Classicism vs. Classism
I took part in a place-making workshop last week in Detroit. Despite the usual negative reports, my hometown is actually receiving huge private investments from billionaires, local corporations, and major …
Beyond Dumbing Down
This post is the speech I delivered at SphinxCon last week. (Video) Yes, it’s long at 15-minutes… but I’ll bring in some of the more interesting pictures from the slideshow. …
Getting Real with Classical Music, Part 2
So I left off here writing about the need for our major institutions to go beyond dumbing down to reach the casual community. In support of that statement, I was at a …
Knight Project Blogpost II – Let Me Count the Ways
I am in New York City for annual booking conferences with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) and Chamber Music America (CMA). APAP is the largest such conference in North …
What Did You Learn Playing Classical in Bars, Rick?
I was recently asked in a meeting what I had been learning by sight-reading (unrehearsed) and performing (rehearsed) classical in bars, clubs and restaurants. Where do I start? I learned …
Getting Real with Classical Music Part 1
I often write in blog comments about the need for musicians to assume the lead making classical music (esp. symphonic music) truly accessible. By saying truly, I mean going beyond the …
Songs My Father Taught Me
When my dad died 2 1/2 years ago, right after the DSO strike ended, I was reminded how he was my first and last hero. A teacher with a Masters …