As a New Year's post, here's some of the progress I made in 2011... Started Music at Our House with Scott Powell--looking forward to the next time we'll offer these online music history and appreciation courses (details coming soon) Released my book " Dancing with the Muses: A Historical Approach to Basic Concepts of Music ." Continued teaching at the Mannes College of Music, getting youngsters into musical life Guest lectured on ancient music for Western Civ courses at NYU, in collaboration …

I am stunned to learn of the death yesterday of the extraordinary opera singer Shirley Verrett. Here is her Times obituatry: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/arts/music/06verrett.html She had been my singing teacher at the University of Michigan, and she was an absolutely amazing lady. She had a great spirit, a great vivacity and energy, a great dramatic flair, a great love of life. I loved listening to her recordings, and in my singing lessons I always found it a thrill when she would sing to …

I saw Ayn Rand's play "Ideal" in New York two weeks ago with my fiancee and friends. It is directed by Jenny Beth Snyder at the 59E59 blackbox theater. Since the reviews of the play in the lamestream press have been what they've been, I feel obligated to say something. I love the play and knew it well before attending. Since I had known the work only as a dry script, the main thrust of my interest was in seeing Ideal made real. In that respect I give the performance highest marks. To see and …

Democrats were willing to Kamikazee-dive the Obamacare bill into America because the passage is a matter of principle: a nationalized healthcare system is a 180 degree reversal of the Constitution. This bill completely destroys the principle of the sovereign, self-sufficient, self-responsible individual. It completely destroys the principle of independence and individualism that was the essence of the Founding Fathers' political outlook. In place of the inalienable rights of man, in place of the the …

Here is an interesting article about the rates of job loss in various sectors of the economy since the 2007 start of the depression/recession, as measured by jobs listing agrregator Monster.com. It shows that of all areas, the worst rate of loss was in arts & recreation. Notice that rates of job loss in utilities, manufacturing, and especially mining were much lower. This shows that Maslow's hierarchy of needs is indeed true: man's attentions and efforts go first to his most basic physiological needs …