Writers are so often responding to questions that haven’t explicitly been asked, which perhaps is why our work is so difficult to measure and reward. The system in which we must live says to us, “What are you even for?”
Tag: 01.17.18
Pop Culture Has Been Painting Harassment And Predatory Behavior As Romantic For A Long Time
As one male character in Gossip Girl sais in a wedding toast, “In the face of true love you don’t just give up, even if the object of your affection is begging you to.” Julie Beck lays out some of the owrrying examples, from “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” to “Blurred Lines” and from Say Anything to Twilight to Grey’s Anatomy.
‘The Boy Factor’ – Do Young Men Get An Unfair Advantage In Dance Competitions?
It sure seems that way, various teachers and judges tell Sarah Nagle. Why? Basically, the law of supply and demand.
Windfall Or White Elephant? Great American Songbook Foundation Gets A Huge Donation It May Not Be Able To Afford
“The Great American Songbook Foundation is around 10 years old and has an annual budget of less than $1 million, so accepting the donation of the $30 million Asherwood Estate is … well, complicated.” The gift isn’t cash: it’s an actual estate with mansion, pool and golf course – and there are restrictive covenants attached to the property that will complicate a sale.
‘The Awl’ Is Shutting Down
The webzine founded by Choire Sicha, Alex Balk, and David Cho in 2009 was eclectic and quirky: “On any given day, The Awl might play host to a story about colloidal silver, a guide to killing possums before they kill your chickens, or a novella-length examination of the TV show Adventure Time; there might be Q&As with salesmen of high-end vacuum cleaners, or a dive into McDonald’s marketing of its McRib sandwich.” As it and its sister site The Hairpin close due to insufficient ad revenue, former contributor Bijan Stephen pays tribute.
Anshel Brusilow, Former Conductor Of Dallas Symphony, Dead At 89
“[He] served as music director and executive director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in the early 1970s, and subsequently headed orchestra programs at the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University.” Earlier in his career, he was concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy and assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell.
Israel Philharmonic Chooses Successor To Zubin Mehta
Lahav Shani, a 29-year-old conductor and pianist from Tel Aviv who first performed with the IPO at age 16, will become music director in 2020. Mehta, who joined the orchestra in 1969 and became its Music Director for Life in 1981, announced just over a year ago that he would step down in 2019.
Of The Ten Bestselling Literary Novelists In The UK In 2017, Nine Were Women
Leading the list is Margaret Atwood, thanks to the TV versions of The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace. Runners-up are Sarah Perry and Helen Dunmore; Elena Ferrante came in at number five, followed by the only man in the top ten, Haruki Murakami.
Top Posts From AJBlogs 01.17.18
Recent Listening: Young/Promane Octet
Dave Young / Terry Promane Octet Volume 2 (MAPL) … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2018-01-17
Study: Hormones Influence The Kind Of Music We Like
“A first-of-its-kind study from Japan reports men with higher testosterone levels are less likely to enjoy sophisticated music, such as classical, jazz, and avant-garde. Its findings raise the intriguing possibility that musical taste may be significantly influenced by our hormones.”