The Friday Informer: Getting Inside Their Hearts, Heads, and…Houses
- Perhaps no longer getting a kick out of his death grip on the pop music market, Clear Channel Founder Billy Joe McCombs has ventured into the concert hall. McCombs agreed to narrate Symphony No. 4, “American Visionary,” by Dan Welcher (commissioned for the U of T Wind Ensemble) after Robert Freeman, dean of the College of Fine Arts, let the businessman choose the theme of the symphony himself. “The symphony ‘doesn’t compare at the moment with roping goats,’ [McCombs] said, ‘but it was fun.'” Shudder. [Chronicle of Higher Education]
- It’s MTV Cribs—New Music Style! Daniel Bernard Roumain invites the Village Voice up to his Harlem Brownstone studio. Also, keep an eye on the Sunday NYTimes for a peek at the piano that won composer Lisa Bielawa’s heart and immediately asked her to move in.
- Note to self: “Explode stereo mix into quad and layer canonically. Manipulate pacing with some secret splices.” O.K., that’s actually Dan Visconti’s note, as he’s blogging his way through his Kronos Under 30 commission.
- Conductor Simone Young follows up her landmark Vienna Phil appearance with similar woman-on-podium stunt in Berlin. Berliners offer three ovations and Germany reports sky still not falling.
- Tired of fumbling when people ask what sort of music you like? Try wiz-kid Jason Freeman’s sonic solution: the iTunes Signature Maker (a commission from Rhizome). Here’s mine.