[A continuation of the first chapter in Teresina’s book called “Ride 4 Your Life.”]
After my knee became stronger, I got cocky and bored (a very dangerous combination). Between swimming, the clothes changing, chlorine hair, and having to go to the gym, it was just too much to do everyday. And I also wanted to sweat. […]
The death of the CD continues. Now, the LA Times just announced that my hometown orchestra will begin selling it’s concerts as downloads. I’m thrilled. I’m sad for Virgin and Tower and all the rest, but times are changing and I’m ready. How about you?
Now that I’ve finished my Rufus seminar, I must confess: over the last 4 months I fell out of love with Rufus.
When I get to know the music of a particular composer or songwriter, I read everything I can about them, I listen to EVERYTHING they have done, I become completely obsessed. This fanaticism pays […]
I know, I know, it’s a sad moment: the Rufus seminar is over. We had our last class of the quarter. (We are on quarters at UCLA, which means 10 weeks: the first class was an introduction.)Today the class was “teacher’s choice” meaning I brought in my iPod and played my favorite songs outside the […]
Me either…
Our final discussion session had two songs on the agenda: “Damned Ladies,” and “Oh What a World.”
I started the class by playing Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero.” “Bolero” is quoted toward the end of “Oh What a World.” I explained how the piece works, and identified the overall shape. I speculated that the opening tune “men reading […]
One of the great percs of being an academic, is having a sabbatical. In the University of California system, a Senate member is eligible for a sabbatical after teaching 9 terms at full salary.
So, beginning the Ides of March, I will be on sabbatical from teaching at UCLA for six months. I can’t wait. I […]
From a postcard.
Having trouble coming up with a design for your thank you postcards? I have just the thing:
One of my favorite composers is Maurice Ravel He is buried in Levallois Perret (West part of Paris, France) and his coffin is stacked (somehow) upon the rest of his family. I made a rubbing of the entire tombstone and cut out his name, leaving:
This just in from Daniel Shiplacoff.
Omigod. Blooks.
A book serialized on a blog. Well, I seem to be doing that with my Rufus book already. And Teresina’s book on health is a regular. And curiouser and curiouser. And….
The History of Blooks by Tony Pierce
I discovered basichip.com and his/her amazing musical offerings and found one Kenyon Hopkins an interesting and unknown composer from the 1950s and 60s. He was trained as a composer at Oberlin, was a son of a miinister (as I am), worked with Andre Kostelanetz, and was the chief composer and arranger for Radio City Music […]
Last night (3.10.2006) Juliana Gondek and Neal Stulberg premiered three of my transcriptions of Rufus Wainwright songs: “Damned Ladies,” “In a Graveyard,” and “Memphis Skyline.” Many were hearing Rufus for the first time and spoke highly of the songs: “now I understand why you are so obsessed!”
Several people said “I just can’t take hearing those […]
(A serial publication of the book, Ride 4 Your Life! on health and fitness by Teresina.)
I moved to NYC to make my way to the great stage. I danced, joined a gym and exercised hard. Aerobics was the craze and I was hooked. I loved the high, I loved the sweat, and I loved […]
Whistling Records devotes itself to making recordings of famous whistlers, many of which are out of print. Visit their website if you need more whistling in your life.
If you’d like to learn how to whistle, why not learn from a master. Max Gilstrap was once a ranger in Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks and […]
Is Shaun White, the 19 year old Olympic Gold Medalist in snowboarding, the new image of an American male? Hmm, let me think. Well, maybe Shaun can teach us that you can be a jock, a character, in shape, and win a gold medal without having 6-pack abs. So skinny nerd is back? I guess […]
Alex Ross found a little animation you cat lovers must see.
Image taken from “You Got Me Up” by Jaimie Lidell
Last night Mark Carlson invited me to join him seeing Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” at the Ahmanson Theatre (Los Angeles). [ synopsis ] I now know that there is a DVD available of this, and the work has toured internationally since 1997.
“Wild Swans” (photo by Dee Conway)
We sat in the first balcony above the stage. […]
(This is a rough draft of a chapter I’m working on for my book. Feel free to make ANY comments or suggestions. I’ve left out footnotes and citations. If anyone knows the photographer of the picture below, please contact me.)
“My voice is somewhat ravenous and tends to require blood in order to survive, so I […]
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