“Of course British audiences are different from Americans: they listen. You have many centuries of being interested in the language. That’s true, and not as true as the United States. And when you care about the language like I do, it’s so much more gratifying.” (includes buried lede)
Tag: 03.14.16
The Many Problems Holding The Organ Back
“Composers are afraid of it; it’s really complex, and each instrument is so different. when you go to play a concert, you can’t just go the night before or day of, like a singer or a pianist. And most conductors haven’t been trained to deal with it regularly; it’s different and strange, almost like bringing in another orchestra.”
Arts Leadership? We Need A Broader Definition
“Members of younger generations often see leadership as the fostering of a culture of connectedness, collaboration, and change—they believe leadership is rooted in the efforts of many. This view is in contrast to the more traditional, hierarchical structures and practices of many arts organizations and funders.”
Jeffrey Deitch Returns To Soho
“Jeffrey Deitch will take back the cavernous primo real estate at 18 Wooster Street that housed Deitch Projects during its glory days—which means it current occupant, Swiss Institute, will be looking for a new space.”
When The Artist Is A Friend Can A Critic Be Objective?
“I’m interested in a fundamental question that is at the heart of so much criticism: Does affection improve our judgment by making us receptive to ever finer nuances, or does it weaken our critical faculties and cloud our objectivity?”
Stop Calling The MacArthur Fellowships ‘Genius Grants’
Joan Acocella: “Why that term? Well: vulgarity, addiction to hot air, and brain poisoning in consequence of exposure to advertising.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 03.14.16
Worstward Ho! Is That How You Spell F-A-I-L-U-R-E?
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” —Samuel Beckett (Worstward Ho) The above quote from Beckett’s penultimate novella has become a popular battle cry of enlightened arts leaders. … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-03-14
Lessons from Failure
Failure is one of our key opportunities to learn from experience. In many respects, we learn more from our failures, those efforts that did not work, than we do from … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-03-14
“Unfinished” Business: Reflections As the Met Breuer Opens to Public
In my experience, whenever a critic writes a review, some observations have to be left out. There’s no room; they don’t fit thematically without great, leaping transitions, or some other reason intrudes. … read more
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts Published 2016-03-14
No more pocket versions of To Kill A Mockingbird
The estate of Harper Lee has decided to end its relationship with Hachette publishers, which was licensed through HarperCollins to produce a mass-market paperback edition of To Kill A Mockingbird. HarperCollins will continue to produce … read more
AJBlog: For What It’s Worth Published 2016-03-14
All in the acting
You might think someone who had spent a hefty proportion of their evenings in the theatre, at the movies, in front of TV dramas or news broadcasts of politicians might have a few ideas … read more
AJBlog: Performance Monkey Published 2016-03-14
Quincy Jones’s Birthday
Quincy Jones turns 83 today. His story has had many chapters since his early days in Seattle and his apprenticeship in Lionel Hampton’s trumpet section. Jones went on to lead an important big band, score … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2016-03-14
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Top Ten Tips To Writing Like Shakespeare In This Anniversary Year
“Shakespeare introduced all sorts of problems to his characters, from falling in love with a man with a donkey’s head, to separating identical twins at birth, to meeting three witches on a moor.”
Amid Massive, Nationwide Protests, Brazil’s Artists Blindfold Statues
“Statues of former leaders, writers and even international figures have had red blindfolds placed around their faces. It is the work of a Brazilian artist, who asked to remain anonymous and who described the effort as a silent protest.”
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Pioneering Composer Of The Avant Garde, Dies At 81
“Famous for pushing boundaries, Sir Peter’s earlier works have been described as unplayable, generating controversy among audiences and critics alike. … But he made it his mission to connect with as many audiences as possible over his career, writing pieces for children, theatre and string quartet.”