My friend Chester Biscardi says he wishes he had something gay to tell me about his recent trip to China in May. But two weeks of performances of your music on the other side of the planet is nothing to apologize for. He was featured composer at the Beijing Modern Music Festival and from the look of the photos, he was treated very well.  He kept a detailed journal of the experience and the folks at Sarah Lawrence College,...

Composer Pauline Oliveros’ trainings in Deep Listening are conducted in immersive retreat settings each summer and the locations are usually pretty spectacular, if remote. Participants bond over meals and recreation and begin morning and afternoon sessions in meditation.  In addition to Oliveros’ informal instruction, the new age-y atmosphere includes discussion and sharing, an introduction to Tai Chi, and sometimes...

It would be easy to say that 14 years after the death of Leonard Bernstein, the legendary American composer, conductor and educator casts a long shadow.  But sunsets, darkness and shadows are just not the right metaphors.  Bernstein is still a star, and his glowing light seems stronger than ever. Some evidence: Almost 50 years after its premiere, “West Side Story” receives an average of 300 productions a year...