Musical America Blogs

By Rebecca Schmid The New York-based composer Annie Gosfield is best known for her synthesis of industrial sounds and other unconventional sampling into rock-inflected, yet often intricately wrought, compositions. As a fellow at the American Academy in Berlin last semester, she researched encrypted radio broadcasts from World War Two—part of a long-standing fascination with archaic [...]

by Sedgwick Clark For a couple of years I’ve been putting off even mentioning some worthy books whose authors happen to be good friends. Perhaps I should have taken the old New Yorker answer to books by its contributors and simply listed them without comment. At this late date, I suggest you simply buy these [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein I recently attended an arts conference where there was a panel discussion on music contracts. An attorney said that artists don’t really need to read or review contracts because you can always declare them null and void later and get a new contract. Is this true? This is why 99% of [...]

By Rebecca Schmid In an age of pervasive digital technology and avatars, it was only a matter of time before virtual experience infiltrated the concert hall. No handmade reeds, no tailcoats. Instead, over 70 synthesized speakers encircling the audience. The Berlin-based ensemble phase7, for a new production of Morton Feldman’s opera Neither, has replaced the [...]

by Sedgwick Clark An Irresistible Concert   So soon after declaring my relief at being able to put my concert calendar on hold in the summer, Le Poisson Rouge presented a program too irresistible to miss, with three well-known chamber musicians at the top of their form: violinist Harumi Rhodes, cellist Caroline Stinson, and pianist Molly Morkoski in Ravel’s Sonate [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein Dear Brian: We are touring an orchestra in the United States next season and have been grappling with the idea of whether the staff from the concerts team need to have visas for this tour, regardless of whether they are employees or freelance (we’ve had different opinions expressed). In the past, [...]

By Rebecca Schmid Infektion!, the name of the Staatsoper’s annual Festival for New Music Theater could easily extend to describe the presence of John Cage in Germany this year. No other country outside the U.S. has planned as many events for his centenary of his birth, and Berlin is in some people’s minds already ‘Caged [...]

by Sedgwick Clark I am relieved to say that the concert “season,” such as it used to be, is officially over. Nothing like three mostly concertless months to revivify one’s passion for the art. There are a few scattered enticements here and there, as well as three Mostly Moz concerts on the horizon—a preconcert recital of works [...]

By Brian Taylor Goldstein Our stage manger slapped one of our actresses during a rehearsal. Are we liable? Anyone who understands the unique stresses and pressures of the performing arts should expect a certain degree of screaming, emotional meltdowns, tantrums, and other inappropriate behavior. Welcome to the theater. However, physical violence crosses the line and, [...]

By Rebecca Schmid A timpanist just tall enough to rumble his mallets over the kettle drums stares out from beneath his specs as Lars Vogt slides onto the bench for the opening chords of Grieg’s Piano Concerto. “I like that sound!” says Music Director Donato Cabrera to the young percussionist as he walks out into [...]