JAMES BOYK MEMORIAM
June 1, 1943 – June 7, 2019
Loving, beloved and generous husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, friend, companion, creator, musician, author, mentor, record producer, sound engineer, inventor, connoisseur, raconteur. This is still insufficient to describe all you were and did. We will always love you and miss you!
Published by Los Angeles Times from Jun. 6 to Jun. 7, 2020.
“Work expands to fill the time allotted to it.” This bit of wit Read More
So simple it sounds silly:
At a random time during practice, STOP! Ask yourself Read More
INTEGRATING mind & heart, science & art, intention & performance, technique & musicality, town & gown, rich & poor, culture high & popular.
MUSICKING a town: Making music at home and in homeless shelters, in prisons and legislatures, outdoors and indoors, in schools and theaters, classrooms and labs, on the Web and on the air. Young playing for old, and old for young. Rich and poor together.
SUPPORTED from below, not imposed from above.
CONNECTIONS within the community and to other communities.
ENHANCING expression and communication; and thus, the emotional health of all.
From the Curmudgeon’s glossary of piano technique:
Half-pedal: An advanced effect in piano playing. Fictitious. Used to intimidate students and feed performers’ narcissism.
Why is it not fussiness or affectation for a pianist to try to assure that he or she has the finest piano in the finest condition for each performance? Because the piano is, with regard to the performance, simply a tool. If the tool is faulty Read More
“Of course you were first prize, my dear. But the jury were instructed not to award the prizes because we don’t have the money.” This is what one harpsichordist was told by the business manager of a European competition after they didn’t Read More
Practicing on the concert-grand in the empty recital hall one afternoon, I became more and more distracted by Read More
Fascinating, yes, to hear two interpretations side by side. But don’t you think each had something to learn from the other? Did you notice how she played the soprano melodies more convincingly, and he played Read More
Or should it be, “Does acoustics matter?” This is just one of the many Read More
