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Motherless Child: A Book Review

By Brenda Tremblay ~ Posted Sat, 10/20/2012 - 9:04am

When Elizabeth Guaragna walks into a music agency and applies for a job, she’s stormed what she thinks is an enemy encampment. She accepts a position working closely for a man she’s been raised to despise, famed music impresario Alfred Rossiter, all the while barely understanding herself, her motives, or the reasons why she lies about her name and background.

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Tough times for our city's great orchestra

By Brenda Tremblay ~ Posted Sun, 09/30/2012 - 8:11pm

You’ve probably heard the news.  In a comprehensive front page story published in Sunday’s Democrat and Chronicle, Stuart Low reported the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra may be facing an operating shortfall in excess of $700,000.  

But it could be much worse. 

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Catching up with Cage

By Mona Seghatoleslami ~ Posted Wed, 09/05/2012 - 2:23pm

I couldn't resist posting just a few more John Cage links before this space gets back to being all-Copland all the time.

 

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A 4'33" Story - John Cage at 100

By Mona Seghatoleslami ~ Posted Tue, 09/04/2012 - 4:29pm

Music, what does it communicate?
Is what’s clear to me clear to you?
Is music just sounds?
Then what does it communicate?
Is a truck passing by music?
If I can see it, do I have to hear it too?
If I don’t hear it, does it still communicate?
If while I see it I can’t hear it, but hear something else, say an egg-beater, because I’m inside looking out, does the truck communicate or the egg-beater, which communicates?
Which is more musical, a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?


-John Cage, Silence 


Happy 100th, John Cage!  What if share my own favorite experience with John Cage and his infamous 4'33"?

 

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Joys of a new season

By Brenda Tremblay ~ Posted Sat, 08/25/2012 - 10:13am

I went to Wegmans the other day, and lo, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Have you seen the plastic bags of Halloween candy stacked up like sandbags? Thanksgiving decorations spilling out of displays?  Really?  So soon? 

Please, press the pause button.

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Copland Summer: Notes from the Road, Seeing Sound

By Mona Seghatoleslami ~ Posted Fri, 08/24/2012 - 10:34am

In which I go away, come back, explain little, and we all go off on a merry little tangent.
 

When I wasn't riding roller coasters, visiting museums, and otherwise touristing in Cleveland last week, I did get to enjoy some quality time reading about Copland. I even took notes:

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