Musical America Blogs

By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. One of the questions I am asked most frequently when I meet with students at music schools and conservatories is: How important is it to have a website? I increasingly tell them that it is very important. The challenge for a musician who is still [...]

By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. For those who live along the eastern seaboard of the United States, this past week was filled with overwhelming challenges, including displacement from homes, freezing temperatures,  loss of electrical power, extensive property damage and financial loss. Many of us have read about the telethon organized [...]

By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. On Monday, October 15, while reading the Arts section of The New York Times, I was struck by the fact that more than half of one page was taken up by two reviews of concerts that had very small audiences and that were performed by [...]

By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. I was recently honored to be asked to participate on a panel at the annual Astral Artists auditions, during which I listened to a substantial number of pianists and wind players. While all were on a rather high level, I was struck by the relatively [...]

By: Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. A few nights ago, I attended a musical evening of sorts—not at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center but at Carolines Comedy Club in New York City. Intrigued by the advertisements I heard on radio station WQXR for its Classical Comedy Contest, I bought two tickets, [...]

By Edna Landau To ask a question, please write Ask Edna. This week, I am deviating slightly from my usual format and answering the one question I have been asked repeatedly throughout my career: How can you tell if someone has the potential to be great? Although there is no response that fits all situations, [...]