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Singing The Praises Of Singing

There are hundreds of thousands of choruses and choirs in North America. “For all the developments in symphonic and operatic music in recent decades, choral singing remains the most pervasive musical activity in the country, whether in churches, schools or concert halls.” So what is the allure of opening your mouth to make noise?

A Publishing Best-seller Miracle

Rick Warren’s “The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?” sold 11.3 million copies in 2003, making it one of the biggest best-sellers of all timke. “Unabashedly religious, the book is being read and studied by millions of people in and out of churches across the country. Readers are buying extra copies at churches and in bookstores and passing them along to friends. As a crossover bestseller, flying off the shelves in both the Christian and mainstream markets, it is a modern marketing miracle.”

Classic Zappa – Understanding The Avant Garde

“The wary romance between Frank Zappa and the classical world was never fully consummated. It also never really ended. A decade after his death, Zappa is still a surprise guest at concerts by classical musicians, who can rent his published works almost as easily as they can music by Richard Strauss or John Williams. Some treat Zappa as a naughty kindred spirit, while others seem to deploy his works as props for the construction of a hip image.”

Now In Theatres – The New Documentaries

Once it was rare to see documentary films in theatres. But documentaries are getting new respect at the box office. “Credit everything from wide availability of cheap technology for filmmakers and an explosion of cable channels and satellite TV desperate for product, to audiences whose appetite for the real has been whetted, but ultimately not satisfied, by reality TV. The documentary phenomenon is international.”

On Broadway – Enough Of The Fluff!

“Be honest. Aren’t you starting to overdose on escapism? Haven’t you been experiencing cravings that “Mamma Mia!” and vicarious trips down the red carpet just aren’t satisfying? Well, after an autumn of jaw-dropping silliness and thinness on Broadway (witches and drag queens and lounge acts, oh my!), the New York theater is poised to provide deliverance from the culture of triviality.”

Mr. Wolfe’s Public

George Wolfe is strongly identified with New York’s Public Theatre. But what is Wolfe’s legacy at the Public? “Mr. Wolfe the director shone brightly during his time at the Public. The Public Theater itself usually seemed to hang back in the shadows, like the timid offspring of a glamorous star.”

The Artist As Multi-National Supplier

“Once upon a time, young artists started their careers with a single gallery in their home country. Scoring international representation was a consecration that occurred only once the artist had an established reputation and a proven market. But that old model has been pulverised. Today, both in Europe and America, artists only a few years out of school commonly have some combination of several European galleries, dealers on both US coasts, and perhaps something more exotic, like representation in Japan or Latin America. Yet in the same way that a college degree has devolved from being a symbol of high achievement to a minimum requirement for decent employment, having multiple international galleries is now just an early step toward art world success.”