Archives for May 2010

iTunes = Cool. This is a Known Thing. Even the classical section is cool (can you imagine??) which is why I was surprised by the homepage yesterday and today:The first album-ish thing featured is the Leif Ove Andsnes ((swoon)) Live from the Upper Westside Apple Store concert, but the second album featured is this gem: "Homework Hits Vol. 1: The Classical Study Hall"??? Reader's Digest? I'm not entirely sure I even remember what Reader's Digest is. So not only is iTunes promoting (1) something called "Homework Hits" and (2) something by Reader's … [Read more...]

Has everyone seen the British Petroleum "PR" Twitter feed?A lot of people are asking if we could have prevented this mess. Honestly, we have no clue. Our hindsight is 20/80. #bpcares about 13 hours ago via webA bird just stole my sandwich! You deserve everything you get, nature!!! #bpcares about 23 hours ago via TwitterrificEating at a very expensive restaurant and spilled salad dressing on my pants. Not sure how to tackle this. 3:55 PM May 25th via web Please help us with rebranding. We're not calling it an "oil spill" anymore, … [Read more...]

Courtesy of my friend Megan, a live-music map of NYC: … [Read more...]

I've been steadfastly avoiding The Internet for two days, since I'm waiting for my sister to come home from her trip so we can watch the Lost finale together tonight. I even changed my Firefox homepage from Google News to Life's a Pitch on Sunday, since this is the only site I can guarantee will not have Lost spoilers on it. My antics are, as usual, ridiculous, but after...I don't even want to think about how many...hours of my relatively short life have been spent watching this television show, I will not have @JoeSchmoTweeter65 or Tumblr XY … [Read more...]

...we're talking about Sir Georg Solti on Letterman. We're also talking about WQXR (#($)!_@!), Daniel Barenboim, Alan Gilbert, Riccardo Muti, and the origins of the word "Philharmonic." And then we're talking about Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, discussions about the Philharmonic moving to Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Hall's RESTORATION, the Philharmonic's PROGRAMMING, young artists' careers...it just goes on and on. And on. If I wasn't currently on hold with The Death Trap That Is Verizon about my non-existent voicemail for going … [Read more...]

Doesn't this just sound charmingly bucolic? Yes, Lincoln Center, I will indeed come by for some gelato and l-e-m-o-n-a-d-e tomorrow. I have the perfect Dartmouth sweatshirt blanket for the occasion. Start Summer Early at Lincoln Center Join us this Friday from 12:00 to 3:00 as Lincoln Center gets a head start on summer with a free party for the community celebrating the opening of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Lawn. Come mingle, have a picnic, check out what's new about the Lincoln Center campus, and enjoy a beautiful day. We'll have... * … [Read more...]

My blog-league Judith Dobrzynski over at Real Clear Arts sent this my way earlier today. I'll be going, namely because it occurred to me that I've never seen/heard an orchestra musician--man or woman--speak publicly about his or her career. Strange, yes? The panel is at the Brooklyn Museum on June 13th, and is free with museum admission. Brooklyn Museum's Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art Presents Panel Discussion on Pioneering Female Classical Musicians Panelists Include Orin O'Brien, the First Woman Appointed to a Position in a … [Read more...]

I've always thought that classical music celebrities, Bring Your Own Air Quotes, occupied a kind of fame ideal: famous enough to make very good livings, famous enough to have passionate fans, famous enough to maybe even be recognized in, say, a bar around Manhattan School of Music. Not so famous, though, that they can't walk down the street, that cameras are parked outside their apartment, or that they can't make one fashion slip or gain three pounds without millions of people having their say on the subject. Of course, it's my job to make my … [Read more...]

I've been working on Jean-Yves Thibaudet's Gershwin album (buy it here, why? Because JOHN WILLIAMS CLARINET CONCERTO says it's an "excellent performance," among other reasons), and we're off to Sirius/XM tomorrow at 5pm. There are few things I love more (ridiculously high percent dark chocolate, pesto, Brian Stokes Mitchell) than press opportunities that beget more press opportunities. In this case, Sirius/XM will not only air the interview and in-studio performance, but they're promoting the recording session and asking for a live audience via … [Read more...]

I'm behind on my Daily Shows, so I just watched the one with Newsweek editor Jon Meacham this weekend. Jon Meacham, who was a trouper and did NOT cancel his appearance--which was most likely booked to promote is new PBS show Need To Know--on the day The Washington Post decided to sell his magazine. Sadly, they did not get to talk about the show, but I was really blown away by his interview: The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cJon Meachamwww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTea Party"I do not believe that … [Read more...]

Well, this is great, but there are two (2) problems. First, in my mind there's only one "Telephone" song, and it's this:Second, none of my classical NPR people are in this video! Maybe they'll go ahead and make a cover of the real "Telephone" song above. All the publicists can participate! Hi-ya Thomas, Hi Amanda. What's the story, morning glory? What's the word, hummingbird? Did you hear about Hel-ene-Grimaud? … [Read more...]

First, does everybody/anybody remember Crystal Pepsi? Maybe my Refresh Everything project submission for June will be to bring back Crystal Pepsi. The NYC community will be better off if my clothes aren't stained.Second, we have another worthy cause for your votes this month!  In addition to my senior prom date's Reclaim Concrete project in South Philly (which jumped from 73rd place to 57th place today, obviously due to the Life's a Pitch Bump), the Contemporary Artists Center in Troy, NY is seeking to open a new cultural center in a … [Read more...]

I walked to 96th street from Jazz at Lincoln Center (at 59th street) tonight. It was just so nice outside, and since I went to a 6:30pm concert, it wasn't a Completely Idiotic move on my part. I'm glad I did, since I realized that I've never actually been on Broadway between 79th street and 72nd street before, which is bizarre but not entirely surprising (thank you, seven-blocks-apart-subway stops). If I had been on Broadway between 79th street and 72nd street before this fine August...I mean May...evening, I surely would have noticed … [Read more...]

Oh, hey - did you miss me? Like a bad rash?In case you didn't notice, and shame on you if you didn't, ArtsJournal was down last week. Doug has written up the whole sad tale, and I'm fairly certain the ordeal shaved Many Years off his life. Thanks, Doug, for getting us back on the interwebz. World, feel free to start spinning again: Life's a Pitch is back. I powered through the month of April's magazines this weekend, and one thing that stood out in a TimeOut NY was a review of this movie The Joneses. Another was a Carnegie Hall ad, but we'll … [Read more...]