Full Transcript of my TEDx Talk My recent TEDx Talk has been viewed by thousands of people in a very short time. This leads me to believe that its message has struck a chord amongst people interested in finding new approaches to peace in our conflicted world. I hope you find inspiration in reading this transcript
My First Tedx Talk! Reflections on a unique experience. So, I gave a TEDx Talk! It's not something I ever thought I would do, nor something I ever tried to get myself into. Luckily, the organizers of TEDxWrigleyville in Chicago, the extraordinary Shermin Kruse and Ghazal Banisadr, worked hard to convince me to accept their invitation this
It's a hot year for democracy As an artist, a musician, a cultural activist, I probably should not engage in political expressions. But with all that is going on, I thought I would wade into these waters, at least in some philosophical, general terms. Music is for everyone, regardless of the way they think, and I
5 Years Later: Reflections on the Notre-Dame Fire & Reconstruction Five years ago, on Monday April 15th, the Paris Cathedral of Notre-Dame was nearly burnt to the ground by a massive fire that started in its wood-beam filled roof, which was at that time undergoing a renovation. I was a shocked witness to this devastating catastrophe, and wrote an article
300 Years of Bach's Passion I am beginning to explore an idea that has been on my mind for some time now, which is to highlight some of the great masterworks I love from across the classical music universe. There is never going to be a definitive list, of course, but I will try to
The Art of Interpretation: Introduction In 2024 I am launching a series of articles and videos on the art of interpretation and the art of listening. It is for the benefit of all: musicians of course, but also listeners. Classical music will be the core field of exploration, but lessons will be applicable to music
classicalmusic Featured My Diabelli Album CD release The Diabelli Album in the light of day (literally)! And some thoughts on the Compact Disc, 40 years after it started being commercialized. It took a long time, but my recording of Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, Opus 120, is finally out!
debussy Featured Clair de lune "nightcore" fun for Debussy's birthday August 22nd is always meaningful to me as Claude Debussy's birthday. He would have been 161 years old on this one and while he is long gone (105 years), so much of his music is timeless and still so fresh and modern.
classicalmusic Featured Re: Cancel my season subscription! There are plenty of art forms where women have thrived and have their place. But classical music is supposed to be man’s creative refuge. We all know that women don’t write music that is nearly as good as that of men. This is not a debate, as everyone knows it even if they won't admit it.
My 2023 Birthday Worldview Birthdays are always good opportunities to rise above the fray of our lives and take a larger look at what is happening all around us. It’s a good time to remember what is important to us, and what we are trying to do with our lives. June 6 is
Dutilleux Dutilleux, Ten Years Later May 22, 2023 marks the ten year anniversary of the death of the major French composer Henri Dutilleux, who died at age 97 in 2013.
Featured Hélène de Montgeroult Of course you have heard this name before. You know this name by heart, and you know how famous this woman was in her time.
ukraine The New Ukraine A New Ukraine will be born of this moment, which will be a country speaking mostly Ukrainian, creating a new culture representative of this new national unity.
A Portrait of Beethoven at 13 Or the Mysterious Appearance of the Child Beethoven in 1952 When you look up Beethoven on the Internet, you usually see, pretty quickly, a portrait of the composer as a child. We take it at face value, and assume that this is verified historical information. In fact, Beethoven's
The Shoebox Files Or the story of my much-delayed "debut" album <> I am extremely excited to announce the release of my debut album, the complete Préludes for piano by Claude Debussy, on Orchid Classics, Friday, October 21, 2022! It has been a long time coming. The labyrinthine story of
ukraine Featured Exploring Ukraine’s Culture of Classical Music Vladimir Putin and his supporters are engaged in a war to erase Ukraine and Ukrainian culture from history. Here, I dig into what exactly is Ukrainian culture by looking at its classical music history.
Bach, always. But what about Couperin? An inquiry into the ills of incomplete narratives in classical music - J.S. Bach (1685-1750) is widely considered to have been the greatest musician to ever live. While it is true that Bach was a unique composer of extreme genius, whom I love deeply and whose music I play
Getting Started Featured My New (virtual) Creative Space I am excited to introduce you to "Musical Wanderings", my new (virtual) creative space and newsletter. Its purpose is to function as a studio, a stage and a communications platform for all my work...
