Conservatory education has been changing. Not everywhere, but in many places. New ideas, new thoughts about what education for classical musicians should be. What you’re going to read here comes from Brian Pertl, the extraordinary dean of the Lawrence Conservatory, at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.
Blog
How The Los Angeles Philharmonic Makes Itself Interesting
Fortunately, one thing we have a lot of in this organization is risk capital. Our board allows us to take chances — artistically and monetarily. Not every piece we commission is going to enter the repertory. Most work we commission is not. So, why do it? We do it as an investment in the art form, to push the boundaries forward, and keep our audiences informed and inspired.”
Aphorisms: What Are They, Really?
“The modern aphorism may be modelled on the classical, but it adds to the form a degree of self-consciousness about its own power, motion, drive. Above all, the aphorism is a sharp or pointed thing, violently deployed — though this action can never be definitive, but must be repeated time and again.”
Plan For Giant Restaurant/Bar On Roof Of London’s Royal Festival Hall Shocks Preservationists
The idea is that the Pergola on the River, as it would be called, would be in place for three years. It would then be removed and the arts centre would go ahead with a long-held ambition to use the roof for open-air performances. But the Twentieth Century Society, a conservation group, said it was shocked by the proposals and would be objecting in the strongest terms.
Why Audiences Still Love Les Ballets Trockadero After 40 Years
“The troupe grew out of the gay liberation movement in America in the 1970s; gender-bending satirical treatments of theatre, opera and dance aimed to increase the visibility of gay performers and to celebrate the extravagant traditions of those artforms. The Trocks, as they are now affectionately known, are the only company from that time still thriving.” Why? Respect for the form and very skilled dancing (plus the fact that ballet is fun to make fun of).
A Much-Diminished Paris Biennale Opens
The contrast with the prestigious art fair even a decade ago was striking, with only 61 exhibitors this year, two thirds of them French. On Monday, the First Lady Brigitte Macron toured the stands for three hours, perhaps a salve for the dealers. But no significant historical work or masterpiece was unveiled.
John Steinbeck’s Second Wife Says He Was ‘Sadistic’ In Newly Published Memoir
“My Life With John Steinbeck recalls a troubled marriage that spanned 1943 to 1948, a period in which he would write classics including Cannery Row and The Pearl. During their marriage, Conger Steinbeck described a husband who was emotionally distant and demanding. ‘Like so many writers, he had several lives, and in each he was spoilt, and in each he felt he was king,’ she wrote. ‘From the time John awoke to the time he went to bed, I had to be his slave.'”
Critical Opinion Increasingly Matters Less In The Era Of Social Media
“We’re not paid to be soothsayers; we’re paid to give our honest opinions on a particular time and day, based on our own long experience of writing about and loving theatre.” But “the new age of social media now means more than ever that critics are increasingly a reduced part of the equation.”
‘Existential Sitcoms’ – TV Series Take On The Meaning Of Life
“Comedies that tackle heavy, philosophical matters … have become more common in the past few years. These are funny shows, or at the very least dramedies, that explicitly and consistently explore ethics, spirituality, or what purpose human beings are meant to serve on Earth. Typically, they deal with those earthly issues while placing their characters in heightened, even fantastical situations. The Good Place, which will enter its third season this month, is the gold standard for this type of series. But it is not the only example.”
Instead Of Closing His Indie Bookstore, Owner Raffles It Off To Customers
“The unusual prize was dreamed up by Paul Morris, who opened Bookends in [the Welsh town of] Cardigan four years ago. The shop is profitable and would have made an estimated £30,000 in a sale, but Morris said he wanted to give someone else the chance to realise their dream of running a bookshop. Over the last three months, anyone who spent more than £20 was eligible to be entered into a raffle to win it. The name of the winner, Ceisjan Van Heerden, who is from the Netherlands, was drawn out of a hat containing 59 others at a ceremony last week, as Abba’s ‘The Winner Takes It All’ played to a crowd.”