FEATURE The Musicological Zest of “Switched On Pop” The New Yorker: Alex Ross Music appreciation is having a resurgence, although the music being appreciated has changed. Early in the twenty-tens, song-explainer videos began proliferating on the Internet. When podcasts took off, dissections of the innards of pop hits were in demand. Now TikTok has its own pithy army… Read more »
FEATURE Reckoning with a Reckoning: How Cultural Institutions Can Advance Equity Nonprofit Quarterly: Kim Zeuli, Maria Rosario Jackson, and Seth Beattie The questions are wide-ranging, including what art is presented, by whom, and for what audience. RESEARCH AND OPINION What Orchestras Must Do, After Covid NY Times: Letters – Simon Woods Read Simon Woods response to Anthony Tommasini’s article “Reinventing the American… Read more »
FEATURE Five Ways Classical Music Is Pivoting Ludwig van TORONTO: Michael Vincent According to Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup, there are ten different kinds of pivots. At least six out of them are relevant to classical music. RESEARCH AND OPINION How Bang on a Can helped remake the world of new music Datebook:… Read more »
The eighth annual Project Jumpstart Innovation Competition took place on February 6 over Zoom–our first virtual competition! The day was an inspiring display of creativity, planning, entrepreneurial thinking, and professionalism from all of our contestants. The future is in good hands! Many thanks to the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Kelley School… Read more »
FEATURE Reinventing the American Orchestra NY Times: Anthony Tommasini Flexible programming, broader racial representation and welcoming spaces would go a long way in recovering from pandemic closures. Major institutions have been grappling not just with survival, but also with questions of mission, relevance and inclusion, issues that became even more acute when nationwide demonstrations for… Read more »
FEATURE Music Gives the Brain a Crucial Connective Advantage Inverse: Ali Pattillo Even if children abandon their music lessons when they hit their angsty teen years, cognitive neuroscientists say cultivating musical ability early on has lifelong benefits. Playing music can help children read better, store memories, and pronounce different languages. RESEARCH AND OPINION For These… Read more »
FEATURE Prompted by the Pandemic, Opera Philadelphia Innovates Online NY Times: Seth Colter Walls Opera Philadelphia pluckily spent 2020 commissioning new work and launching its own streaming service. OperaPhila.tv, which debuted in October and is available as an app for major streaming devices, so far features just one vintage broadcast: an engaging 2015 production of… Read more »
A new year promises lots of uncharted territory, but when we cultivate an attitude of curiosity, patience, and creativity, these unknowns and challenges can become exciting rather than daunting. We’ve chosen “Exploring New Territories” as Project Jumpstart’s theme for the month of January, and the work of the Jacobs School of Music Center for Electronic… Read more »
FEATURE Biden to celebrate diversity at inauguration Aldianews: Natalia Puretas Cavero With the participation of famous artists such as Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Eva Longoria, Foo Fighters and Demi Lovato, the organization seeks to have a line-up that represents the cultural plurality that is part of the country and contributes to its… Read more »
Our final feature of the year spotlights a few of the innovative and creative adaptations made by Jacobs faculty, staff, and students in response to this new and crazy world of 2020. This is a three-part series, just a glimpse of the many ways that members of our community have channeled inspiration, resilience, and determination… Read more »