked about creating or re-creating music so we can make it our own. And I think that’s what […]
What Music Looks Like: Brooklyn Rider
Brooklyn Rider is a NY-based string quartet that has been (as NPR put it), “recreating the 300-year-old form of string quartet as a vital and creative 21st-century ensemble.” Their concerts blend traditional string quartet repertoire with brand new music that is created from a myriad of influences. By being as committed to creating new and relevant […]
What Music Looks Like / The 23rd Psalm
Here’s an interesting choral tone poem of the twenty-third Psalm, arranged by Bobby McFerrin and performed by Cantus (@cantussings). There was a small controversy about McFerrin’s tweaking the words to refer to the deity as a woman, but the piece was dedicated to his mother. McFerrin has always been a hero of sorts to me. He […]
User Experience
I’ve always liked traveling. That’s how my parents would get me to fall asleep when I was a kid, and I made a job out of it when I toured with SBQ. One thing I really like about traveling is meeting people from completely outside my sphere. You can meet the most varied and interesting […]
Long Tones: The Pursuit of a Life in Music 