Cultural Improvisations

New Rocksmith Game Introduced with Lamest Video Ever

June 11, 2013

As a longtime Rocksmith fan, I was somewhat excited to hear that a new version of Rocksmith was coming in 2014. Two things come to mind though. First, why would you release a video announcing how “awesome” the game will be without showing any of the new features or new interface? Really Rocksmith? So unawesome. [...]

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The Significance of Supporting the Artists You Treasure

February 5, 2013

Treasuring the artists we admire and love is extremely important, and yet it’s an issue that is often taken for granted. I sit here listening to the new Mutiny Within album prepping for the first album review I’ve done in several months. But before I get into the album, I’m thinking about the band’s history [...]

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Virtuoso: Finally a Game for Classical Musicians to Geek Out?

January 29, 2013

Well, maybe. The game isn’t available just yet, but Caleb Heisey, the designer behind the game, conceived the idea for a graduate design project. Virtuoso is a music theory board game. Players compete against each other by successfully answering trivia questions about music history, composition, listening comprehension, and theory. Not for the faint of heart, Virtuoso is a [...]

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Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, and James Taylor among over 600 Musicians Performing at 2013 Inauguration

January 21, 2013

Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, and James Taylor were just some of the over 600 musicians who braved chilly temperatures to perform at Barack Obama’s 2013 inauguration. The morning kicked off with the 160-member “President’s Own” Marine Band. Later in the ceremony, the band performed “Hail to the Chief” and “Semper Fidelis” composed by the Marine Band’s [...]

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Saturday Night Live Gives New Meaning to Silent Night

December 16, 2012

On Saturday night, Saturday Night Live opened the show with a simple, but moving tribute to open the show. Typically, SNL opens the show with a comedic skit, but chose to open the show with a heartfelt performance by the New York City Children’s Chorus singing “Silent Night” honoring the victims in Newtown, Connecticut. Life [...]

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Megadeth’s Dave Ellefson Visits Damaged Area of Long Island in New York Before Show

November 11, 2012

Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson visited Long Island, New York to see firsthand the damaged coastal region as a result of Sandy just before a concert on Saturday. He and his entourage took some video, which reveals how people are coping about two weeks after the storm and more than 120K residents remain without power. Fortunately, [...]

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PBS Brilliantly Explains the Value of Music (and Magic)

September 30, 2012

OK…I fibbed a tad. PBS really focused on the significance of the MP3. But let’s face it, MP3 files are mostly music. There is no doubt society loves music and appreciates culture. We consume it daily. And thanks to all sorts of technology, the ability to find, consume and share it with friends is easy. [...]

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If The World Melts, There Goes the Symphony

July 23, 2012

Walk outside and it’s likely something feels different. It might be hard to identify what exactly is going on, but if you’re in the U.S., there is one clear message – welcome to a new world of hotter weather. While some debate the viability and accuracy of climate, I read something on Rolling Stone [...]

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Olympic Organizers Ask Professional Musicians to Perform without Pay at London 2012

July 19, 2012

While listening to the CBC show Q on Tuesday night, I heard a story about British musicians who claim that the London 2012 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has asked professional performers to play for free during the upcoming festivities. As a member of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), this struck a [...]

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Bouquet of Pianos Springs up in Downtown Denver

July 10, 2012

On our recent trip to Denver, Contrapuntist and I discovered that a bouquet of colorfully painted pianos had sprung up along the 16th Street Mall, in the heart of downtown. The pianos are part of Your Keys to the City, a public piano art program created by the Downtown Denver Partnership. Each instrument is hand-painted [...]