Musical Musings
Can Jazz Educate More Than Classical?
I was reading an article in The New York Times about the International Association of Jazz Educators’ Conference that began taking place in New York last week. Thousands attended and dozens performed,...
Can Jazz Educate More Than Classical?
I was reading an article in The New York Times about the International Association of Jazz Educators’ Conference that began taking place in New York last week. Thousands attended and dozens performed,...
Take the Kids
Recently I went to a new music concert, where I ran into a close friend and her seven-year-old daughter. After we chatted for a while I went to my seat...
Take the Kids
Recently I went to a new music concert, where I ran into a close friend and her seven-year-old daughter. After we chatted for a while I went to my seat...
Sharing Good Cheer
This week, in the spirit of the holidays, I thought I’d share my good cheer and offer a few ideas for how to fund such projects.
Sharing Good Cheer
This week, in the spirit of the holidays, I thought I’d share my good cheer and offer a few ideas for how to fund such projects.
A Glaring Omission
I’ve been shut out again. I have a great project to write for a great youth ensemble, whose playing rivals many professional organizations I know of. However, because the players...
A Glaring Omission
I’ve been shut out again. I have a great project to write for a great youth ensemble, whose playing rivals many professional organizations I know of. However, because the players...
The Write of Winter
It is that time of the year once again. No, not holiday shopping. Those of us who teach are inundated with numerous requests from current and former students to write...
The Write of Winter
It is that time of the year once again. No, not holiday shopping. Those of us who teach are inundated with numerous requests from current and former students to write...
Actually, It’s Those Who Can
“…one reason why certain professorial types feel threatened by students who actually DO have talent–because it took little if any talent to become a professor to begin with.”
Actually, It’s Those Who Can
“…one reason why certain professorial types feel threatened by students who actually DO have talent–because it took little if any talent to become a professor to begin with.”
A Small World that is a Universe
Day in and day out, we lament that there is very little quality music offered by educational publishers. We also can’t seem to come to a consensus on how we...
A Small World that is a Universe
Day in and day out, we lament that there is very little quality music offered by educational publishers. We also can’t seem to come to a consensus on how we...
Not Absolutely Perfect or Perfectly Absolute
Last week’s chatter on perfect pitch evoked such strong opinions on my commentary that I decided to attack this issue again. In particular, one respondent wrote:
Not Absolutely Perfect or Perfectly Absolute
Last week’s chatter on perfect pitch evoked such strong opinions on my commentary that I decided to attack this issue again. In particular, one respondent wrote:
Not So Perfect
How are you supposed to improvise in a tonal context if you do not have perfect pitch?” It seems that one is either born with this ability, or acquires it...
Not So Perfect
How are you supposed to improvise in a tonal context if you do not have perfect pitch?” It seems that one is either born with this ability, or acquires it...
Making Things Up
Recently I took on an advanced flute student for musicianship studies. A jazz improvisation teacher told her she had no musicianship skills and needed remedial training before she could study...
Making Things Up
Recently I took on an advanced flute student for musicianship studies. A jazz improvisation teacher told her she had no musicianship skills and needed remedial training before she could study...
Composing is Not a Distraction
How many of us have encountered resistance to our initial forays into making music of our own? Recently I was part of a pre-concert discussion during which the subject came...
Composing is Not a Distraction
How many of us have encountered resistance to our initial forays into making music of our own? Recently I was part of a pre-concert discussion during which the subject came...
No Experience Required
Why is it that every commissioning grant or gig seems to have attached to it some component of educational outreach?
No Experience Required
Why is it that every commissioning grant or gig seems to have attached to it some component of educational outreach?