“One of my frustrations with what happens on the stage a lot of the time when working class people are put up there, it’s like poverty porn. They’re laughed at, or they’re the villains, or they’re ridiculous. I think the struggles folks are going through are really real. It affects you physically and emotionally.”
Tag: 01.28.16
José Limón Dance Foundation Appoints New Artistic Director
“Colin Connor, a former soloist with Limón Dance Company who went on to a career in choreography and education, … [and will be] the first male director since Limón himself, is to take the helm of the 70-year-old modern dance company on July 1, succeeding Carla Maxwell, who has held the position since 1978.”
Olafur Eliasson Will Be Next Contemporary Artist At Versailles Palace
He’ll be following the very controversial installation last summer by Anish Kapoor, about which Eliasson said, “France has always been incredibly strong on the issue of freedom of expression. Culture is its cornerstone. The controversy surrounding Kapoor should not be given disproportionate importance.”
Contemporary “Classical” Music Inaccessible? Perhaps These Are The Issues?
“It is a little disheartening that everybody, including “classical” musicians, has the need to grasp for terms like “classical,” “concert,” or worse, “art” music. Is there not a tacit air of aristocracy or bourgeoisie to the concert-going community? I know that what I do and with whom I do it are privileges, but our products ought to be more publicly digestible.”
Taking Literature To The Streets In 2016 (Bookmobiles Are *So* 20th-Century)
We know about the poetry on subway ads and the short story vending machines. But now there’s poetry and prose on coffee-cup sleeves, poets in public spaces writing on-demand verse for $5, and classic novels that double as 10-ride transit passes.
The Most Prolific Session Drummer Prepares For His Solo Career
“Back when he recorded his first tracks, studio musicians weren’t appreciated or even known by name outside the record industry. But Purdie was one of the foremost sidemen to advocate for his own visibility, and few others had his charisma or cockiness. Everywhere he goes, Purdie is called upon to play his defining creation, the Purdie Shuffle, a notoriously complex four-limb beat that he invented (and quickly named after himself) in his salad days.”
We Want To Believe We’re ‘Natural,’ But All Humans Eat Seriously Artificial Food Every Day
“Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables in winter eliminated the scurvy that had plagued the northern United States. Iodized salt did away with the goiter belt of the Midwest. More nutritious, safer food contributed to a taller population that lived longer. Life expectancy increased from under 50 years in 1900 to around 75 at the end of the 20th century.”
Why Isn’t Jazz More Popular? Could It Be The Jazz Police?
“The notion that jazz is or isn’t is actually antithetical to the spirit of this music and all of the artists who have pushed its boundaries. Trying to make this music fit into a neat little box just can’t happen. And that’s tough for some people. We crave definitions for our art, and when we can’t describe or compare it, many get frustrated. Hence, the Jazz Police.”
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra To Tour All 28 EU Member States
“In each country, the Concertgebouw will perform one opening work side by side with a local youth orchestra, and members will give masterclasses and tuition to young musicians. Daniele Gatti will conduct the first concerts of the tour.”
I’m Female, Gay And Older, And You Want To Kick Me Out Of Oscar Voting?
“I happen to be female and I’m also gay, another underrepresented minority, and yet, because I haven’t been hired on a film in the last 10 years, I am to be booted into the “emeritus” status and replaced by younger members who are being asked to join in order to help you deal with a publicity nightmare.”