Lincoln Center: Then and Now
Saturday, May 9th, 2009Whatever one’s take on the Lincoln Center at its 50-year milestone, the institution is certainly doing its part to stimulate the sagging economy. At a time of severe recession, when arts organizations everywhere are cutting back and even going under, Lincoln Center remains committed to its nearly $1 billion renovation project. Arts lovers in New York should be gratified to see the scaffolding and walled-off excavation sites in the plaza. Having long ago chosen the all-together-now approach to creating an performing arts complex, Lincoln Center is determined to make the best of it.
(via NYTimes)
My Dear Disco: Dancethink LP
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009One of my favorite things to do is to share my favorite music artists with friends. It’s a surprisingly insightful way to learn about other people through their musical tastes. Services like Last.fm have transformed the way we share music, especially with their musical compatibility score, but you can’t replace the tangible feeling of experiencing music with friends.
My Dear Disco is a band with a unique, lasting effect. Although they fuse eclectic musical elements from electronica, pop, and techno, their music is neither overproduced nor trite. Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, My Dear Disco is a seven-piece ensemble with members named Play, Stop, Eject, Rewind, Fast-Forward, Pause, and Record.
YouTube Symphony Orchestra
Thursday, April 16th, 2009I’m disappointed I wasn’t able to go see this in person, but the YouTube video will have to suffice. The embedded video is Part 1 of the performance.
The YouTube Symphony Orchestra is an innovative collaboration of amateur and professional musicians, who auditioned to be in the orchestra, and renowned musicians such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Lang Lang, Gil Shaham, Yo-Yo Ma, Tan Dun, and Yuja Wang. The collaboration culminated in a concert at Carnegie Hall on April 15.
There is an early review by ConcertoNet here. Also, the NYTimes critic Anthony Tommasini didn’t like the performance because it was not substantive enough and too gimmicky, but he did credit the innovative idea.
“How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?”
“Upload, Upload, Upload!”
Heima – Sigur Rós Documentary
Monday, March 23rd, 2009Beautiful documentary of Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. via Google Video
