“To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts – such is the duty of the artist.” ~Robert Schumann Schumann's simple creed has become the mission of a group of local musicians and musical activists known as Street Symphony: the brainchild of LA Philharmonic violinist Vijay Gupta, who tells me it grew out of a relationship … Continue reading Street Symphony’s Musical Activism: “We’re creating deeply vulnerable spaces where we’re allowed to feel.”
5 Things I’m Listening to Right Now
Welcome to a new periodic feature on the blog, where I will be asking musicians, writers about music, composers, and all manner of musically-connected people to share a few (oh, say, five) pieces of music that happen to be on high-rotation in their playlists. The musical world is vast. We will never be able to … Continue reading 5 Things I’m Listening to Right Now
I just spent 31 of your hard-earned dollars and you will thank me for it later
I've been working on my click-bait headlines. How am I doing, UpWorthIt? Okay, emotional manipulation aside, there are many ways you could spend $31. You could buy this crow bar...this Himalayan Salt Lamp which is also an air-purifier (huh?)...two of these Runny Nose Shower Gel Dispensers, one for your shower and another for the kids' … Continue reading I just spent 31 of your hard-earned dollars and you will thank me for it later
Come Inside: The LA Phil’s 2014 Throws A Giant Welcome Mat At Disney Hall’s Doorstep
In the LA Times this morning, LA Philharmonic president and CEO Deborah Borda said, “We've got the youngest audience in America, but it's got to get younger.” The LA Phil’s new 2014-15 season—just announced today—is a concerted and concrete effort to that end. Recently, the orchestra has conducted research that has shown that cultural consumers who have not purchased LA Phil … Continue reading Come Inside: The LA Phil’s 2014 Throws A Giant Welcome Mat At Disney Hall’s Doorstep
12 Pieces of Classical Christmas Music in Case You’re Sick of Mariah Carey
For what it's worth, I actually like that Mariah Carey Christmas song. I know I'll take some heat for that, but whatever, I don't really care. It's a well-crafted pop song (if that's possible), which doesn't sound dated (it's nearly 20 years old) like most pop music does after like two weeks. Side note: Mariah … Continue reading 12 Pieces of Classical Christmas Music in Case You’re Sick of Mariah Carey
Do Not Give a Dollar to the Opera: A Takedown
This week, Gawker--the website that has brought us such gems as "The Top Nine Videos Of Babies Farting And/Or Laughing With Kittens" and "I Can’t Stop Looking at This Weird Chinese Goat"--published an article with the headline "Do Not Give a Dollar to the Opera." I have copied and pasted the "meat" (read: three-day-old cafeteria … Continue reading Do Not Give a Dollar to the Opera: A Takedown
Dude Looks Like He Likes Pianists
For a violinist who wanted to be a trombone player, Gustavo Dudamel sure does love his superstar pianists. Awhile back, I crunched the numbers on the LA Philharmonic's 2013-14 season (in terms of musical eras represented). I didn't catch it at the time, but today while perusing the upcoming season once again, I kept running … Continue reading Dude Looks Like He Likes Pianists
7 Operas that Make the VMAs Seem Chaste
On Sunday evening, millions of Americans tuned in to the MTV Video Music Awards. They were treated to a show that included, among other things, Lady Gaga's butt and Miley Cyrus twerking on Beetlejuice. Freakout ensued. Then came this pseudo-defense of Miley. I was fortunate enough to miss the broadcast--I was at the Hollywood Bowl … Continue reading 7 Operas that Make the VMAs Seem Chaste
Yo-Yo Ma: “Part of creativity is accepting all the things we don’t know, because that’s when you start to explore.”
The Urban Dictionary definition is as follows: goat rodeo (noun): 1. A chaotic situation, often one that involves several people, each with a different agenda/vision/perception of what's going on. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s definition is a little bit different: “If there were forks in the road and each time there was a fork, the right decision … Continue reading Yo-Yo Ma: “Part of creativity is accepting all the things we don’t know, because that’s when you start to explore.”
About the other night…
This is not a review of Gustavo Dudamel and LA Phil's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl last Thursday night. Just a few thoughts about my experience: When the summer season was released, I was skeptical of hearing Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. When I arrived at the Bowl Thursday evening, I … Continue reading About the other night…
Brian Lauritzen 