Musings

The best ones are from oil country Pennsylvania where they still fry them in beef tallow.

No, this does not mean the musicians will be dressed in 18th century costumes.

Have you ever done something that screwed over your boss but was to your benefit?

I once heard that the reason god destroyed the Tower of Babel was because he understood that working towards a goal is what makes us human.

Nowadays, I fantasize about going into marine biology, for the sole reason that I want to play with the otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

It isn’t every day you can watch someone you know in the last rounds of a major international competition.

Like a food you found gross as a kid but now eat with gusto, sometimes one can still “get” why some music seemed radical in its day, even as it has now become mainstream

Before we look ahead, let's take a look back at last summer with clarinet quintets and new works with jazz soprano

Playlist from lecture "Dreams and Prayers: Golijov's Millenia-Spanning Quintet"

I have fresh parts in front of me of the commissioned work "Beat Chick: Tunes for Hettie Jones" for string quartet, jazz vocalist, and digital beats.

The last time we did clarinet quintets there wasn’t time to also prepare the Golijov; this summer we get to do it twice.

Musicians spend a lot of time on the road burning calories while sawing away on our instruments. After rehearsal we always want to eat…but what?

Jane's paintings and drawings show a hand that is uniquely her own

A classically-trained soprano who can also mix it up with the best in jazz and R&B? A potent combination, indeed.

As a kid, I resisted practicing and struggled with proper technique.

"So I wrote it in one morning, I think, really in a rush, as a little encore so the two musicians could play something together. "

Classical musicians don’t do “jam” for a reason, if by that you mean sitting down and improvising.

Merriam-Webster: "Cabaret: a restaurant serving liquor and providing entertainment"

Newburyport lacks a town song. As a coastal seaport, its nautical heritage suggests a watery musical motto might be in order.

Mozart's quintet for violin, bamboo flute, erhu, accordion, and glockenspiel?

NCMF would not exist without the hard work the board does all year round. Please welcome Christopher Kalisch.

Like the big, messy, and complicated country it springs from, American music has a big, messy, and complicated history.

What a way to start the year: the largest audience we’ve ever had for a spring concert - not including the bat that strafed the audience.

We have it on record that Beethoven's favorite meal was macaroni and cheese.

What’s all the fuss about? Don’t take my word for it: here is a live performance you can see.