Yuval Fichman
The Via Salzburg Community - A Celebration of Life
Via Salzburg is sometimes referred to as “the Via Salzburg family,” but following my experiences of the past couple of years with this esteemed institution, I’m inclined to broaden the term to “the Via Salzburg community.” This is because savouring the various hats as soloist, chamber music collaborator, audience member, occasional consultant and perhaps most fun of all, party-goer, I feel that I’ve interacted and enjoyed such stimulating moments with a community of people that literally span the globe! Read more…A Celebration of Life
Dr. Graham Freeman
Tango and Musical Nationalism
Genres such as the Tango can be very difficult for composers. As mentioned in the programme notes, the Tango is often seen as the official music of Argentine nationalism. In essence, Tango is the soundtrack of the Argentine sense of national identity. In some ways, this can be a good thing: it can provide a rallying point for a nation struggling to free itself from oppression; or provide a sense of stability for new nations looking for a way to express their new-found sense of unity and community. Read more…Tango and Musical Nationalism
Dr. William Macrae
Music and the Brain
Economic recession is bad enough. Bean counters and politicians tell us almost daily that now is the time to cut back, to eliminate non-essentials from our spending, which inevitably means the arts. What I find almost as bad is the way in which the discussion of music in the popular press has now become inextricably entangled within science. Read more…Music and the Brain