Tag: 04.23.20

U.S. Court Of Appeals Finds A Constitutional Right To Literacy

A three-judge panel from the 6th Circuit ruled 2-to-1 that “education — at least in the minimum form discussed here — is essential to nearly every interaction between a citizen and her government. … Voting, taxes, the legal system, jury duty — all of these are predicated on the ability to read and comprehend written thoughts.” The decision revives a suit against the state of Michigan by a group of Detroit public school students. – Publishers Weekly

Peter Jonas, Who Ran English National Opera During Its ‘Powerhouse’ Years, Dead At 73

As general director from 1985 to 1993, he, along with director of productions David Pountney and chief conductor Mark Elder, “fostered a production style based on radical, dynamic dramaturgy, underpinned by the highest musical standards …, leaving behind a series of productions that have entered the annals of operatic history.” He had a similar run at the helm of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich from 1993 to 2006. – The Guardian

Zoom-As-Artistic-Medium, The Music Video

The three-minute video for the band Thou & the Get’s single “Phenom” is a kaleidoscope of ordinary images whose rhythm and hostility bust the limits of Zoom. The video speaks to the locked-down dreamer in all of us, as it reframes the possibilities for community, expresses the frustration of confinement and reminds us that one way to shake it off is through our inherent creativity. – Washington Post

Bankers Didn’t Just Want To Own The Art, Now They Want To Run It Too

Sure, the machers of the banking industry have deep roots in the art market—the Medicis fueled the Renaissance, the bankers of the East India Company let Rembrandt put up his paintings as loan collateral, and the robber barons used their money to build the Frick and the Morgan. But today, bankers don’t just want to be patrons—they want to be players, occupying roles once filled by art experts. – Artnet

Listen To 50 Years Of Interviews About American Music

“For the most part, the Oral History of American Music, known as OHAM, has focused not on insurance salesmen or barbers, but has instead gone straight to the source: living American composers, who sit for interviews that can last many hours. The archive has grown to encompass recordings of around 3,000 interviews with major voices in American music.” – The New York Times

Quarantined Shakespeare As Performed As Global Conversation

As the speeches are performed by a succession of people in the videos, it feels “as if they are in conversation even though they are in different parts of the world” said Terry. The three speeches suit our current period of contemplation under lockdown as they “ask questions about our place in the planet and where we go when we are no longer physical beings”. They provide an opportunity for questioning – “rather than worrying about what the answers might be”. – The Guardian