KillingClassicalMusic

Welcome to the blog of composer, writer, and musical entrepreneur, Grant Charles Chaput.

KillingClassicalMusic.com: It gets your attention, and it has two meanings.

First, the classical music world has over many years developed certain features that are, indeed, killing classical music.  Some of these things include cultural assumptions, business practices, the way the art is presented and the way its consumers are allowed to consume it.  In some ways, classical music has created its own ever-shrinking feedback loop in which the same small circle does the same thing over and over again to the same result.  We train our musicians for other musicians.  We assume that only the pinnacle of artistic achievement is valuable.  We expect ever greater compensation for our efforts.  We create organizations that keep new voices out.  And we keep this feedback loop closed.  This is killing classical music.

The second meaning of KillingClassicalMusic is what this site is really about.  I am referring to our need as performers, composers, music-lovers, music-educators, arts administrators, and myriad other stakeholders to remove from the greatest of all art forms, these self-destructive elements.  None of what creates problems for classical music is essential to classical music.

And so, KillingClassicalMusic.com is about facilitating new thinking in the world of classical music.  Sometimes serious, sometimes irreverent, sometimes spiritual, sometimes sentimental, we’ll play games on this site and share stories, we’ll share ideas and disagree.  The goal is to keep people engaged with and thinking about classical music in new ways.  I am looking forward to learning from you, and together rescuing the world’s best music from a slow, certain death at the hands of tired traditions and oppressively ordinary thought.

Click here to learn more about Grant Charles Chaput.

Here’s a bit of what you can expect on this site:

• SUNDAY: Sacred Music Sundays
  A time to think about and enjoy sacred music of all faiths and traditions; an opportunity to discuss what works and doesn’t in various settings, religious and otherwise; a time for contemplative reflection in the language of music.

• MONDAY: Mozart Mondays
  W.A. Mozart died at the young age of 35.  On Mondays at KillingClassicalMusic.com we will explore youth in music.  Whether how to bring in more young audiences or celebrating the world’s prodigies, Mondays are for the music world’s young people.

• TUESDAY: Question of the Week
  KillingClassicalMusic.com is about community; it will only work with input from everyone.  So, Tuesdays will be a time for issues to be raised and addressed by everyone.  Submissions are most welcome and the best responses will be posted the following week for all to enjoy.

• WEDNESDAY: “Drop The Needle”
  For some fun, we’re going to play a game.  Do you remember having to guess the period, piece, composer, etc. from only a few seconds of a recording in a music history course?  We’ll be doing just that online.  It should be lots of fun and we’ll be creating prizes as the game grows so tell your friends.

• THURSDAY: Musical Pairings
  One way to re-imagine classical music is to get it out of the concert hall.  So, on Thursday’s we will be exploring pairing music with a variety of things: food, drink, literature, etc.  Anyone want to write a dinner party themed to Pierrot Lunaire?

• FRIDAY: Best of the Web
  There are a number of interesting discussions regarding classical music that take place online.  On Fridays, KillingClassicalMusic.com will be your source for finding the best that has come out each week.  Not only that, but this site will be a source for sharing the best news stories and other items throughout the week, so please make sure to drop by and let us know about your own news, etc.

• SATURDAY: Science & Music
  Most people are used to comments about how mathematical music is.  But music is also physiological, psychological, and even sexual.  Whatever it is, Saturdays at KillingClassicalMusic.com will feature the non-musical aspects of music and the musical aspects of everything else (science, technology, and more).

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