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Classical Music’s Image Problem

Classical music has an image problem that feels like an existential threat. The pernicious idea of “elitism” — a word that was only coined in the 1980s — spread like Japanese knotweed through the pages of the press as the century neared its close. - The Critic

We’re Obsessed With Dystopias Of The Future. What About Protopias?

Protopias, on the other hand, are achievable. They present a realistic, better tomorrow. But even the protopian visions of more recent iterations of Star Trek, she notes, do not necessarily grapple with our most immediate crises. - NPR

Crossword Puzzles Are All about structures Of Context

Associations, it emerges, are the currency of crosswords — the cleverest clues are dense with puns, word play and sly allusions. - Washington Post

How Censorship Wars are Impacting Theatre In Schools

A whopping 67 percent of educators told EdTA they are weighing potential controversies when they make show selections—and with good reason. - American Theatre

Why Is Adele Talking So Much In Her Concerts?

“I better warn you. I do talk a lot,” she said last Saturday night in Los Angeles. “I have 10 songs and the rest is chat.” In fact, Adele performed 16 songs that night, but she was true to her word. - The Wall Street Journal

Our Achievement Culture Is Not Healthy

In the contemporary world, the self is no longer a subject but a project. The self is something to be optimised, to be maximised, to be made efficient, cultivated for its capacity for productive output. The worry is that all life activities become viewed as lines on a résumé. - Psyche

FCC Is Investigating Pacifica Radio’s New York City Station

"The Commission has received a petition asking it to deny (WBAI) a new license for allegedly violating rules that prohibit noncommercial stations from airing underwriting announcements that contain comparative and qualitative descriptions, price information, calls to action, and inducements to buy products or services provided by program guests." - Inside Radio

Why Rachmaninoff Is Still Hugely Popular (And Misunderstood)

In some ways he seems the archetypal modern man, prone to anxieties and constantly on the move, pushed around by world-historical forces. - The Telegraph (UK)

Not The Norman Rockwell Of Verse — Robert Frost At 150

"Frost remains one of the greatest literary enumerators of a particularly modern darkness, regardless of his reputation (among those who refuse to read him carefully). ... Now, on the 150th anniversary of his birth, it’s worth considering that Frost is our great American poet of darkness." - The Hedgehog Review

State Of Podcasting: American Public Media Downsizes Its Podcast Unit

APM Studios will move away from being a standalone podcast studio and will instead “focus on building strong, multiplatform brands that align with our strategic plan." - Current

Klaus Mäkelä Appointed Chicago Symphony Music Director

"A Finn who turned 28 in January, Mäkelä has had an astonishing rise in the music world. … Mäkelä will become CSO music director designate immediately and start a five-year tenure in 2027-28" — at the same time he begins as chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. - AP

How The Logistics Of Transferring A Show To Broadway Work

"It’s a massive undertaking that, among other things, includes the public relations team finalizing (materials) for marketing and advertising, the box office setting ticket prices and rolling out a calendar for announcements and sales, and the production team planning when load-in can start and what rehearsal schedules will (be)." - Dance Magazine

Why The UK’s Universities Are In Crisis

What has happened to Britain’s supposedly world-beating universities is partly the old post-Brexit story of the young suffering the consequences of something they overwhelmingly didn’t vote for. But it’s complicated by austerity, and arguably by some vice-chancellors biting off more than they can chew. - The Guardian

Some California School Districts Are Misusing New Arts Education Funding, Say Unions

The measure approved by voters, Prop. 28, explicitly said that the money authorized must go for additional arts education programs. That means not using the funds for existing programs and reallocating the existing money elsewhere — which is exactly what some districts are doing, union leaders allege. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

How Harper Collins Is Tweaking Book Design To Save Trees

In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of each book, they’re tweaking fonts, layout, and even the ink used. And so far, these subtle, imperceptible tweaks have saved 245.6 million pages, equivalent to 5,618 trees. - Fast Company

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