Using Computers To Make Music
Computers watch our house, make our cars more efficient, help us pay our bills, give us directions, and even help composers notate music...but can they write their own music? Well, yes and no. Asking computers to write music is one thing...but composers have been using computers to make music for a long time. At least since the mid-50's, as composer R. Luke Dubois points out in this tribute to early computer music pioneer Max Mathews.
Live Like A Diva
Much of Dame Joan Sutherland's life was spent on the world stage, but now (for the handsome sum of $5.5 million Australian dollars - a little over $5.8 million US dollars) you can experience a Joan Sutherland "prequel" by purchasing her childhood home in the now-affluent suburb of Woolahra outside of Sydney, Australia. I hope you're handy, however...it needs a little work. Watch Dame Sutherland in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSC3zkjRcSc
Early Musicians Are No Longer Second Class Citizens
The complaints were many...beginning with, "They're playing out of tune." Others said: "Why even have a harpsichord, if you can't hear it?" Then there was the inevitable question at a cocktail party..."So what do you do?" "I play crumhorn." Huh? Musicians specializing in early music are no longer getting strange looks says the Wall Street Journal's Heidi Waleson, except perhaps from Lady Gaga fans, who REALLY have no right to stare. In fact, Gaga's little monsters might actually get into some of the lavish opera productions taking place beginning Sunday at the Boston Early Music Festival (website).