Barack Obama- Classical Music Lover / Extraordinaire

Ok, I am going to say it loud and proud. I VOTED FOR OBAMA! I have a number of reasons why I supported his campaign and most of which I will not share with you, but on the subject of the Arts, Arts in Education, and Music advocacy I am extremely outspoken!! I think this President and his administration is going to do great things for the Arts and below is just and example… just the start if you will. No matter what your political affiliations are, I think we can all agree that this will be a very cool musical collaboration…

If you read Variety (like I do- daily) you may or may have not seen this story, but at next week's Inauguration, in the main entertainment slot, our incoming president is featuring the music of none other than John Williams! Performed by a quartet made up of Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Anthony McGill (a clarinetist from the Met), and Gabriela Montero (a Venezuelan pianist). The music to be performed will be a new setting and Williams-esque take on Simple Gifts, the same music used thematically throughout Appalachian Spring, written by Aaron Copland (one of Obama's favorite composers).

This is important to me for a few reasons.

1. This administration IS going to support the Arts! Many other presidents have had Classical music performed at their inauguration, but to my recollection, none have ever commissioned a new work for the occasion.
2. Aaron Copland and John Williams happen to be two of my Top 5 American composers. This has little relevance on you, the reader, but warms my heart.
3. As stated in the article, Copland's work was supposed to be performed at another Presidential Inauguration. Dwight D Eisenhower was set to have "Lincoln Portrait" performed at his inauguration, but the performance was cancelled at the last minute as Copland was accused of being a communist by Senator Joe McCarthy. Finally Copland will get his just spotlight at these festivities. Even if it is only a piece paying tribute to him, I think it is a fitting tribute and an important moment for American Classical music.

 

On a side note, Lincoln Portrait is set to be released on Naxos Records twice in the next 6 months. Once in It's original Orchestral Form performed by the Nashville Symphony under the baton of Leonard Slatkin (released in February 2009 Naxos 8.559373-74) and again as part of my Naxos Wind Band Classics series in it's Concert Band setting performed by the fine University of Missouri Wind Ensemble conducted by Dr. Tom O'Neal and Narrated by Alvin Chea of "Take 6" fame (released in May 2009 Naxos Wind Band Classics 8.572108)

Microsoft is musically Inept

I really hate Microsoft.

Just when I was beginning to embrace my PC, they go and screw everything up by trying to get into the music game. They are making their fore' into the music "production" arena with "Microsoft Songsmith" . This flaming piece of crap actually writes your backup music for you after hearing the melody sung through a microphone. Consider it a "Speak & Spell" for music. What's worse, the musical accompaniment is terrible…just terrible ( It almost reminds me of the crappy old Casio demo song Wesley Willis used to back up all of his music) .

 

I am really glad Bill Gates is doing what he can to de-evolve our musical enlightenment. When will they learn? Windows Media Player, the Zune and now this… I really wish they would have stopped at Excel and Microsoft Word.

 

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Musicbox- Phenomenal… just awesome

Anyone with any interest in digital media, music, new technology, or ears and a brain need to check this out. This is the thesis of a MIT grad student mapping music using it's metadata. All the info is there… it amazes me that just now we are finally doing something cool with it.

In all fairness, I didn't discover this on my own… I learned about this at Techcrunch. This is really cool and someone with a TON of startup capitol ought to be able to do something with this technology. [read: I met the creator of the "music genome project" several years ago and doubted it's application. Still kicking myself for that..] This is very cool!

 

Demo Video is here

 

I Buy CDS!

Yes I said it! I said it and I mean it. I buy CDs. I love CDs in fact. To my knowledge, I have nearly 1000 of the beautiful discs. I generally keep the cases for a while, but always end up placing the CDs in one of my 10 or so Case Logic books. Why do I do this in this digital age we live in? Why do I continue to adhere to my archaic tendencies you ask?

 

Bucking Trends!

 

I do this for one reason and one reason alone. I do not want CDs to go away. I still rip everything I buy and believe me, it ends up in Itunes and gracing my Ipod's numerous playlists… but I get something extra for my 10 dollars. I have a pretty shiny piece of plastic to hold onto and I have helped keep my industry afloat (if only for one more minute). Naysayers may indicate that my purchase of that CD did not have any effect, and only further prolonged our slow slip into all things digital (these are the same people who say voting doesn't count because even though you and your best friends all voted for Obama, you live in a red state and the electoral college will make your vote meaningless). But I don't care! This is how I roll. I buy CDs and you should too!

 

PS: The new Killers CD is PHENOMENAL… go get it today!