listen better

From Anhedonia to Bliss

Anhedonia – now there’s a word for you. Did I hear you say it’s not one you use frequently? Neither do I. But it’s an important one. Anhedonia (notice the…

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An Afternoon with The Discovery Orchestra

Last season’s Discover Dueling Pianists was so well received that there was no question among our staff that we would repeat this event in 2016-17. What was especially gratifying this…

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Mr. Rose’s Question – Not To Be Confused With Mr. Holland’s Opus

Last March I blogged about a Charlie Rose interview with outgoing New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert. Below is the question posed to Maestro Gilbert that really captured my…

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“Chanticleer-ed’

It’s the only way I can describe it. . .’Chanticleer-ed.’ It happened to me earlier this month when I had the privilege of attending ‘A Chanticleer Christmas’ presented at St….

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I’m as mad as Hell. . .

I’m not actually “mad as Hell” – although, who among us who saw the 1976 film Network can ever forget the incredible scene in which we are urged by fictional…

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Mickey Mouse Projection behind Orchestra performing Mozart

Mickey Mouse & Mozart

. . .one of my longer rants. Professional symphony orchestras in the United States face an annual challenge that we refer to in jest, belying the utter seriousness of the…

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This has been an incredible series. I could take in SO much more than I could at the beginning ones. You have really trained my ears!!! I have been enjoying classical music for more than 60 years (as a child my parents played classical music at dinner and we guessed the composer) but I NEVER knew how to listen before!

— Attendee of NJPAC Classical Conversations with Maestro Maull