I went to two graduations this year: the Lavender Graduation — for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and friends of, and the School of Arts and Architecture. The first was a two and a half hour ceremony — much elation, hugging, description of donors, staff founders, and faculty and all for maybe 30 students. This was […]
Timothy Mangan writes in his Orange County Register classical music blog about music critics’ need to prove themselves through their rankings or face losing their jobs, or abandon any hopes of security of employment. He encourages us to subscribe to our local music critics’s blogs, read them, click all the links, and leave comments. His […]
I must confess that I hear an enormous sucking sound the closer I get to July 1, 2007–the day I become the new Chairman (Chair is the non-sexist version) of the UCLA Music Department. I know that scientists do blood tests on people like me and find that the testosterone levels are rising as […]
My old sometimes friend Michael Tilson Thomas, has turned into a little old Professor in addition to his role as Music Director for the (lucky) San Francisco Symphony. He has taken on a unique way of educating listeners that Robert Winter and Russell Steinberg utilized some years back with CD-ROMS, but now on the internet.
I […]
Here is a striking pairing: Maurice Béjart choreographs Anton Webern’s “Five Movements for String Quartet” (Op.5) for dancers Loipa Araujo and Jorge Esquivel. The music is played on a scratchy phonograph player.
One of the unique musical legends of the 20th century: Sun Ra.
“I only listen to praise music. I feel most in touch with God when I listen to it. My body and soul feel exhiliarated…”
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“I only listen to music on the radio–whatever is on the radio. I mean, do you wanna know what station I listen to? Oh. Well, it’s kinda indies meets oldies.”
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“I don’t like […]
Today is Gay Pride Day in West Hollywood. We haven’t gone in years, not that we aren’t proud, it’s just, well, we don’t go any more.
Last night before I heard the premiere of Paul Chihara’s terrific new choral work, MAGNIFICAT, I went to Basix, a mostly gay and lesbian restaurant by myself. I got to […]
As if I didn’t need anything else to do, I have quite a bit of music to write this summer. Presently I’m working on POSSUM DEATH SPREE 2 for Atomfilms, soon to be followed by POSSUM DEATH SPREE 3. Five minutes each with music done on my computer, sounding like an orchestra. By the way, […]
The amount of music an educated musician these days “should” know has become rather staggering. That being said, it is shocking how little music literature young music students know these days. It is far more likely that they will know Danny Elfman, James Horner or John Williams film scores before they know a Beethoven, Mozart, […]
Yes, my spell check freaks out when I type “messenging.” [No wonder, it’s messaging silly. I created a verb out of Instant Messenger, and what the messenges sent were messenges. Duh…]
I celebrate instant messaging. My parents are always on IM, as are 10 other of my good friends at any one time. It doesn’t mean […]
Here is a lip sync performance of The Byrds singing their UFO hymn, “Mr Spaceman” on The Smothers Brothers show, and judging by the way the band looks, it’s 1967–the year of their NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS where David Crosby had been kicked out of the band. (Funny. It is indeed David’s high harmonies on the […]
UCLA School of the Arts Dean Christopher Waterman will be recommending to Executive Vice Chancellor Scott Waugh that Professor Roger Bourland be appointed as Chair of the UCLA Department of Music effective July 1, 2007.
That would be me.
So assuming there are no skeletons I’ve left dangling in some closet around campus, my life is about […]
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