Three Cheers For Stress!

With the endless chatter today in pop culture about the importance of inner peace and tranquility to happiness; of inner harmony, calm, and mental stillness to a stress-free life, please note that such so-called "blessed" states of mind have done precious little to advance the cause of our cultural heritage - that is, if we view "creativity" as a powerful indicator of human achievement.

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Quality Of Singing At An All-Time Low

Without waxing nostalgic about a former time of superior vocal splendor, we clearly live in a time where the art of singing in all genres is in real peril. There are of course, outstanding singers performing today. A handful of exceptional artists always manage to emerge in every generation, regardless of the unfavorable artistic circumstances.

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The Failings of the Modern “Voice Coach”

SING from the diaphragm! Project your voice into your mask! Sing into your head cavity! Sing out of your forehead! WHAT?? After centuries of artful singing, voice teachers continue to teach these—and other—misguided techniques? And to make this situation even more ridiculous, not only has science shown these practices to have NO basis in reality; trying to learn them actually inhibits and even erodes vocal ability. This nonsense must end!

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American Idolatry

Some people argue that high school is a microcosm of the real world: the “popular” kids become Hollywood celebrities and politicians; the “geeks” go on to become industry moguls; and the “misunderstood” eventually find a way to express themselves as enlightened gurus in their respective fields.

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Entertainment, Electronics + Spectacle

My staff shared with me a few songs from some popular artists topping the charts today: Calvin Harris, Justin Bieber, Rita Ora, and The Wanted. I tend to avoid modern pop stations, so it was an enlightening, if predictable, experience. On the one hand, I would be lying if I were to say I was impressed. And yet, it was instructive.

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