I've talked about this before, but it's worth repeating. Most of us have found our way to the world of fine art, music and lterature through presentations that offer easy access. Maybe condensed version of a great work of literature, or a particular Looney Tunes take-off on Rossini. That's the gist of a great article in the Wall Street Journal today from Terry Teachout. The piece called "Why Fantasia Mattered - Just Ask Gunther Schuller" focuses on those cultural "welcome mats" that, in some cases, led to a world that some individuals have made a home in by becoming composers, performers writers or artists. And remember, arts snobs may not appreciate the unwashed masses joining their "club", but it is the masses that help keep the arts alive. - Hoyt
So much has been made these days about "glamorizing" classical music. Album covers of attractive, stylish classical talent ruffles feathers of the purists. As they say "sex sells". Okay, so that's just the CD sales. Does the appearance of an artist affect the live performance. Pianist Yuja Wang recently caused a stir at an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl for her skimpy red dress. Should the attire of a performer have any bearing on how the music is perceived? German researchers Klaus-Ernst Behne and Clemens Wöllner have presented evidence that a pianist's body language impacts how even knowledgeable listeners evaluate his or her performance. The experiment was cleverly created and the results are fascinating. Read about their 2009 study here.
So much has been made thses days about "glamorizing" classicla music. Album covers of attractive, sytlish classical talent ruffles feathers of the purists. As they say "sex sells". Okay, so that's just the CD sales Does the appearance of an artist affect the live performance. Pianist Yuja Wang recently caused a stir at her appearacne at the Hollywood Bowl for her skimpy red dress. Should the attire of a performer have any bearing on how the music is perceived? German researchers Klaus-Ernst Behne and Clemens Wöllner have presented evidence that a pianist's body language impacts how even knowledgeable listeners evaluate his or her performance. The experiment was cleverly created and the results are fascinating. Read about their 2009 study here.
I stumbled across the work of one Bård Edlund on the web today. He is a multidisciplinary artist who has created some fascinating web based art projects. The one that caught my, uhm, ears is a recent attempt to set the Dow Jones averages to music. Actually, stock trades determine the songwriting in an audiovisual presentation of the 2010 Dow Jones Industrial Average. It would be interesting to apply these same principles to daily temperature fluctuations or other sets of data. Here's the link.
For Wagner fans it is "Mecca". The Bayreuth Festival in Germany is underway and yesterday's Wall Street Journal featured a fascinating look at what it's like to sit among the faithful in Wagner's personal theater and take in the show. Interesting read. - Hoyt
I love these stories about classical music showing up in clubs and out of the way places because they fly in the face of the naysayers who, with annoying regularity, proclaim the death of classical music. Thanks to KDFC listener Charles Stewert for catching this in his copy of the New York Times. Classical Revolution, founded less than 5 years ago by violist Charith Premawardhana, has set about presenting classical music in club and cafe venues around the Bay Area. The idea has spread to other cities around the USA and now to Europe as well. According to the article the Monday night concerts at the Mission District Revolution Cafe are so popular you have a tough time getting in. Once again, proof the timeless appeal of great music. Seems the idea is a win/win for both performers and audiences alike. The performers enjoy the casual setting and appreciate the low overhead costs while the audiences hear great musicians at a great price. Read more here.
- Hoyt
They say on weekend mornings a line of cars would stretch up Hyde Street from the ferry pier in San Francisco. The occupants were heading to Marin and Sonoma, but the only way there was the slow shuttle across the bay. Then, the dream became reality. A bridge to the north across the fabled Golden Gate. Whether the GG Bridge is a daily part of your life or just an occasional route to weekend fun and adventure, you probably have some attachment to it. And, maybe, you have an idea of what it sounds like. American composer, conductor and musical comentator Rob Kapilow has been commisioned by the Marin Symphony to write a musical work for the 75th anniversary of the bridge. The work has yet to be named, but the process is called the Golden Gate Opus and we are all invited to help Kapilow shape the piece. Composing begins in earnest in June continuing through October and before, or during, you can stay in touch through Facebook or email greatmusic@marinsymphony.org. Rob visited the KDFC studios recently to discuss the project. He is a fascinating guy with an engaging personality. Enjoy.
This year our entire holiday decorating effort has been to hang a wreath on the front door. We're off to snowy Colorado for Christmas so I thought we'd let the decorations rest this year. Others around our neighborhood have splashed lights around their houses with varying degrees of success and flair. There's one "wonderland" type house a few blocks away. The owners add a little more to their one of a kind brick mansion every year. If you are looking for those "over the top" Christmas light shows check out the 12th annual Lights of the Valley website features about 350 homes across 93 cities / 22 counties of Northern California who have the best Christmas displays and decoration. The site features the best & brightest Christmas light displays from the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley, San Joaquin and Sacramento Valley areas – from Eureka and Redding down to Fresno. Here is the link.
Oh, and the cost of firing up those lights? One house in Delaware features 1-million twinkling lights…yes MILLION. The Faucher family has been adding a little more luminance to their brand of Christmas joy over the last 25 years. All that light sets them back a whopping $686 per hour. They're on 4 hours/night for about a month. The energy bill? $82,320! If they switched exclusively to LED lights they could save $71,640 per month.
She's a former heroin addict who lives in a crime riddled city along the southern U.S. border. Alma Rosa Gonzalez is helping poor children learn classical music and give them an outlet that might stop them falling prey to the gangsters who are terrorizing Ciudad Juarez on the Texas border. Inspired by Venezuela's famous network of orchestras known as El Sistema (The System), which aims to rescue poor young people through music, the program has helped more than 400 children in Ciudad Juarez. The success has come despite threats, robberies and students dropping out when parents have been kidnapped. Most of the kids won't become professional musicians, but music broadens horizons, teaches discipline and helps promote peace, Gonzalez said. This is one very inspiring story. Read all about it here.
A crowd of KDFC listeners joined us at Yoshi's in SF for the First Annual KDFC Holiday Concert Live on Tuesday November 30. The wonderfully talented, funny and overall entertaining Canadian Brass set a high standard for future musical groups in seasons to come. Here are some more photos from a very enjoyable evening.
The occupants were heading to Marin and Sonoma, but the only way there was the slow shuttle across the bay. Then, the dream became reality. A bridge to the north across the fabled Golden Gate.
Whether the GG Bridge is a daily part of your life or just an occasional route to weekend fun and adventure, you probably have some attachment to it. And, maybe, you have an idea of what it sounds like. American composer, conductor and musical comentator Rob Kapilow has been commisioned by the Marin Symphony to write a musical work for the 75th anniversary of the bridge. The work has yet to be named, but the process is called the Golden Gate Opus and we are all invited to help Kapilow shape the piece. Composing begins in earnest in June continuing through October and before, or during, you can stay in touch through Facebook or email greatmusic@marinsymphony.org. Rob visited the KDFC studios recently to discuss the project. He is a fascinating guy with an engaging personality. Enjoy. 
Maybe condensed version of a great work of literature, or a particular Looney Tunes take-off on Rossini. That's the gist of a great article in the Wall Street Journal today from Terry Teachout. The piece called "
Pianist Yuja Wang recently caused a stir at an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl for her skimpy red dress. Should the attire of a performer have any bearing on how the music is perceived? German researchers 
He is a multidisciplinary artist who has created some fascinating web based art projects. The one that caught my, uhm, ears is a recent attempt to set the Dow Jones averages to music. Actually, stock trades determine the songwriting in an audiovisual presentation of the 2010 Dow Jones Industrial Average. It would be interesting to apply these same principles to daily temperature fluctuations or other sets of data. 
