Recently, Meredith Monk asked me about my job -- my teaching job. She mentioned that although at least one university invited her, she hasn't held an academic position. There's Philip Glass's story about Mme. Boulanger's offer to write a recommendation letter which, she said, would get him a college position when he got back to the U.S. He declined the letter, he says, because he certainly would have used it! Can you be the best possible … [Read more...]
Concert Accident
New York The Stone, last summer After the performance, I notice one of the screws that holds my glasses together is missing. Glasses still hanging together. During the hour-long set, somehow, tiny screw worked loose, jumped, disappeared. Metropolitan Museum Leaving to go across town, I lock myself out of apartment. No time. Must proceed to Grace Rainey Rogers and play recital. Miller Theatre Coming home after playing, I leave my … [Read more...]
I don’t do Rachmaninoff
In preparation for one of our spring masterclasses, I received a memo from one masterclass-giver's management. Along with requests about using a smallish theater and making two pianos available on stage, there were stipulations about the music to be played in the masterclass by potential student performers: no music by Rachmaninoff, no music by Liszt. Certain pieces by J. S. Bach might be ok, with approval. Certain works by Schubert, Beethoven of … [Read more...]