I love it:

My great friend (and fellow BCM International founder) Jim Bonney just turned me on to Jack Conte, a brilliant singer/songwriter who is currently tearing up YouTube. I am smitten with Jack’s music, lyrics, production skills, voice – he’s the complete package, a major talent with a profoundly unique voice. And he’s incredibly hip with his fanbase, actively engaging them at the end of every video and directing them to his web store, all while remaining genuine and charming.

I’m certain that he’s making a living as a musician now, totally supporting himself with his self-produced songs, videos and web store. As soon as he starts to tour, his fans will explode, selling out concerts, buying t-shirts and (every songwriter’s dream) showing up knowing all of his lyrics. Best of all, he’ll never need to sign with a label; he can just keep doing all of it himself, with a small, dedicated staff, always staying true to his personal artistic vision.

Love love love what he is achieving – so very inspiring.

This morning I was in the gym listening to Cecilia Bartoli’s exquisite new album Sacrificium when she sang something that literally stopped me dead in my tracks. I can’t imagine how ridiculous I looked, standing in the middle of the weight room with my giant headphones and tears in my eyes.

Here is the excerpt, from “Profezie, di me diceste” by Sedecia. Listen for the third phrase, where she sings for nearly thirty seconds without a breath.

Wow… a truly spine-tingling sound recording from 1953. One of my very favorite poems, read by the great E.E. Cummings:

And here is the excellent VU Kamercoor (Netherlands) performing my setting, which I composed in 1999:

As someone who has spent way, way too much of his life playing Tetris, I found this video hilarious and oddly… comforting. There is no question in my mind that this is exactly the way this infernal game works.

Can you tell that I am procrastinating?

A big shout-out to super-choir Conspirare, whose CD A Company of Voices: Conspirare in Concert was nominated in the classical crossover category. One of the tracks on the album is a very cool arrangement of What If from my show Paradise Lost.

Here’s a re-post of that arrangement. Congratulations, Conspirare!

Yes, the scholarship deadline will also be moved to January 1st. Woo hoo!

It’s true: in a fit of post-holiday cheer I have decided to extend the deadline for video submissions to January 1st. Seriously, have I mentioned how great this is going to be? You’ve GOT to do this!

An absolutely incredible Ted talk on conducting and the nature of communication within an ensemble. Fascinating viewing regardless your vocation, but a must-watch for would-be conductors.