As NYC and the entire NE region brace for a major winter storm—one which the media has taken to calling “Nemo,” in a fit of particularly crass commercialism (“If we name it, we can SELL it!”)—I have been reflecting on … Continue reading
“What kind of music do you write?”
Easily my least favorite question. Most composers get asked it on a routine basis by strangers or loose acquaintances, usually followed by unsolicited advice. “Hey! You should write for movies!” Funny that no one thinks twice about giving unsolicited advice … Continue reading
Goin’ International
As many of you may know, the Juilliard School is about to go international by planning to open a conservatory in China. In doing so she’ll follow countless others worldwide in a trend that has been going on for decades. … Continue reading
Listen @ This, Part 2: Hindemith Quartets
There was a kind of “Hindemith Moment” in the 1980s or ’90s—I’m not sure when; I just know I started listening to him around the tail end of it, and that happened to coincide with my musical coming of age. … Continue reading
ROBERT BAILEY, R.I.P.
Although I was not ever directly one of his students, I am nonetheless saddened by the loss of this wonderful man and musician. Prof. Bailey was one of the cornerstones of Juilliard’s Music History Department. He was also one of … Continue reading
Snapshot: “A Day in the Life of a Composer,” or “Why I Don’t Write Much Music”
There are no doubt plenty of professionals who can identify with the following statement: “I could get so much done, if only I didn’t have to _________!” At most I produce one or two works per year. That’s not very … Continue reading
Radio Interview
A few months ago, I gave a radio interview for allclassical.org, along with a friend of mine, the violist Charles Noble. This was back in September, in preparation for a show his quartet did in Portland of my music and … Continue reading
Sad News from Louisville
To me, one of the saddest aspects of the whole Louisville Orchestra situation is that we might be losing one of the most important institutions in American music in the 20th century. Even a cursory glance at this list of recordings reveals how … Continue reading
Listen @ This, Part 1: Lutoslawski Third Symphony
For a while now, I have wanted to produce a series of podcasts with my friend Alex Freeman called Listen @ This (TM). Essentially, this would be a place where you, adrift on a sea of auditory flotsam, would come … Continue reading
New website!
Welcome to my new website. Blog posts to follow very soon!
Posted in Composing, Listening, News, Parenthood, Uncategorized
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