New Hebrew setting of Ps. 121

Earlier this year, Pete Eklund told me that he was planning to do a concert of different settings of Ps. 121 starting with the now Grammy nominated version by Jake Runestad. Pete asked for a setting in Hebrew that was pretty, accessible, and written for men’s...

Miley Cyrus v. Schubert grudge match

Each year, I do a little project with my budding young theorists to introduce them to music aesthetics and get them thinking about the important questions. We analyze a piece by Schubert or Brahms and then something by Gershwin or Cole Porter and then a popular song....

The luxury of music

Yesterday, I had the day off from teaching. I got to spend some time practicing, and I also treated myself to an organ lesson from Chris Marks. (Go to his website! Get him to come play a concert at your place. Buy his CDs.) I’ve been working on the BWV 544 for a...

Some mixed feelings

This week, the publisher that first published my work and with whom I have had a relationship for about 15 years sold their business to a different publishing firm.  Walton Music was purchased by GIA. Everyone was speculating that Hal Leonard would have purchased...