The Dawn’s Early Light

Chicago Tribune Top 10 Classical Album, 2020 • WRTI Best of 2020 Album • Apple Music Featured New Album • Qobuz Grand Selection 2022 Grammy® nomination for Best Choral Performance – Craig Hella Johnson, Conspirare, Austin Guitar Quartet, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet,...

The Music of Presidents (A Century Ago)

On Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection, Saturday, November 5th, 5-6 pm: The Star-Spangled Banner: Music (c.1773) by John Stafford Smith (1750-1836); words by Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) Percy Grainger (1882-1961): Spoon River (1919) Grainger: Mock Morris (1910)...

Standing for the national anthem

[First published 24 October 2016 in the Broad Street Review. Edited and reprinted here by permission.] There’s controversy around the national anthem, but all I’m thinking about is my low E-flat. Our ad hoc men’s choir is about to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” for...