Born and raised in Washington, D.C., I couldn't help but develop a keen interest in politics, but music, theater and visual art also proved great attractions. Music became my main focus after high school. I thought about being a cocktail pianist, but I hated taking requests, so I studied music history instead, earning a B.A. in that field from Eisenhower College (Seneca Falls, N.Y.) and an M.A. from Occidental College (Los Angeles). I then landed in journalism. After freelancing for the Washington Post and others, I was classical music critic for the Sun-Sentinel in South Florida, where I also contributed to NPR. I've written for the New York Times, BBC Music Magazine and other publications, and I'm a longtime contributor to Opera News. My book, The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music (Perigee, 2002), can be found on the most discerning remainder racks.
I joined the Baltimore Sun as classical music critic in 2000 and, in 2009, also became theater critic, giving me the opportunity to annoy a whole new audience. In 2010, my original Clef Notes blog expanded to encompass a theatrical component -- how could I resist calling it Drama Queens? I hope you'll find both sides of this blog coin worth exploring and reacting to; your own comments are always welcome and valued (well, most of them, at least).
Think of this as your open-all-hours, cyber green room, where there's always a performer or performance to discuss, some news to digest, or maybe just a little good gossip to share.
Note: Tim Smith now writes about the fine arts at
baltimoresun.com/artsmash. This blog will be kept in place as an archive for an indefinite period. Please visit the new location to get the latest Mid-Atlantic arts coverage.
View the Artsmash blog
Comments
I would LOVE to know where this kid is now. Such amazing talent. Have you heard his Vivaldi? It's just unreal. That was some "recital." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Bn4m6dQbI&feature=related
Posted by: symphonyguy | March 27, 2011 1:24 PM
Found him!!
http://www.nmgfestival.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=17&lang=en
Posted by: symphonyguy | March 27, 2011 1:29 PM
I like his Bach Passacaglia even better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8-RkPNUSVY
Posted by: Bill | March 27, 2011 6:14 PM
symphonyguys' second link reveals that the accordianist is Ukrainian, not Russian. Having just read Timothy Snyder's Bloodlands, I believe that Ukrainians would consider that a serious mistake.
That alphabet is all Greek to me. But thanks for the clarification. TIM
Posted by: Henry Cohen | March 28, 2011 9:12 AM
This is a stunning feat. The Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto’s Third Movement was deemed impossible to play when it premiered. Tchaikovsky wrote it for his lover Iosif Kotek and they broke up over Kotek’s refusal to tackle it. Next came Leopold Auer and Adolph Brodsky, who in the words of the nasty anti-Semite critic Edward Hanslick, “beat the violin black and blue” playing this “stinking music.” Bohemian violin virtuoso Karel Halíř finally figured out how to tame this unwieldy beast. The rest is history. For pianists, there is the notorious and feared Rachmaninoff Third. For sopranos there are Norma, Turandot and Isolde. For tenors there is Otello and for the baritones Hans Sachs and Rigoletto. For the violinists this is it, the Mount Everest of all concertos. Imagine what it means to play this monster on an accordion. Young Alexander Hrutevich takes up the challenge and comes out unscathed. Bravo!
Amen. Thanks for writing. TIM
Posted by: Rafael de Acha | March 30, 2011 9:10 AM