Chris Rouse watches soap operas while composing. Kabalevsky would write during parties. How do you work…or avoid work?

How do you recover a relationship with music you feel once
“belonged” to someone else?

Art fairs are the cool destination in the contemporary art world. Why isn’t this happening in the new music world? Is our club still too exclusive?

Hearing my music performed reminds me that I am a musician—a seemingly obvious idea, but one that seems to slip to the wayside when I do necessary, yet not very musical chores for days or weeks on end.

Everyone is busy planning our President’s Day party.

I am exploring the idea that there is some kind of bond between the music sung by Jews in the Second Temple and the music sung today, through an unbroken line of family traditions going back 22 centuries.

Three days ago, I read a history of the Jews in Rome, and now I am angry in a way that can’t be pushed to the back burner.

I can’t say I recommend three-hour new music concerts—it’s mentally exhausting for me—but by the looks of it, Roman audiences can’t get enough.

I was amazed to see virtually the entire audience remain for a performance of Luigi Nono’s A floresta é jovem e cheja de vida, which came last on the second half of a 2 and 3/4 hour concert.

When listeners get lost in a piece, what can I do to more clearly lead the way?