Marc | April 14, 2010
Well, once again one of the primary characteristics of fanatical fundamentalists, in the pejorative sense, has shown up. CBC announced that several of the radical Islamist groups in Somalia have banned music from being played on the radio stations there on the grounds that it is “un-Islamic”. As the story noted: Hosts at Mogadishu’s 14 [...]
Marc | March 2, 2010
My friend Jim Cassidy just sent me a link to this presentation. Totally cool, and a fantastic way to show the power of music.
Marc | January 26, 2010
The Medium is the Massage (no, that isn’t a spelling error), is the name of a rather famous work produced by Marshall McLuhan and Quenten Fiore in 1967. It is, in many ways, a popularizing, as well as exemplar, version of McLuhan’s major research focus on how media influences messages or, in it’s better known [...]
Marc | November 26, 2009
I really don’t like rap at all, but one of my ex-students just sent me a link to an incredibly powerful rap video (hat tip to Lindsay Aranoff). The video speaks for itself. Do not watch it if you have a weak stomach.
Marc | October 18, 2009
I normally limit my posts here about music but, given the concert season, I thought I would post a few announcements about upcoming concerts. The first two are in Ottawa, while the second two are national broadcasts which can be heard online.
Marc | June 25, 2009
Last night, I caught the second half of The Music Instinct: Science & Song on PBS (yes, we get PBS in Canada). Two sections really caught my attention – Oliver Sachs speaking on the Importance of Early Musical Training (1:22) and How music can change the brain (1:03). What was most intriguing, for me at [...]
Marc | June 15, 2009
What can I say about St. Paul”s and/or Notre Dame? Well, for one thing, apparently we have been invited back again. More importantly, they are truly amazing places to sing in. Both are centres of their respective traditions and, even though I was raised in the tradition from St. Paul’s, I think I prefer Notre [...]
Marc | June 15, 2009
Just a short note to let people know that the Ottawa Bach Choir‘s last home concert will be airing on Tuesday, June 16, 8 pm on Michel Keable’s Soirée classiques, so don’t forget to mark it on your calendar (102.5 FM – Ottawa, 100.7 FM– Montreal, 90.3 FM – Toronto). It is also available online [...]
Marc | May 31, 2009
Right now, most of my attention and time is focused on music. In particular, the Ottawa Bach Choir in which I sing 2nd Bass, is getting ready for our third European tour. As with our two previous tours, we will be choir in residence at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig (Bach’s old church) and, let me [...]
Marc | February 15, 2009
I just came across this little gem thanks to the Internet Scout Project. The Library of Congress has a series of podcasts (amongst other things) on Music and the Brain, with some really great talks on it. Worth a look if you are interested in how music works.
Marc on Ethics, honour and the dangers of over-ritualization, part 1Marc on Ethics, honour and the dangers of over-ritualization, part 1
In Harmonium » Ethics, honour and the dangers of over-ritualization, part 3 on Ethics, honour and the dangers of over-ritualization, part 2
MM on Ethics, honour and the dangers of over-ritualization, part 1
Backwards Observer on Ethics, honour and the dangers of over-ritualization, part 2