Essays
Long-form writing on music, sound, culture, composition, listening, and human life.
Who Gets the Solo?
How Music Reflects—and Reinforces—Individualism At some point in history, the melody became the main character in Western music. Since then, we’ve rarely looked back. Walk into almost any concert in…
When Music Loses Its Maker: AI, Intent, and the Efficiency Illusion
I. What Do I Really Think About AI and Music? What do I have to say?What do I feel? This is not a technical breakdown of AI tools or a…
Not Yet, Not Gone: Suspensions in Music and Life
A suspension is a point of potential that is followed by a result that causes redefinition of what led up to the suspension and resolution. For example a series of…
The Quiet End: Piano, Pianissimo, and Listening
There is a sound that exists at the edge of silence. It is not absence but presence, a fragile vibration that seems to hover just beyond reach. To hear it,…
Where Nothing Ends: Legato and the Truth of Connection
First Section: The Sound of Vulnerability There is a note. It begins with the press of a key, the weight of a finger, the flow of eternal causality into sound.…
Non-Living Sonic Structures: Nature’s Blueprint for Composers
Music has long found inspiration in the natural world, often mimicking its sounds—birdsong, rainfall, or the thunderous roar of waves. But beneath these evocative sounds lie deeper, more profound lessons:…
The Tales of Mande Music: A Storytelling Tradition in Sound
Deep in the heart of West Africa, the music of the Mande people offers more than melodies—it unfolds as living history, oral tradition, and profound cultural memory. Central to this…
Japanese Gagaku Music: The Timeless Resonance of Nature and Ritual
Among the oldest forms of orchestral music in the world, Japanese Gagaku is a sonic treasure, preserved for over a thousand years. Originating in the imperial courts of Japan, this…
The Innovator You Missed: Érik Satie’s Surprising Influence on Modern Music
A Peculiar Pioneer Eric Satie, in the Paris of the late 19th century, was the type of man you might not notice at first glance—a thin figure in a bowler…
The Resonant Harmony of Chinese Music: Timbre, Symbolism, and Structure
In the vast soundscape of Chinese music, sound transcends mere entertainment, becoming a bridge between humanity, the cosmos, and nature. The sharp ring of bronze bells, the introspective tones of…