tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24348916956832097042024-03-14T08:25:42.231-05:00Heartland JournalMusic--Education--Life in GeneralGary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-18428555860081386022021-08-12T19:42:00.005-05:002021-08-12T19:42:59.887-05:00<h2 style="text-align: left;">BRINGING EDUCATION TO ITS KNEES</h2><div style="text-align: left;">To those who were blessed to receive an education that included basic reading, writing, mathematics, history and at least a smattering of the arts, it might seem like a shock to learn that this summer Governor Kate Brown of Oregon signed Oregon Senate Bill 744, which abolishes competency in core subjects as a requirement for graduation from public high schools in Oregon. Proponents of the bill lobbied for it in the name of "equity" for minority students, but it is difficult to understand how such a bill will would help any student of any background. Some even view this law as a direct assault against minorities, whose innate abilities might now be dismissed as a result of a largely Caucasian legislative body's attempts to downgrade education and academic accomplishment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To be fair, the law holds place for the next five years and then will be subject to review, but the harm that it could potentially generate could last much longer. Tragic that the very institutions that were granted the sacred task of imparting knowledge are now working against it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It is imperative that we ALL learn as much as we can about our schools, even those who have no children, because their lives will be impacted as surely as children's lives. We should all study the funding, the curriculum, the training of teachers, the philosophy in place, the percentage of funds spent on administration and non-essential expenditures. It is our right and our duty.<br /></div>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-71672482400353874282021-08-11T03:58:00.003-05:002021-08-11T03:58:49.826-05:00<h2 style="text-align: left;">MARINO GARDENING: A NEW APPROACH TO OLD WAYS</h2><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Imagine a small plot of land, maybe a suburban front yard or back yard, or maybe even just a few square feet, filled with a rich variety of plants, selected perhaps only by their immediate appeal to the gardener. The planting space is crowded and perhaps not well-planned, but it provides a feast to the eyes and the nose, and energizes the surrounding area with an infusion of oxygen and nourishment for wildlife and humans. This new (or old?) approach to gardening is being popularized by John Marino of St. Louis, Missouri, and is little by little capturing the attention of gardeners both in the Midwest and elsewhere.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">When John acquired the suburban house left to him by his parents, he began to sample the joys of gardening more intensively than ever before. He planted evergreen bushes, roses, flowering trees, hydrangeas and a host of other species. Although his property was spacious enough for a suburban location, his appetite for new varieties of plants quickly began to soak up the available space, and perhaps the spacing may not have been ideal to an experienced landscaper. However, the myriad assortment did provide privacy, cleaner air, little spots to lose yourself as you wandered through the front and back yards, and perhaps an air of mystery, somewhat like a small enchanted forest.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In time, a professional landscaper up the street from John's home became inspired and began to apply John's notions to his own property and to adventurous clients who wanted to make the most of their own properties. Eventually some of John's friends and associates also decided to become more experimental in their own garden design and implementation. A local psychic even commended John for fostering an "energy vortex" through the pairing of majestic trees of various species side by side. If you think about it, Mother Nature herself adopts a very pragmatic--and oftentimes crowded--approach to filling spaces on our planet with as much vegetation as possible, paying no heed to any sort of principles of garden design. Now we are beginning to see "Marino gardens" pop up here and there in all sorts of places.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Basically, Marino gardening boils down to a "do your own thing approach" to garden design and layout. The only constraints are that you need to make sure each plant has sufficient light, soil and space to grow and prosper on its own. The possibilities are endless, and the only boundaries are Nature itself and our own creativity.</span></div>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-18608068762719397082018-05-12T22:41:00.001-05:002018-05-12T22:41:19.472-05:00WORDS OF CAUTION FROM A WISE MAN<b>Like visiting with old friends, re-reading books we love brings its own rewards. Recently I picked up once again Umberto Eco's brilliant novel from 1980, "The Name of the Rose". Few scholars can match the insight, wisdom and vast reservoir of language and knowledge that this great man brought to bear upon a medieval detective story. Near the end of the novel, the monk William of Baskerville gives us these wise words of caution:</b><br />
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<b>"The Antichrist can be born from piety itself, from excessive love of God or of the truth, as the heretic is born from the saint and the possessed from the seer. Fear prophets...and those prepared to die for the truth, for as a rule they make many others die with them."</b><br />
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<b>(Translated by William Weaver)</b><br />
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<b>Although Eco couches his literary commentary in Christian terms, his caution should not be limited solely to the Christian religion. Sadly, far too many religions and belief systems are stained with blood. May we all take Eco's words to heart. </b><br />
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<b> </b>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-37875888564339358922017-12-12T15:48:00.001-06:002017-12-12T15:53:56.724-06:00VOICES IN THE HEARTLANDMusic has a way of haunting each of us. Sometimes a single piece can take hold of a person and become almost an obsession. I keep a mental list of several pieces that always impact me profoundly. Over the years, my choices have evolved to include a wide variety of genres and performers.<br />
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One such piece that I find haunting is "The Call" from the Five Mystical Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams. This short work, written for baritone soloist and instrumental accompaniment, is redolent of Gregorian chant as well as the Romanticism of the 19th and 20th centuries, set to words by the 17th century British poet George Herbert:<br />
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<b>The Call</b> <br />
Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:<br />
Such a Way, as gives us breath:<br />
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:<br />
Such a Life, as killeth death.<br />
Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:<br />
Such a Light, as shows a feast:<br />
Such a Feast, as mends in length:<br />
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.<br />
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:<br />
Such a Joy, as none can move:<br />
Such a Love, as none can part:<br />
Such a Heart, as joyes in love.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Gateway Men's Chorus of St. Louis performed this entire work, and many others, as part of their holiday concert on December 8 and 9, with baritone Robert McNichols, Jr., conducted by Robert Stumpf. Both men are consummate musicians. McNichols sings with boundless energy and precision honed by years of careful practice. His voice boomed throughout the auditorium at Union Avenue Christian Church, backed by organist John Cargile. <br />
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Robert Stumpf is one of those conductors who breathes with the music and makes himself a complete part of it. He clearly understood the drama and pathos intended by Vaughan Williams. Stumpf has built on the legacy of previous conductors of the GMC to craft a skilled and unified ensemble that continues to grow and mature, now in its 31st season. <br />
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Interestingly, Vaughan Williams was an atheist turned agnostic, yet is renowned for his Christian music. Perhaps he understood that mysticism sooner or later tugs at each of us. Here is a performance from YouTube of the song by baritone Carl Frank and organist Colin Knapp:<br />
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAxc7zuqFyUGary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-4645062775477096432017-06-28T18:02:00.003-05:002017-06-28T18:02:46.626-05:00THE BOOKS WE READ: RUDYARD KIPLING'S "KIM"Lately I had been noticing that I was spending too much time watching the world go by, but not taking time to read. So I adopted a midyear resolution and commanded myself to begin reading all the books collecting dust on a "to read" shelf. One of the very first was "Kim", by Rudyard Kipling, which appeared in print in 1901.<br />
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Today in the United States we need to read more of the classics. It is amazing how timeless the themes are in Kipling's work: devotion to one's passions; persistence; the legacy of colonialism; racism; religion. "Kim" tells the story of an orphaned Irish boy raised as a Hindu in the streets of Lahore in India. Kim becomes the devoted guide to an elderly Tibetan lama as he searches for the River of the Arrow in India and who becomes as a father to the orphaned boy. Along the way, Kim acquires a European education paid for by the lama and gets involved in colonial espionage.<br />
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Reading "Kim" is challenging; Kipling throws around terms from Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam on almost every page. His own father commented on the difficulty of the text. But the effort is well worth it. Seldom has there appeared a book that speaks more deeply to the very essence of the human spirit and all our inner and outer struggles. <br />
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Kipling's own life was very difficult--separation from parents, abuse by foster parents and legal battles--so I suspect there are many autobiographical moments recounted in the pages of "Kim", rendering his words all the more poignant. <br />
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Next on my list: Faulkner's "Light in August". Anyone else care to share their thoughts on a particular book that moved them?Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-80859056219761405112017-03-12T23:17:00.000-05:002017-03-12T23:17:50.341-05:00Review: THE METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA PRESENTS A MUSICAL PANORAMA<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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Sunday, March 5, 2017</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A kaleidoscope of diverse and talented soloists and a
broad-ranging program, led by two conductors, combined to produce a spirited
and intriguing concert by the Metropolitan Orchestra of Saint Louis this
weekend in their home venue at First Presbyterian Church in Kirkwood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In his remarks to the audience, Conductor Laureate Allen
Carl Larson explained the uniqueness of several of the featured works, as well
as the characteristics and challenges of the solo instruments involved. Today
it is more important than ever to provide education and background to
listeners, which is one of the most important and attractive components of
MOSL’s concept and mission. Not only does the orchestra provide background and
knowledge, but it also offers a “Share the Music Stand” program in which gifted
students are paired with orchestra members at rehearsals and concerts. This is
music education at its very finest:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>veteran
performers in the orchestra teaching by example, and students learning by
doing.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Harpist Megan Stout opened the program as soloist in the
“Danses sacree et profane” (Sacred and Secular Dances) by Claude Debussy, a
beautiful work showcasing the strength, agility and sheer beauty of the
instrument, for which Stout was amply suited. Benjamin Britten’s remarkable “Serenade
for Tenor, Horn and Strings”, featuring Peter Ulffers, horn, and tenor Keith
Boyer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drawing upon verses from major
British poets, the cycle of songs requires performers with a wide range and
warmth of tone. Ulffers and Boyer melded a beautiful lyrical counterpoint
together; without such smoothness and rich sonority, this work would be cold
and lifeless. But that was certainly not the case. Britten’s score calls for
both a field horn (no valves) as well as the modern concert horn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The opening and closing sections of the work
are played offstage by the field horn, creating a roving and dreamlike effect
that provides a tonal backdrop to the poetry proclaimed by the tenor.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The program continued—without intermission, which seemed
entirely appropriate for such a musical showcase—with clarinetist Jeanine
York-Garesche performing the “Five Bagatelles for Clarinet and Strings” by the
20<sup>th</sup> century composer Gerald Finzi, arranged by Lawrence
Ashmore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The descendant of Italian Jews
who settled in England, Finzi is well known for his numerous choral and vocal
works. The Five Bagatelles are a beautiful set of short capricious works, full
of melodic ingenuity and expressing various moods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with all the featured soloists on the
program, York-Garesche performed not only with a flowing, liquid tone, but also
consummate technical skill. All musical instruments, and all human voices, must
“sing,” meaning they must perform with expression, dynamics, proper phrasing,
rich tone and must be able to give the music wings to take flight on its own.
All the featured soloists at this concert were able to successfully embody
these characteristics.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The first three works on the program were conducted by
Conductor Laureate Allen Carl Larson, perhaps the single guiding force behind
the establishment of the Metropolitan Orchestra, ably assisted by Music Director
Wendy Lea. In addition to his musical leadership that molds the entire ensemble
into a cohesive, dynamically balanced whole, Larson also functions as an
educator and commentator to the audience. Added to that is his deep commitment
to nurturing young musicians. These traits combine to create an impressive
mission statement for the orchestra.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Assistant Conductor Andrew Peters concluded the concert with
Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, completed in 1916 when the
composer was only nineteen. Since Schubert died at 31, somehow his inner spirit
knew that he needed an early start. This symphony displays Schubert’s uncanny
ability to produce tuneful and soulful melodies, easily recognizable yet always
original. The task of the conductor is to make sure that each melody must ring
out clearly and sail into the listener’s ears. Peters projected a solid
understanding of Schubert’s ideas and how they intermingle, making this work an
excellent send-off for the enthusiastic audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The winning combination for this program was its mixture of
varied instrumental and vocal soloists, a wide historical range of musical
styles, inclusion of works that appealed to audiences yet here and their gave
just a bit of harmonic and melodic challenge, an affordable admission price, a
hall that is large enough to accommodate yet still provides an intimate
setting, and careful yet brief explanations and introductions of the pieces.
This is what symphony orchestras were meant to be, and why they are critical to
the cultural life of every community.</div>
Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-16389982680811263032016-12-14T15:16:00.002-06:002016-12-14T15:16:15.913-06:00ANCIENT STYLE RINGS OUT WITH STILE ANTICO<div dir="ltr" id="yiv0658465168yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1481168438728_9455">
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November 30, Cathedral Concerts at the Saint Louis Basilica</div>
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Early
music forces us to recondition our ears and our entire approach to
listening. The system of tonality that we take for granted today was not
yet fully established when this music was written, so the melodies and
harmonies may sound strange to us--and, ironically, totally new rather
than old. Particularly in the contrapuntal music of the Renaissance,
there is no single melody. Rather, a virtual shower of melody, with its
resulting harmony, cascades upon listeners' ears. But for those
listeners who dive into the ocean of sound, the effect can be
mesmerizing. The British a cappella group, Stile Antico (Ancient Style),
has devoted itself to recapturing the essence of what music sounded
like centuries ago to the awakening minds of the European Renaissance,
garnering numerous awards and critical acclaim.</div>
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The
effect of hearing multiple lines of music simultaneously produces a
state remarkably similar to that of the Eastern meditation technique of
clearing the mind. Finding oneself unable to focus on single lines of
music leaves only the alternative of focusing on the void of the broad
canvas that the music creates, or perhaps focusing on nothing at all,
thereby allowing the music to work its magic on the soul. The listener
becomes much more aware of the overall mood and texture of the music.</div>
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Stile
Antico consists of twelve singers, male and female. The group does not
rely on a conductor; instead, each vocalist is responsible for the
careful execution of his or her own part. Singing contrapuntally
requires strict independence and complete accuracy. Fortunately, neither
was lacking. The group performs with precision and careful balance and
blend. Although the acoustics inside the Cathedral Basilica can cloud
the sound produced by performers, in this case any blurriness of the
sound only added a sheen of mysticism to the group's timbre and further
unified their vocal blend. </div>
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Although
at first it might seem that an ensemble specializing in music of the
Renaissance would have a very narrow focus, on further examination such
is not the case. It is important to remember that Europe was--and
remains--a very diverse continent, multilingual and multi-ethnic.
Perhaps even more significantly, we must bear in mind that the
Reformation was still in its infancy, and so Christians of the era (and
now also) were markedly split in their allegiances. Moreover, Jewish and
Moorish influences, particularly in the music of southern Europe, can
also be felt.</div>
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That
being said, the theme of Stile Antico's performance at the Basilica, "A
Wondrous Mystery," revolved primarily around northern European
compositions by Lutheran and Catholic composers, set to both German and
Latin texts. One of the few compositions from the era that remains
rooted in our hymnals today, "Lo, How a Rose Ere Blooming," by Michael
Praetorius, opened the program, proving that early music is not
forgotten. (In fact, many melodies from the Renaissance remain with us
today, such as "A Mighty Fortress.") Selections from a mass by Jacob
Clemens non Papa (whose nickname tacked on at the end affirms that he
was NOT a Pope Clement) were interspersed throughout the program. That
may seem like an odd way to perform a mass setting, but it also afforded
an opportunity to contrast the composer's style against that of his
contemporaries. Works by such composers as Orlando di Lasso (Orlandus
Lassus) and Leo Hassler were also featured on the program. When we
consider that Orlando was allegedly kidnapped three times as a boy by
rival choirs in order to capture his beautiful voice for their own, we
gain an insight into the significance of music to the peoples of this
period. </div>
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Following
the intermission, the group performed Jacob Handl's "Mirabile
misterium" (Miraculous Mystery) in a side aisle of the Basilica. This
created a remarkable new effect, demonstrating that the direction of
sound does indeed affect the listener. Although that was the only
selection performed off the altar area, hopefully the singers will
experiment further with such techniques. </div>
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By
inviting performers of the caliber of Stile Antico, the Cathedral
Basilica continues its longstanding tradition of serving the musical
needs of our entire community. Kudos to Scott Kennebeck, the Director of
the series, and the leadership of the Basilica, particularly Music
Director Horst Buchholz, for providing such a far-reaching and
broadly-based array of world class performers. Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-56054227750771200992016-12-01T00:34:00.000-06:002016-12-01T00:34:09.287-06:00African Musical Arts in the Heartland<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The growing contributions of African-American artists to
classical music, both on the community level and on the national and
international scene, continue to expand their sphere of influence and leadership.
It would be impossible to name every great artist, but in recent decades such
names as the Marsalis brothers, pianist Andre Watts and opera star Jessye
Norman spring to mind, along with legions of others. Here in St. Louis we are
blessed with the presence of such leaders as violinist Darwyn Apple and
composer Robert Ray<br />
.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another dominant force in our region is Fred Onovwerosuoke,
whose African Musical Arts organization continues to highlight the African
heritage and presence in serious music. In its short history, African Musical
Arts has presented a wide variety of performances showcasing music of diverse
backgrounds and cultures. On November 6, Darwyn Apple headlined a concert
showcasing works by composers of African descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The featured composers embodied a rich variety of musical styles,
reminding us that composers of African origin cannot be confined to a single
tradition. Partly because of the African diaspora and partly because of the
diversity of cultures within Africa, no single style or stream of creativity
speaks for all. The “Five Folksongs for String Quartet” by Florence Beatrice
Price breathed an almost Impressionistic sheen to a group of spirituals;
somewhat differently, the energy and introspection of the African Dances by
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor—hailed as “the African Mahler”—contrasted with the
lyricism and jazz-peppered adventurous style of William Grant Still. Like
Gershwin—but perhaps even more boldly—Still bridged the gap between jazz and
mainstream classical music, aiding the establishment of a uniquely American
style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The “Kreutzer” Sonata of Beethoven was also highlighted on
the program. Increasingly, it is believed that Beethoven’s family tree included
a branch from Africa. Research has yet to confirm this; however, at the very
least we know that there was some Spanish influence in Beethoven’s ancestry,
which could easily have included African heritage as well. Many people believe
that the sheer vibrancy and rhythmic vitality of Beethoven’s music were the
product of a cultural heritage that perhaps cannot be confined to a single
source. If Beethoven is indeed part African, he joins a group of remarkable
Europeans that includes Alexandre Dumas, Alexander Pushkin and other notables. </div>
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Darwyn Apple has long been a figure of note on the St. Louis
concert stage, binging an inspiring intensity and seriousness to the art of the
violin. For the solo and duo portions of the program, Apple was joined by
pianist Sunghee Hinners for the solo and duo portions of the program. The two
performed with a fine balance of dynamics and sense of partnership, and both
performed with the solid technical skills we have come to expect. Violist Anna
Lackschewitz and cellist Jake Brookman added their talents to the first movement
of Beethoven’s Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello in G Major, which opened the
second half of the program. The three were joined by violinist Joseph Kaminsky
for the concluding work of the program, the finale from the String Quartet in D
Major, Op. 76, no. 5, by Franz Joseph Haydn. To our knowledge, Haydn did not
possess African ancestry, but his work provided an interesting comparison to
the other featured works on the program and provided an upbeat conclusion.
Again, these performers likewise performed with consummate and well-honed
skills.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Even those who feel already well-versed in music history and
the contributions of composers of African descent would find much to learn and
ponder on this program. Perhaps the greatest lesson to be learned is a renewed awareness
that creativity can never be stifled, whether it springs from the grip of
slavery, the fires of the Holocaust, or the onslaught of war and
terrorism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As human beings, creativity
is our shared resource. Moreover, we see that creativity by its very nature can
never be confined to a single template. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Special recognition must also go to Fred Onovwerosuoke, who
has long labored to build bridges between cultures. Fred has demonstrated time
again that honoring one tradition does not diminish any other, and his work has
shown that we are all part of the whole. This concert not only honored
composers of African descent, but it also honored all musicians and composers who
have strived to enrich their art. Ultimately, this was a concert that honored
the very soul of music.</div>
Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-68204479888958196892016-09-27T14:45:00.000-05:002016-09-27T14:45:32.049-05:00Metropolitan Orchestra Scores Again<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beethoven, Italian bel canto and jazz fusion launched what promises
to be a bold and diverse fifth season of the Metropolitan Orchestra of St.
Louis (MOSL) on September 18 at the orchestra's primary venue at First
Presbyterian in Kirkwood. Few ensembles have carved out such a niche for
themselves so quickly as has MOSL, and much of the credit must go to its
founder and Conductor Laureate, Allen Larson.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In an era where orchestras are struggling to maintain themselves
and prove their "relevance" in contemporary society, MOSL seems to do
the job almost effortlessly. Some of the older mainline orchestras have sought
validation by commissioning new works of dubious merit; the results in some
cases have been disastrous as audiences have voted with their feet.
MOSL's repertoire on their opening night captured both the genius of the
classical world while keeping an eye to the future.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opening night for any serious orchestra must be a celebratory
occasion. Accordingly, Larson chose to kick off the program with
Gioacchino Rossini's sparkling and engaging overture to "L'Italiana in
Algeri" (An Italian Girl in Algiers). The music is happy and playful
to the ears, full of twists and turns. Since its inception, the orchestra
has steadily increased its overall skill level to where brisk tempos and rapid
contrasts are easily handled. Within minutes the near-capacity audience
was already enjoying themselves and clamoring for much more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pianist Dominic Cheli joined the orchestra for a brilliant
performance of Beethoven's Concerto No. 4 in G Major. Although still in
his early twenties, Cheli is already a home town hero. Having gotten his
start under the tutelage of Zena Ilyashov and other local pedagogues, he went
on to win the Young Artist Competition held at St. Ambrose on the Hill and
other local honors. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music,
he earned his master's degree at the Yale School of Music with the highest
honors, made recordings under the Naxos label and is currently pursuing an
Artist Diploma at the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Although the fourth concerto is filled with virtuoso challenges
and musical fireworks, it is also a work of deep lyricism and introspection.
It is hard to believe that someone as young as Cheli is able to play with
the insight and tenderness that we would expect from a much older and more
experienced performer. Cheli transformed the piano into a mini-orchestra
of its own, echoing the agility of a violin, the singing of a flute or the deep
responsive voice of a double bass. His touch was resonant and rich, with
unerring accuracy. The excellent balance maintained between the solo
piano and the orchestra made the entire performance particularly gratifying and
easy on the ears.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The second half of the program featured the 442s, the
classical/jazz fusion group founded by Adam Maness and St. Louis Symphony musicians
Shawn Weil, violin, and Bjorn Ranheim, cello, with Syd Rodway on bass.
Named after the favored tuning frequency in general use today (442 cycles
per second for the A above Middle C--trending upward from 415 in the Baroque
period), this group forms a perfect bridge uniting the old with the new.
After hearing the group's take on such traditional forms as an Irish
reel, Latin rhythms and traditional soaring melodies, one begins to realize
that Beethoven, Rossini and every creative genius from the past continue to
inspire our present-day idioms. Adam Maness is a composer, arranger,
keyboardist (and accordionist, percussionist, vocalist and more) for the group.
Each of the performers, in fact, wears more than one hat, depending on
the needs of each piece. Hearing the group merge with the orchestra makes
it easy to see how symphony orchestras remain a potent force as the backbone of
both our classical and popular traditions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Combining a jazz ensemble with a symphony orchestra is not
necessarily unique anymore, but to do so on an opening program as a herald of
the season to come is a wonderful means of demonstrating versatility, relevance
and a commitment to the new as well as to the old. Anyone who attended
MOSL's opening night will surely be eager for more. We are blessed with
many great ensembles in the St. Louis region. The great thing about
institutions such as the Metropolitan Orchestra is that its presence helps
fully establish and maintain the foundations on which our musical life is
founded. </span></div>
Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-63196120051769250282016-04-16T22:55:00.002-05:002016-04-19T12:08:03.874-05:00From Vienna to St. Louis<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3162">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1XOBgB2mFlXDL22Saq3zbotJd12u3p2mcaafp7HvNU60ON2bZCqPlM4w94laI-7RPIdwjvuQzkqOMNGIsMYVxSCc-3e2L7eLEaIdZTEpGmaFw3cBuWKm19O6gpd1TGpPUaoy-7aLgLU/s1600/MOSL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1XOBgB2mFlXDL22Saq3zbotJd12u3p2mcaafp7HvNU60ON2bZCqPlM4w94laI-7RPIdwjvuQzkqOMNGIsMYVxSCc-3e2L7eLEaIdZTEpGmaFw3cBuWKm19O6gpd1TGpPUaoy-7aLgLU/s320/MOSL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Last
Sunday evening I was invited to review the concert presented by the
Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis. I invited a couple of friends to
accompany me. Both were halting in their acceptance, due to pressing
matters in other directions, and one in particular just wasn't sure he
was ready for me to drag him to yet another musical event.</b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3266">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3267">
<b>But...once
the program opened with Allen Carl Larson, Conductor Laureate, leading
the orchestra in a performance of the lushly beautiful Adagietto from Gustav Mahler's
(1860-1911) Symphony No. 5, that friend was completely hooked into the
program. Why? Because he realized that this would be a program of
substance, not designed to impress critics but to speak to the listening
audience who are often unappreciated by performing organizations,
but who make up the backbone of support for performing organizations. </b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3354">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3538">
<b>The
Metropolitan Orchestra is a grassroots ensemble that fills a niche in a
city that knows no shortage of performing organizations, yet the
capacity crowd demonstrated that that niche exists. People are hungry
for substance and meaning in art, but they also hunger for deeper
knowledge and understanding of what they see and hear. Too often,
modern day symphony orchestras are quick to force grant-driven
avant-garde works upon audiences without first making sure they
comprehend the basic language of musical structures. MOSL is one of
many newer ensembles springing up to provide both an educational and
esthetic experience. In some cases these ensembles are completely
amateur, and in some cases they are a combination of professionals and
amateurs, and in some cases they are fully professional--the category to
which MOSL trends--but they are all making an impact on the cultural
landscape. </b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3538">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3538">
<b>Until our elementary and secondary schools can provide a more complete education in the arts (and no, it's not just a matter of money), institutions such as MOSL are introducing multi-generational audiences to our vast artistic heritage.</b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3614">
<br /></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3614">
<b>MOSL
was joined by the Concert Choir of Webster University for a performance of Mozart's (1756-1791) famous motet, "Ave
Verum", followed by the Mass No. 11 in D Minor, the "Nelson Mass" (named
in honor of the visit of Lord Nelson to Vienna following his defeat of
Napolean) by Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809). The Choir, under the
direction of Trent A. Patterson, is an outstanding chorus, without doubt
one of the finest in the country. They performed with a magnificent
blend, firmly on pitch and with careful diction and
well-sculpted phrasing. Soloists in the Mass--soprano Heather McKenzie
Patterson, mezzo Martha J. Hart, tenor Keith Boyer and bass Jeffrey
Heyl--matched the Concert Choir's skill, negotiating Haydn's rapid-fire
passages with gusto, verve and energy. </b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3614">
<br /></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3614">
<b>A common bond among all three featured composers on the program is the fact that all three had lived and worked in Vienna for at least a certain period of their lives. Together, they spanned an era of music history stretching from 1732 to 1911. </b></div>
<div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1460861448677_3957">
<b><br /></b></div>
<b>Allen
Larson has never been one to rest on his laurels, and the Metropolitan
Orchestra is only the latest jewel in his distinguished career. MOSL is
fortunate to have a permanent and acoustically adequate home at the
First Presbyterian Church in Kirkwood, Missouri--and can even boast of
ample and free parking, which should not be underestimated for serious
concertgoers. The St. Louis community is blessed to have such an
institution in our midst. </b>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-53936227887239763082015-07-20T00:52:00.000-05:002015-07-20T00:52:03.630-05:00Is It Time to Stop "Certifying" Teachers?According to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, the United States spends more on education than any other nation except Switzerland. Although the misinformed keep assuring us that all our educational ills can be fixed if we only throw more money into education, we now know that such a statement simply isn't true. It is time for those who truly care about education to teach others that money is not the solution. Perhaps it is even part of the problem...<br />
<br />
Perhaps it is time to take a hard look at teacher education. A profession that refers to a certified person as being "certificated" may already show that we have a problem. Instead of forcing teachers to spend years on educational methodology courses, perhaps we should insist instead on teachers developing greater command of their subject(s). While we're at it, perhaps we should also re-examine the god-like emphasis we place on using "technology" in the classroom. Technology should be a tool and nothing more, but not an end in itself. A good teacher should be able to use whatever tools he or she deems appropriate.<br />
<br />
It is a tragedy and an utter disgrace to contemplate the fact that geniuses such as Beethoven, Mozart, Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci and Einstein, to name only a tiny few, would not have been allowed to teach in an American public school, simply because they would not be "certificated". Every American should be ashamed of this.<br />
<br />
Ignorance is a threat to our very survival as a nation and a people.Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-31293330154298319572015-07-09T02:09:00.000-05:002015-07-09T02:09:57.826-05:00A Noble IdeaA close friend of mine has tired of the empty celebrations that surround the July 4 holiday in the United States. He feels it would be better if we observed the nation's birthday by studying the democratic ideals that shaped the country and the people who originated them. Perhaps then we might have better reasoned political debates than the current debacles we face. <br />
<br />
Given the fact that history is woefully given short shrift in too many American schools, his idea may be a sound one. It is time we realized that learning is too important to entrust solely to our schools. When we consider such nonsense as a North Carolina state "educator" and curriculum designer seriously suggesting that the NC high school American history curriculum should include only events dating from 1877, we realize how important it is for each of us to learn and teach. Students in North Carolina--and everywhere--deserve better. To accept such a responsibility is empowering...and humbling. It could even be fun to devise clever and entertaining methods of bringing history to life: plays, readers theatre, contests, music, etc. <br />
<br />
It is important to remember that the founding fathers did call for public celebrations, including bonfires and other commemorations, so we certainly shouldn't rob July 4 of its joyful and communal atmosphere. But surely we can find a better way to glorify our history than simply setting off firecrackers.Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-79392140954162743932015-06-23T00:35:00.001-05:002015-06-23T00:35:39.964-05:00A Thought about BaltimoreAs the events in Ferguson and Baltimore--and now Charleston--have unfolded over the past two summers, one recollection keeps returning to me. Ironically, it was in Baltimore that the great African-American writer and orator Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) finally encountered a measure of kindness from white people. In the midst of all the vicious cruelties Douglass recounts in his autobiography, <i>Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass</i>, he notes with gratitude that it was in Baltimore that he first learned to read and write. Initially, his mistress there, Sophia Auld, taught him the rudiments of the alphabet and simple words, but her kind intentions were halted by her husband, who understood that the ability to read and write would empower a slave far more than any weapon. Gradually, Mrs. Auld became as callous and cruel as other slave owners. Douglass says of her, "Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me." Her soul was destroyed in the process of being a slave owner. <br />
<br />
Providentially, Douglass was able to secure other sources of learning. The local white children, many of whom were poor and deprived themselves, were happy to share with Douglass the limited knowledge which they had accrued. In Baltimore, Douglass had been given more food to eat than when he subsisted on meager rations on the plantation. He writes that bread was plentiful in the Auld household in the city, and Douglass gratefully shared bread with the white children who helped him learn to read. <br />
<br />
How sad that nearly 200 years ago there was at least a brief moment of kindness and cooperation between the two races, yet today strife has lingered. If it happened once; surely it can happen again...and again.<br />
<br />
<br />Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-47268270797902316502014-05-13T23:24:00.000-05:002014-05-13T23:24:09.143-05:00Eastern Europe Impacts the Heartland<span style="color: #990000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Recently I had the occasion to see Wes Anderson's latest cinematic entry, "The Grand Hotel Budapest", an engaging and brilliantly imaginative farce inspired by the writings of the Viennese writer Stefan Zweig. The movie entertains the senses and feeds the brain, so much so that I went to view it a second time and will likely see it again in the future. However, I now find myself increasingly fascinated with the life of Zweig, a brilliant and insightful observer whose fortune in life caused him to be witness to the most tragic period of European history, the Nazi era.</strong></span><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Zweig was a non-observant Jew who made his entry into the world in 1881. The glitter and hope of Europe in the early 20th century was shattered by its grim collision with World War I. A certain measure of idealism flourished even during that bleak period. However, the descent of Europe into the hell of World War II eradicated the remaining hopes and dreams of intellectuals such as Zweig. Realizing that in Hitler's depraved universe non-observant Jews were regarded as equally worthy of death as those who identified fully with their heritage, Zweig made his way to New York with his second wife, Lotte Altmann, in 1940 and, later that year, to the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. Growing increasingly depressed with the worsening world situation and despondent that humanity had sunk so low, the two committed suicide with a barbiturate overdose in 1942.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Hopelessness is searing and painful. By its very nature, those who have lost all hope feel it is useless to even attempt to go on. Ironically, Stefan Zweig remains a celebrated writer to this day, and the home outside Rio where he and his wife lived is now a museum established in his honor. A further touch of irony is the fact that Wes Anderson's treatment of Zweig's view of the world seems, to me at least, to ignite both hope and a bit of renewed faith. One can only hope that somehow the souls of Zweig and his wife are aware of the impact they wielded on the rest of us.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Which brings us to this question: Where are we now? Has humanity learned anything? How do we face life in a post-20th century world? Each of us must decide.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"></span><br />Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-8813871782549748962013-01-23T14:38:00.000-06:002013-01-23T14:44:11.208-06:00Education "Reform"<span style="color: #660000;">Another sad bit of news has emerged from the education front. Once again, another school district has elected to deal with the problem of declining graduation rates not by addressing the problem, but simply by making it easier to graduate.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">The public school district of Washington, D.C., is considering a proposal to eliminate social studies from the required curriculum. Some pundits have already noted that course in civics and social studies have already been dumbed-down substantially in many areas, but this policy change would simply eliminate such study altogether.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">To be fair, it should be noted that the Washington schools now require a minimum of two years of a foreign language, which is a major improvement, but this proposal strikes at the heart of American citizenship--ironically so in the very capital of the United States.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">This development is a chilling reminder of the proposal floated awhile back in North Carolina to eliminate formal study at the high school level of American history prior to 1877.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Policies that lead away from the study of history and government are an affront to all, but particularly to minorities and any groups who struggled for rights and recognition and whose record of past activities would now be ignored. Such an action is unconscionable in this supposedly "enlightened" era.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">There is much good news in education, but dumbing-down of curriculum would scarcely fall into such a category. As a nation, we need to realize that we have focused far too long on the funding of education, and far too little on what is being taught, what is not being taught, and how it is being taught.</span>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-59713175583574474702012-02-20T15:13:00.003-06:002012-02-20T15:38:03.461-06:00The Examined Life<strong><span style="color:#660000;">Recently I helped edit a paper my daughter Ariella wrote about the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. She is enrolled in a challenging program in Visual and Critical Studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. In an era of declining standards (it seems that possessing a diploma is more important than having the diploma mean something), it is refreshing to see that some students are still required to study the works of those who have shaped our society and our thinking. Students enrolled in the program are required to study philosophy. The text of the paper follows this entry,<br /><br />Kierkegaard dealt </span><strong><span style="color:#660000;"><strong>much with the dichotomy between faith and reason, hoping perhaps to establish that they can exist united. Interesting that his very name contains the Scandinavian equivalent for "church". How many of us stop to ponder why we believe, and think, the way we do?<br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />Ariella Scott's essay:<br /><br />Soren Kierkegaard claims that faith is a paradox and that faith begins where thinking leaves off. This approach to the concept of faith would appear to be false, though, because Kierkegaard is not using a proper definition of faith to make his claims and sees faith as an irrational human passion. However, faith is instead a mechanism in finding inner truth as it is what lies under human projection.<br /><br />Thinking is a natural human instinct. It is an inevitable action contrived to explain why things happen the way they do, and can be viewed as a component of the dialectic process espoused by Hegel. If this is the case, it would seem, then, that when discussing truth, thinking should not be apparent. Thinking is a distraction from truth. Truth does not need questions or answers because truth is acceptance and stands apparent. Kierkegaard immediately seems not to understand this in his explanation of Abraham following God’s orders to kill his son Isaac. This is because Kierkegaard perhaps does not realize how incomprehensible faith actually is. If Kierkegaard were in communication with the Divine--and the Divine meaning God--then he should logically acquire faith. Anything else would not be an option. After all, it would be a message from God, and acceptance would be the only action conceivable.<br /><br />Kierkegaard is correct when he implies that this tale has most certainly been misunderstood and driven by faith. The unfortunate thing is that Kierkegaard appears to have no proper recollection of what faith is. To him, faith is a telos or “end” to itself. Instead, faith is neither. Faith simply exists. It is not burdened with queries to prove its nonexistence because faith does not need this. Kierkegaard and most philosophers are living in a physical world of projection. Projections are not real. The only real thing in the world is love and love is faith because neither ask “why?” and this is because neither needs to ask this question. They are pure truth in their divine existence.<br /><br />In speaking of love as faith it would be appropriate to include an example. The Indian spiritual teacher Osho discusses this in his book Being in Love. In this book he explains how love is not jealous or malicious. Love is infinite. If love is jealous or malicious then it is not real love. It is instead a projection of what love should be. According to Osho, love is real and is truth.<br /><br />The entire world is made up of projections. Everything we think and feel is projection. Only love is real and love is exactly what faith is. This is exactly why Kierkegaard is wrong in his claim that faith is a paradox. He does not realize that he is deciding what faith is from his own projections so he can make his argument at all. Nothing he is saying is real. The only honest claim he ever could make (and he does) is that faith is irrational and inconceivable. Of course faith is irrational. Anything that drives a human to not think and instead put his/her intuition on the line is of course irrational, but surely if someone is in the presence of God and God tells them to do anything, then he/she would do it. If God is talking to you then you don’t even need to acknowledge faith because the truth is there in front of you. There is no need or desire to explain anything at all because one would know. If a person knows something then it is bonded into their existence. Abraham did not think because he did not need to.</strong><br /><br /></span><br /></strong></strong><br /><strong><strong></strong></strong>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-6079600279211954692012-02-07T22:26:00.002-06:002012-02-07T22:46:49.400-06:00Old-Fashioned Learning?<strong><span style="color:#990000;">Today many (but not all) educators disdain the concepts of rote learning and memorization, often proclaiming a greater validity for "critical thinking" and learning how to take advantage of "resources" to access factual knowledge when it is needed. But the result of such de-emphasis of learning facts, dates and literary passages can be graduates who have only a vague awareness of history, spelling, grammar and great works of art. <br /><br />Virtually no one can complete an education without learning and memorizing a vast array of facts, particularly in the various professions which require a broad factual knowledge, such as medicine and law. Yet it can be argued that we all are learning fewer facts than we used to. For example, how many Americans even realize that Canada, our closest neighbor, is divided into provinces, not states? How many great poets could each of us name--let alone quote? In other words, we are experiencing a deficit of cultural literacy.<br /><br />Recently I was shocked to learn that it is possible at countless colleges and universities to obtain a degree in English literature without ever taking a course in Shakespeare. Certainly English majors will study many great writers during their academic careers, but they are being denied the insight and sheer joy of becoming acquainted with one of the greatest geniuses of history. This is a tragedy.<br /><br />We are denying ourselves the stimulation of getting to know the great artists, composers, philosophers and literary giants who illumined the lives of our ancestors. And increasingly, we are denying ourselves a grasp of such universal fundamentals as the basic principles of mathematics and language. Surely our lives are worth more. Is it time to reflect more deeply on the curriculums of our educational institutions?</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Thanks for reading,</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Gary</span></strong>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-36639498109400211592012-01-04T16:16:00.002-06:002012-01-04T16:29:02.594-06:00From Vienna to St. Louis<strong><span style="color:#660000;">Recently the famed Vienna Boys Choir performed at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis the King in St. Louis. Among the selections on the program was the "Credo", from the <em>Gospel Mass</em> by Robert Ray. It was announced that this work was performed in homage to the contributions made by American composers. What seemed to escape the attention of far too many listeners, including (perhaps understandably) the performers themselves, was the fact that composer Robert Ray resides in St. Louis, and lived probably less than three miles from the Basilica.<br /><br />After some rapid notifications and phone calls, Mr. Ray was contacted and was able to attend the performance at the Basilica the following evening, where he was recognized and introduced to the audience and performers. If you think about it, it was an historic moment that a local composer was able to join the ranks of such luminaries as Haydn, Schubert, Mozart and others, and have his music performed by such a venerable institution as the Vienna Boys Choir.<br /><br />This goes to show the power of music to unite us all. We speak much about diversity, yet on this particular program various strands of diversity were grafted to a central stem to produce an ever-growing bloom. It also serves as a reminder that we should always be aware of the heroes in our midst.</span></strong>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-42874133772850246112011-06-22T20:36:00.003-05:002011-06-22T21:12:20.702-05:00Building Musicians<div><div><strong><font color="#660000">Chamber music offers listeners the opportunity to fully connect with the talents of one, two or a few musicians. It is about the bond of communication that is forged between artist and audience. In a chamber music setting, a listener can easily feel that he or she is the only person present--almost as though the entire performance is constructed personally for them.<br /><br />Chamber music also offers inspiration to young people and those who aspire to greater accomplishment in their own study of music. As a society, we need to cultivate and support emerging young musicians so that our cultural life in turn will continue to be enhanced and nurtured by their contributions. This is particularly critical at a time when our educational system is faltering.<br /><br />This year the New Jewish Theatre of St. Louis will inaugurate a new program designed to foster the careers of brilliant young musicians, the Gesher Music Festival of Emerging Artists, held June 26-July 3 at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the Jewish Community Center. Additionally, Festival musicians will perform at day camps, senior living centers and various inner city locations to further encourage awareness of and support for the work of musicians and composers.<br /><br />The Festival will feature a host of lectures, galas and performances. Listeners will have the opportunity to not only hear great music and great talent, but will also be able to interact directly with the performers in question and answer sessions. It promises to be an exciting and stimulating event for the St. Louis area. Michael Tilson Thomas, Director of the San Francisco Symphony, has given his personal endorsement to the Gesher Festival.<br /><br />The word "gesher" means bridge, or connection, in Hebrew, signifying the importance of establishing and maintaining our connection to music, musicians and all the arts. Although the Festival will feature music with a special connection to the Jewish experience, its impact and meaning will be universal in scope.<br /><br />Kudos and many thanks to the New Jewish Theatre of St. Louis for developing and sponsoring this wonderful--and needed--program. It's reach will surely extend far beyond the St. Louis area. For further information, contact NJT.<br /><br />Thanks for reading.<br />Gary</font></strong></div></div>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-12509935879582479842011-06-11T22:03:00.004-05:002011-06-11T23:20:27.240-05:00The Intersection of Music, Life and Death<div><br /><br /><strong><font style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Sometimes we think of music as an art form that remains aloof from the dust and grime of everyday life--almost as a refuge from reality rather than a means of illustrating it. Yet music can join the fray of controversy just as surely as the visual arts and literature. This month Opera Theatre of St. Louis proves that assertion with its staging of John Adams' 1991 opera, <em>The Death of Klinghoffer</em>.<br /><br />Adams has already brought recent history to the opera stage through such works as <em>Nixon in China</em> and <em>Dr. Atomic</em> (chronicling the work of Robert Oppenheimer, one of the chief researchers in the quest for nuclear fission). However, no other work of his seems to have struck such a raw nerve as <em>Klinghoffer</em>. The opera is based on the murder of Leon Klinghoffer, an elderly disabled American Jew, by Palestinian terrorists in 1985, when they seized the cruise ship <em>Achille Lauro</em> as Klinghoffer and his wife were enjoying a cruise to celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary.<br /><br />How can a frank portrayal of the grim facts of terrorism be considered controversial? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that in our twisted modern world we have lost sight of who is a victim and who is an aggressor. Have you noticed how the word "terrorist" has pretty much disappeared from journalistic vocabulary? We are no longer allowed to label evil as evil. Rather, we use such terms as "militants", or even "independence" or "freedom" fighters--or perhaps "insurgents"--as though words can alter the stark reality of what terrorists do.<br /><br />Even those who feel sympathy for the Palestinian cause--and, by extension, believe that Hamas and Hezbollah can be trusted as viable "peace" partners--surely realize that violence cannot ultimately win over hearts and minds. Today, sadly, terrorism runs rampant in the world, yet we are loath to recognize it for what it is: a crime against humanity and human values. The recent murders of five members of the Fogel family in Israel, in which a three month infant was brutally stabbed to death by terrorist monsters, or the death of a 16-year old student on a school bus, or the almost daily bombings in Pakistan--all are constant reminders of the battles we must wage on behalf of good and evil.<br /><br />Adams' music is visceral and pounding. Listeners need no further proof of the power of music to move us and express the entire gamut of human emotions. The minimalist repetition of musical phrases, far from driving the listener to numbness, instead forces the audience to continually confront the action onstage. The libretto to <em>The</em> <em>Death of Klinghoffer</em> was penned by Alice Goodman, herself born Jewish, but who has since converted to Christianity and been ordained an Anglican priest. The family of Klinghoffer was at first furious with what they felt was moral equivalency expressed in the opera. In response, Adams and Goodman revised certain portions of the work. One thing must be remembered though: through the writing of this opera, and its presentation, the memory of Klinghoffer, and all victims of injustice, is kept alive. In an era in which sometimes we fail to remember even the victims of 9-11, the miracle of music ensures that we will not forget. And perhaps remembrance is the first step to healing and the creation of a different world.<br /><em><br />The Death of Klinghoffer</em> opens on June 15, 2011, at the Loretto-Hilton theatre, the home of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.</font> </strong></div>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-43171656291126787282011-03-23T00:49:00.004-05:002011-03-23T12:56:04.720-05:00Teaching by Example<strong><span style="color:#990000;">One of the maxims from Aesop's fables tells us that example is the best teacher. There is also the rather cynical dictum: "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." Last fall I had the opportunity to attend a performance of the Webster University Symphony Orchestra, directed by Paul Davis. Afterwards I reflected that this fine ensemble is a vehicle for both doing <em>and</em> teaching.<br /><br />Although the WUSO was established as an opportunity for student players at Webster University, a sizable percentage of the orchestra's personnel is composed of professionals, some of whom are members of the St. Louis Symphony. To observe and work with seasoned professionals offers an unmatched opportunity for students to learn precisely what it truly means to be a musician. Such learning does not take place in a lecture hall; it occurs during personal conversations before and after rehearsals, or at sectional rehearsals, or in the efforts to match the accomplishments of more experienced performers.<br /><br />The audiences likewise learn, by hearing professionals and amateurs alike. It is one thing to study the life of a great composer in a book, but it is quite another to actually hear the musical thoughts that streamed from the composer's mind. Those who peruse the program notes are able not only to hear the music, but also learn about the historical, cultural and geographic context in which it was written.<br /><br />The soloist in the concert I heard was pianist Daniel Schene, performing Chopin's Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, programmed in commemoration of the bicentennial of Chopin's birth in 1810. As artist in residence at Webster University, Schene maintains a busy teaching and performing schedule. By virtue of wearing both hats, he not only instructs students <em>about</em> Chopin, but is able to <em>demonstrate </em>Chopin's music. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Some purists actually decry teaching by example, claiming that it discourages personal creativity in artistic fields and leads to robotic imitation. Thankfully, we don't have similar qualms when it comes to teaching medicine or mathematics. Who would want to be treated by a physician who had never observed medical procedures, or be waited upon by a store clerk who had developed a "creative" approach to computations? For musicians, hearing a demonstration of execution and interpretation provides an aural example of what they should aspire to, and may actually inspire rather than limit personal creativity. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">The Webster Symphony is, fortunately, one of many outstanding ensembles sponsored by academic institutions. At a time when standards in American education have been dangerously reduced, they are raising the bar by presenting a polished end-product. This is an example that shows education designed to train doers, not bureaucrats or methodologists. </span></strong><br /><br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=scomin-20&o=1&p=7&l=ez&f=ifr&f=ifr" width="468" height="40" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" border="0" frameborder="0" style="border:none;"></iframe>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-81980762247245973082010-11-22T16:17:00.003-06:002011-03-22T23:14:11.982-05:00Of Music and History<strong><span style="color:#660000;">On the weekend of November 19-20, 2010, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presented the epic cantata <em>Alexander Nevsky</em>, by Sergei Prokofiev. Originally conceived as a film score to accompany the great director Sergei Eisenstein's 1938 movie of the same title, the music and the story it tells were designed to inspire and encourage the already war-weary Russian people as their greatest threat, World War II, loomed ahead, in which 22,000,000 Russians would lose their lives. Alexander Nevsky was the 13<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> century prince, warrior and, eventually, saint who guided Russia in its struggle against invading Swedes and Germans, sanctioned by the papacy. The Russian victory at that time demonstrated that victory is possible even in the direst of circumstances.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">It is difficult to imagine an emotion not conveyed in Prokofiev's music: fear, bravery, grief, the rush of battle, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">the</span> thirst for freedom, the stirrings of love, the thrill of victory, and, ultimately, happiness--all are present. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">SLSO</span> Music Director led the orchestra and chorus through the visceral and fiery passages heavy with the thunder and fireworks of percussion, brass, bells, massed strings and woodwinds. With such a feast for the ears and eyes, the visual imagery of the the film, magnificent as it is, seemed almost unnecessary. Russian mezzo soprano Elena <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manistina</span>, marking her debut with the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">SLSO</span>, added yet another layer of sensuality with her earthy and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">heartfelt</span> outpouring of emotion for the fallen.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Who wouldn't want to experience a concert as magnificent as this? And yet the hall was far from filled. Could it be our present economic situation? (Symphony concerts don't come cheap.) Or have we been dumbed down to the point where we remain unmoved by poetry, history and musical skill?</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">How many students today know something of the events of the 13<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> century--or of any century other than the present one and the closing years of the 20<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>? It was only last year that a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ph</span>.D. "educator", acting in an official position for the state of North Carolina, recommended that American history in public high schools in the state focus only on events from 1877 to the present. Yet the people of Russia reach as far back as the 1200's and earlier to study the exploits of their people and heroes.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Our school officials constantly tell us that they could deliver a quality education if we would only give them more money. Yet just recently we learned that the public schools of Newark, New Jersey, to cite but one example, are already spending in excess of $23,000.00 per student per year. (See my earlier post on this matter.)</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">There are still a lot of excellent teachers and schools in the US, but we must be ever-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">vigilant</span> about what is being taught, what is not taught, and how it is delivered. Should we be demanding more? At this point, we simply cannot rely on "experts" to guide us.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Thanks,</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Gary</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=scomin-20&o=1&p=8&l=ez&f=ifr&f=ifr" width="120" height="240" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" border="0" frameborder="0" style="border:none;"></iframe>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-53568090958746775122010-10-24T21:13:00.003-05:002010-10-24T21:43:39.631-05:00What Do Superintendents Do?<strong><span style="color:#660000;">Nearly all public school systems in the US employ an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">uber</span>-administrator usually known as the "superintendent", occasionally known as the "chancellor". These jobs are generally demanding, but offer excellent benefits and perks, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">sometimes</span> including automobiles, expense accounts and early retirement packages that often outdo the actual salaries. Compensation is almost always at least $100,000.00 in a district of any size, and sometimes rises as high as $250,000.00 or even higher. That's nothing compared with what <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">CEO's</span> of sizable companies earn, but still not bad. The superintendent normally works in a separate office not connected with a school building, and usually is attended by a large staff of underlings, which would include secretaries, social workers, tiers of assistant administrators, service workers, grant writers, and, in the district where I live, a PR person. The assistant administrators usually likewise earn a six-figure salary. Meanwhile, each individual school, particularly high schools, will be staffed with its own small army of head principal, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">assistant</span> principals (up to eight in some large schools), social workers, counselors, etc. If would behoove each of us to find out just how many non-teaching personnel are employed in the school districts in which we live. Sometimes you have to make repeated phone calls and dig for the information. The number of individuals thus employed, and their salaries, might amaze you.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">And yet, with this vast army of administrative persons on duty throughout our nation, why do test scores keep falling? Why are the superintendents unable to effect the improvements necessary? If these administrators were able to produce the results, they would be worth their present salaries and much more, but by now we have all borne witness to the decline in literacy and general knowledge all about us. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">It is easy to point fingers; teachers blame parents and administrators, parents blame the high taxes that force both parents to work too hard to have sufficient time for their children, administrators blame teachers and parents, and politicians add spice to the mix. Meanwhile, we all have to deal with the problems caused by illiteracy. Is it possible we have too many chiefs trying to running our schools and knocking into each other as they do so? </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Generally a superintendent is hired by a school board, who review his or her background and philosophy. Superintendents are generally expected to implement a new set of policies and methodologies--which, after all, is what leaders normally do. The trend across the country increasingly seems to be that superintendents do not hold their positions very long. They are an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">itinerant</span> group for the most part. Their contracts are often terminated early by disgruntled school boards, but usually a lucrative golden parachute is awarded, and the dismissed superintendent is free to seek a new job somewhere else. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">So why aren't our schools doing better? And what can we do to produce real improvement?</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Thanks,</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Gary</span></strong>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-38846762524966103852010-10-08T11:44:00.004-05:002010-10-08T18:31:33.788-05:00Education at What Price?<strong><span style="color:#990000;">Recently Mark <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Zuckerberg</span>, the founder of the i<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">nternet</span> social networking site <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">FaceBook</span>, announced that he would be making a donation of $100,000,000.00 to the public school system of Newark, New Jersey. According to figures obtained from the groups School Watch and Excellent Education for Everyone, the Newark public schools spent an unbelievable $23,141.00 per student in the academic year 2007-08. In spite of that expenditure, student achievement remained abysmally low. Students who were unable to meet eighth grade standards were still allowed to receive diplomas through a flawed and controversial "Special Review Assessment" process. Mr. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Zuckerberg</span> evidently feels that throwing yet more money to the Newark public schools will somehow succeed where previous efforts have failed.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Many questions immediately come to mind: How will the hundred million dollars be spent? Will it hire more administrators, more consultants, more administrative assistants? Will it be spent on meaningless programs that obfuscate the real issues and mask failure? How will the effectiveness of such a large donation be assessed? In short, we need to know just how this money will impact students.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Today vast segments of our population (and not solely the young) struggle with illiteracy, have limited awareness of geography, are unable to perform simple mathematical computations, have little or no awareness of foreign languages other than what they grew up speaking, and, sadly, repeat the mistakes of history, having not learned its lessons. It was just a short time ago that a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ph</span>.D. educational supervisor in North Carolina advocated sweeping changes in the teaching of American history at the high school level that would omit systematic study of events prior to 1877. What can we do to change this? </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Yes, we still have many fine schools, but we must guard them carefully and keep a careful watch on them to make sure they are not targeted by "reforms" that would eviscerate the education they offer. We should also study not only what makes a good school, but, more importantly, what makes a good teacher. More on that soon!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">What do you think?</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Thanks,</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Gary</span></strong>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2434891695683209704.post-91856733613364823502010-09-27T21:56:00.003-05:002010-09-28T20:31:30.001-05:00Satori in the Heartland<strong><span style="color:#660000;">The Zen master D. T. Suzuki once wrote: "In Zen there is nothing to explain by means of words....Do not remain silent; nor be discursive." Performance artist Tom Brady, in his new work <em>Emozioni Ricordati</em> (Recalled Emotions), presented by ANNONYarts, has constructed a collage of forms without form that evoke primeval memories and glimpses of what we once were, are and are becoming.<br /><br />Brady's three-movement work spreads itself--and him--throughout the aptly-named studio and performance space he has created in St. Louis' Grand Center Arts District, Satori: An Artist's Space. He utilizes basic shapes common to our three-dimensional reality--an oblong box, ascending stairs, pegs on a wall--as a backdrop for his lithe movements that jab at our neglected awareness of ourselves and our environment and remind us that we are physical beings mired in physicality, yet blessed with a spirit that embodies seeking, yearning, exploration and evolution. As we pause to reflect, the flash of insight is akin, perhaps, to the renewed and clarified vision we experience when we achieve satori, the initial step to enlightenment.<br /><br />As a performance artist, Brady's creativity in this one-man show embraces movement, sound, poetry, structure and visual effect. Like opera, performance art is comprehensive, and involves all art forms. Brady created the atonal music that creates a wall of sonority that frames each movement of his work, assisted by percussionist Rich O'Donnell in the first work. The music is flowing, organic and electronically fortified, yet rhythmic, and seems to ooze like seeping water into the performance space. The costumes run from a close-fitting amphibious body-suit to a red-turbaned gymnast to a white-plumed creature flirting with flight. Mark Raeber's lighting is sparse and sufficient throughout.<br /><br />The opening section of <em>Emozioni Ricordati</em> is entitled "Man in the Box", and begins with Brady emerging from a coffin-like oblong box, replete with a dark spirit underneath played by assistant Laura Murphy, who performs double duty as stage manager. Like a nascent life form rising out of primordial substance, Brady's nebulous spirit begins to explore its environment and take account of itself, ultimately re-alighting on the box from which it came. In the second segment, "Crescent", Brady winds his body about a black staircase, ascending to wherever the viewer's imagination would see it go, accompanied by Brady's narration constituting a reflection on the meaning of being present and being not-present, perhaps somewhat like a meditation on the impact of our beings on ourselves and others. In the concluding movement, "Sore/Soar", a nameless anthropomorphic creature, swaddled in stoles made of white plastic ties, strives to free itself from the earth.<br /><br />In the discussion which followed the performance, Brady was asked if there was a unifying theme to the three movements of the total work. Brady, in true Zen spirit, did not dictate what the theme or themes might be, but felt that a theme could emerge after considering the work in its entirety. Although it is probably best to allow each viewer to make up his or her own mind, some of the words and descriptors that come to mind would include "evolution", "exploration", "effort", "reflection", "desire"--just to name a few.<br /><br />A review of a work such as this should not focus on whether the performance was "good" or "bad". Rather, it should ask the question, "Did the performance make the viewer think?" I would say the answer is a definite yes. The meaning that we draw from this work is personal to each of us, and should not be dictated. Perhaps the best compliment we can pay to Tom Brady is that he allows his audience to become co-creators as they discover his work and develop their own meanings.<br /><br />For more information about Annonyarts and its consortium of artists, call 314-652-3003, or visit their website at www.satori3003.net.<br /></span></strong>Gary Liam Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03557091978777015830noreply@blogger.com1