Should I Study at a Conservatory?

Every year around this time, I have students on the verge of big decisions. Some of them are undergrads considering grad school and, perhaps even more potently, some of them are teenagers considering music school, which entails the dual debate of whether to pursue a career in music AND how best to do so. The…

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Top 10 Albums That Have “Stuck With Me”

After taking a few days off from Facebook, I returned to find that many of my friends (both musicians and not) are posting lists of their top 15 albums that will “always stick with you.” Obviously I enjoy lists and enjoy talking about music that’s important to me. So to have my cake and eat it too, I’m turning that into a top 10 list.

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Beetkes (Beet Latkes)

Everyone likes latkes, right? Based on my appearance and mannerisms (and in some cases my last name, which comes from the gentile side, ironically enough), folks assume I’m Jewish, and given that my mother is a Jew, that’s technically true (by the laws of Israel or whatever). From a faith-and-upbringing standpoint I’m really not, but…

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Broiled Black Beans with Sage

This recipe is tasty and ridiculously easy. Its main purpose is to find a use for excessive sage. If sage is overrunning your herb garden, this is for you, or you can probably virtually any savory herb for which that’s the case. This is not a “go out to the gourmet store and spend 8 bucks for a little package of sage” kind of recipe.

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