Did you know the Hamon Arts Library provides access to millions of music recording tracks? The Library carries multiple formats, but this post will highlight several of its recordings by African-American musicians, singers, and composers available in compact disc. But first, why is Hamon continuing to collect CDs when streaming is the preferred format…Continue Reading The best sound quality: African American musicians on CD in Hamon
Archival Precedent: Walid Raad | The Atlas Group
Elizabeth Moran’s investigation into the origin of fact-checked news in the company archives at TIME magazine, Against the Best Possible Sources, concerns the (im)possibility of truth in both method and content. Henry Luce and Briton Hadden founded TIME magazine in 1923, we learn from Moran, as an “exhaustively scrutinized” alternative to the sensationalized, rapid-fire news media of…Continue Reading Archival Precedent: Walid Raad | The Atlas Group
A deeper dive into archival practice and art
In some ways one could argue that every artwork is an archive in the sense that the accumulated knowledge of the artist is inherently embedded within the material of the work itself, both tangible or intangible. Another way to think about it might be in terms of the idea of a trace: some artists prefer…Continue Reading A deeper dive into archival practice and art
Pioneers of African-American Cinema
Kino Lorber recently released Pioneers of African-American Cinema, a five DVD set with extensive film notes. An announcement of the collection’s release appeared in The New York Times (August 10, 2016), in which the film critic, J. Hoberman, stated that “there has never been a more significant video release” in cinema history. This set includes…Continue Reading Pioneers of African-American Cinema
Get in formation: a Lemonade syllabus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okGJ-Fto36Q Many of us have been on an emotional rollercoaster since Beyoncé gifted us with her visual album Lemonade on April 23. Putting aside our concern for Bey and Jay’s marriage, the album itself is aurally and visually stunning and has received high critical acclaim. Lemonade premiered on HBO, and being especially proud of the part they played in its…Continue Reading Get in formation: a Lemonade syllabus
David Bowie as art critic
Following the announcement of David Bowie’s death in January, a number of memorials have been published praising and critiquing the singer’s other contributions in the arts. Indeed, he was not just a cultural icon involved in music, fashion, film, and theater; in the 1990s, he also wrote about contemporary art….Continue Reading David Bowie as art critic
Ed Bland: American urban classical composer
Several years ago when I was brainstorming for a doctoral performance project, I knew that I wanted to deal with something that had to deal with African-American composers. This was because through all my studies I found that black composers were seldom represented in the classroom and on the performance stage. After some initial research…Continue Reading Ed Bland: American urban classical composer
Pictorial: Meadows singers learn from masters Jake Heggie, Joyce DiDonato, and Frederica von Stade
On November 3, Mezzo sopranos Joyce DiDonato and Frederica von Stade and composer Jake Heggie took time between performances of Heggie’s opera Great Scott to give a master class for singers in the Division of Music in the Meadows School of the Arts. Five students performed art songs and opera arias for the artists…Continue Reading Pictorial: Meadows singers learn from masters Jake Heggie, Joyce DiDonato, and Frederica von Stade
Collection Spotlight: Jake and Nancy Hamon Papers
The Jake and Nancy Hamon Papers contain the personal papers of Jake and Nancy Hamon. Jake Hamon was a legendary Dallas independent wildcatter while his wife Nancy was a celebrated hostess and philanthropist. The collection offers insights into Dallas social and cultural history. The bulk of the materials originates from Dallas, Texas….Continue Reading Collection Spotlight: Jake and Nancy Hamon Papers
Great Scott and great voices at SMU
For the second time in less than five years, the Dallas Opera is producing the world premiere of an opera by composer Jake Heggie with the libretto by Terrence McNally. Great Scott opened Friday, October 30th and will continue its run at the Margo and Bill Winspear Opera House through November 15th….Continue Reading Great Scott and great voices at SMU