Playing it "Wrong": Is Modern Performance Practice Alienating Audiences?
February 5, 2015These days, the “theory” behind classical music’s decline in pop culture is common knowledge: the genre evolved out of rigid traditions in the church and monarchical regimes, became indelibly associated with the upper class, and maintained prominence until the beginning of the twentieth century, when cultural interest began to shift to new popular genres and […]
What is a #MusiciansInstaMeet and what can it do for Classical Music?
February 2, 2015Hey everyone! Happy New Year! Boy, 2014 was an amazing year, and it looks like 2015 is going to be even better! Fun fact, in 2014 we experienced the last consecutive date of the millennium: December 12, 2014 (12.13.14)! The next truly consecutive date will be January 2, 3456, and I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say […]
The Email Protocols
January 22, 2015When you have three different teaching jobs, run a website, and blog for two more, you end up spending a lot of time on email. This is what I have learned over the past few months as I’ve juggled a variety of burgeoning professional obligations, all of which require a significant amount of regular email […]
"Community Enhancement": Bringing Classical Music to a Ski Resort
January 8, 2015What does “community outreach” look like in contemporary culture? This question has been asked with increasing frequency in recent years, in both theoretical and practical contexts. Which means of concert presentation will best communicate the mission of classical performance to novice audiences? How do we demystify genres such as chamber music and opera without seeming […]
Update from the "Real World": Musings of a Music School Grad
December 18, 2014I know I’m succumbing to stereotype to say this, but it’s hard to believe how fast this year has gone by. It feels as though the seemingly endless polar vortexes of January and February transpired only yesterday, but now it’s the week before Christmas, and 2014 is preparing to make its exit. For me, this […]
Thankful for Music
December 4, 2014Those of you who follow me regularly will know that I am a co-founder of Musicovation.com, a mutlifaceted website dedicated to promoting “the positive news about music, for a change.” I know I bring it up quite a lot, but it’s not because I’m trying to brag about our work–I’m consistently inspired and encouraged by […]
How do we save Classical Music?
December 1, 2014Hi everyone, @ThatViolaKid here! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with delicious food and the warm presence of family and friends! I know I sure enjoyed it! Living in Manhattan and going to school at the Juilliard School is more than taxing for my body. It’s taxing on my emotions and my very […]
The Singer's Audition Handbook
November 21, 2014Carnegie Hall’s Musical Exchange program has created a resourceful page of videos and other resources to help singers prepare for auditions. Topics include choosing repertoire, degree programs, young artist programs, competitions, taking a great headshot, preparing your resume, creating a demo recording, and more. Check it out here.
Refuting the "Orchestra Job or Nothing" Mentality
November 20, 2014Many of you may have heard of musicschoolcentral.com–a fantastic site launched earlier this year with the intention of assisting prospective music majors in finding a school and degree program that best suits their individual interests. Its founder, Bill Zuckerman, has done a wonderful job covering the musical school scene from multiple angles, providing posts and […]
Practicing for the Right Reasons
November 6, 2014Last week, I wrote about the challenges high school students face when attempting to find practice time whilst juggling a myriad of other commitments. I concluded that making time for the instrument is certainly possible if one plans ahead and makes the most of their allotted practice hours, but there remains one key ingredient necessary […]