What does “community outreach” look like in contemporary culture? This question has been asked with increasing frequency in recent years, in both theoretical and practical contexts. Which means of concert presentation will best communicate the mission of classical performance to novice audiences? How do we demystify genres such as chamber music and opera without seeming[…]
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I know I’m succumbing to stereotype to say this, but it’s hard to believe how fast this year has gone by. It feels as though the seemingly endless polar vortexes of January and February transpired only yesterday, but now it’s the week before Christmas, and 2014 is preparing to make its exit. For me, this[…]
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Those of you who follow me regularly will know that I am a co-founder of Musicovation.com, a mutlifaceted website dedicated to promoting “the positive news about music, for a change.” I know I bring it up quite a lot, but it’s not because I’m trying to brag about our work–I’m consistently inspired and encouraged by[…]
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Many of you may have heard of musicschoolcentral.com–a fantastic site launched earlier this year with the intention of assisting prospective music majors in finding a school and degree program that best suits their individual interests. Its founder, Bill Zuckerman, has done a wonderful job covering the musical school scene from multiple angles, providing posts and[…]
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Last week, I wrote about the challenges high school students face when attempting to find practice time whilst juggling a myriad of other commitments. I concluded that making time for the instrument is certainly possible if one plans ahead and makes the most of their allotted practice hours, but there remains one key ingredient necessary[…]
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This past August, I took advantage of a few free days to clean out and re-arrange my childhood bedroom. This proved to be somewhat of a tall order, as I am hopelessly nostalgic and quite often become sidetracked when sorting through relics of years past (“Just put it in the box, Zachary!” is a common[…]
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It’s All-State audition season here in Illinois–or at least, the first phase of it. Every October, our statewide music educators’ association auditions eligible high school students for placement in one of nine “district” orchestras (a student’s district is determined by their location), and select a certain percentage of those accepted to audition again at the[…]
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Those of you who follow me regularly (you are out there, right?) will know that I recently moved back to my hometown in the suburbs of Chicago. Among other perks, my reinstated status as a midwesterner has allowed for me to once again become involved in the activities of my immediate family, which have changed[…]
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I was only ten years old on September 11th, 2001, yet I recall every detail of that day with arresting clarity: waking up to the brilliant blue sky; learning from a friend of the first plane crash, the news of which didn’t fully register with me as it marked the first time I’d ever heard[…]
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This September marks the two-year anniversary of my entry into the blogosphere. I began writing for Polyphonic soon after I began my graduate studies at Eastman in 2012, and have contributed regularly ever since. The experience of sharing my writing and receiving feedback has been as educational as it has been enjoyable, and as I’ve[…]
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Absolutely lovely, Zach. You captured those very special moments beautifully. You are blessed with writing -- as well as musical!…