“Perhaps more surprising than who won this year’s National Magazine Awards was who didn’t. The New Yorker, which has traditionally dominated the awards, left empty-handed last night, losing in all nine categories in which it was nominated. The Atlantic Monthly, also a frequent favorite, was shut out as well. The big winner: New York magazine, which was nominated for seven awards and took home five.”
Author: sbergman
Book Reviews Aren’t Dying – They’ve Just Moved
The long, slow death of the newspaper book review is causing no small amount of alarm within both the publishing and arts criticism worlds. “But some publishers and literary bloggers — not surprisingly — see it as an inevitable transition toward a new, more democratic literary landscape where anyone can comment on books. In recent years, dozens of sites… have been offering a mix of book news, debates, interviews and reviews, often on subjects not generally covered by newspaper book sections.”
Take A Jock To The Orchestra?
Inspired by AJ Blogger Drew McManus’s “Take A Friend to the Orchestra” month, the staff critic at DCist decided to throw himself deeply into the spirit of the thing, inviting a sportswriter to accompany him to an Australian Chamber Orchestra concert. To make things even more challenging, the sportswriter was in a bad mood the night of the show, and in no mood for high culture. And then, the music started…
Respecting Tradition, But Looking Forward
As the Philadelphia Orchestra’s departing principal violist, Roberto Diaz, feels his way as the new leader of the city’s renowned Curtis Institute of Music, one colleague says that his job will be to “sweep away the cobwebs” in the notoriously tradition-bound school, but to do so without losing the qualities that make Curtis unique (and uniquely successful) in the music world.
Ashkenazy To Give Up Performing
“Vladimir Ashkenazy has decided to give up playing the piano in public,” apparently because of painful arthritis in his hands. Ashkenazy, who was recently appointed chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony, “decided to give up public concerts several months ago. He does plan to continue recording, however.”
Ignoring The Diversity In Front Of Us
While classical music may struggle to attract African-Americans in large numbers, black Americans do have a long history in the field. But various circumstances seem always to conspire to downplay or ignore the role of black composers, in particular. “Our music curriculums and history textbooks seem to overlook them. Add in the well-documented cutbacks or elimination of music education, and there’s a vast disconnect between perception and reality.”
Who Doesn’t Love A Good Butt Shake?
No one ever accused the Edmonton Symphony’s music director of being a low-key conductor, but the orchestra and many of its fans were taken aback when a letter appeared in the local paper calling a Bill Eddins performance “not classy” and “rude.” (The letter’s author apparently objected to a few booty shakes during a jazzy piece.) In the weeks since the letter ran, music fans in Edmonton have been lining up to defend Eddins and slam the prudish objector.
Why Your Local Books Section Is Worth Saving
As newspapers across the U.S. continue to gut their already shamefully lackluster books coverage, Scott McLemee says that its time for the nation’s librarians and university presses to speak out against the abandonment of literary engagement. “As far as most civilians are concerned, printed matter is generated by parthenogenesis, then distributed across the land like the spores of a ripe dandelion, transmitted by the wind. We know better.”
Smithsonian Introduces Rare Admission Charge
“In a rare move, the Smithsonian is going to charge admission for part of a new permanent exhibition called ‘Butterflies and Plants: Partners in Evolution.’ Admission to the Smithsonian’s Washington museums has always been free, and the legislation and wills creating four of its museums… specifically ban admission fees. But in recent years some lawmakers have been pushing Smithsonian officials to find new ways of meeting expenses.”
Coming Soon To Cleveland: The Art Ph.D.
Several Cleveland-area colleges and universities are holding meetings in an effort to design a first-of-its-kind joint graduate program for art and design studies. “The program would pool the resources of half a dozen public and private universities to provide new doctoral-level degrees in industrial design, digital media, studio practice, museum studies, management design, architecture, urban design and other fields.”