Sign up for email announcements when new blog posts are published. Learn more about the remarkable people, music, and rich history behind The Nightingale’s Sonata.
In the 1920s, someone got the bright idea that there was a way to create performing arts series in over a thousand small towns in the United States. To learn more about the brilliant concept and how it changed the face of the performing arts in this country, read here.
Read MoreUnlike writing about a novel or a painting, it is almost impossible to use words to describe a piece of music (the actual sounds) with any degree of precision so that another person can understand. In this blog you can explore why this is the case and can find a possible solution here.
Read MoreThey say that it is impossible to master musical skills at a professional level if you start late in life. But on at least one occasion, that turned out not to be true. Read on to learn how one senior managed to do it.
Read MoreWhy is it that the more expert we become, the easier it is to miss the obvious? Why do children often spot errors that adults make? If you want to discover how a single misprinted note led to insight on the phenomenon, read here.
Read MoreOn November 15, 1940, Eugene Ormandy, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, offered an all-Beethoven program. Such a concert would not have been unusual except for one thing. The three soloists that day were all trailblazing women. To learn more about them, read here..
Read MoreDuring the present crisis in the Ukraine, much has been made of the fate of Russian musicians who are supporters of Vladimir Putin. But what of the countless other musicians who have to live and work in an increasingly repressive, isolated, and economically challenged country? What is likely to happen to them? Let us hope that the experiences of a century ago, recounted here, are not repeated.
Read MorePlaying in an orchestra can be an intense and exhausting occupation. Maintaining a high level of performance night after night isn’t easy and sometimes orchestra musicians may give less than their best—often called “mailing it in.” To learn what causes these lapses and how they can be prevented, read this article.
Read MoreThere are many reasons that people give for not listening to old recordings. But increasing numbers of music lovers know that old recordings contain remarkable performances by legendary musicians that are unavailable anywhere else. For more, read here.
Read MoreShouldn’t we be open to exploring the vast literature of classical music? Why limit ourselves to those composers who have been established as worthy by today’s musical tastemakers? Read more here.
Read MoreWhat connects fly fishermen, rare book collectors, and musicians? If you think you know the answer (or especially if you don’t), read on here.
Read MoreHow does a parent know when a child is ready to take on a new challenge in life—whether it is riding a bicycle, taking the subway without an adult, or playing a first concert? Sometimes the question is easy to answer. At other times, it appears to be more difficult. READ HERE TO LEARN MORE.
Read MoreThe choice of a new leader may be the most important decision an organization will make for years. But in the case of classical music organizations, the issues turn out to be complex. Don’t you think it would be desirable to have some background and context for making an informed choice? If so, you might start here.
Read MoreAre music critics stupid? As we read what some of them have written over the years about works that were later deemed masterpieces, we might think so. But perhaps there is a simple explanation…and perhaps we too are guilty. Ready to take the simple test here?.
Read MoreOur memories can be somewhat undependable whether we are recalling iconic sports events or great concerts. How much does it really matter?
Read MoreIs it time to go beyond the usual suspects in trying to understand why classical music audiences appear to be declining and what we can do about it? This blog post may be an unlikely but entertaining place to start.
Read MoreHow do you listen to music – with your head or with your heart? Is it an intellectual experience of an emotional one? Let’s see how your aesthetic enjoyment compares to that of others.
Read MoreWhen you read about an opera performance, you will usually encounter the names of the composer, the singers, the conductor, and often the set designer and librettist. But there are several unsung heroes involved that you will not hear about and here you can read about two of them who believed in the axiom that “the show must always go on!”
Read MoreWhat can a technological invention that fizzled tell us about new possibilities for technology and classical music enjoyment and education? Read here to find out.
Read MoreWhat does a duo-piano team and legendary oboe player—all three long deceased—have to do with the future of music video? If you are curious, read here.
Read MoreEvery year, about this time, people ask me, “Is there a great recording, novel, or film that you would recommend for a classical music lover?” Here’s this year’s answer.
Read More
