Author Archives: ToniAnn Fanizzi

Posts by ToniAnn Fanizzi

Comments by ToniAnn Fanizzi

"As I first started reading this post, I was very disturbed by both the idea of having a camera installed in the back of one's head, and also by the idea of the project. I thought to myself, "How could this overstepping the boundaries of privacy be considered OK?" However as I reached the end of the post, my eyes were unveiled. Katherine is right--people everywhere seem to have no problem sharing their entire lives with the world through internet sites. What makes this any worse?"
--( posted on Nov 16, 2010, commenting on the post Art Through a New Perspective )
 
"Wow, these plays actually sound really interesting to me as well! Emily Dickinson was right--silence does sometimes prove to be the most powerful way to communicate. This ties in with what Victor Wooten was saying about how improvisation is often the best when filled with silence. It's what one doesn't say (or play) that speaks the loudest."
--( posted on Nov 15, 2010, commenting on the post Silence is Golden )
 
"I think that the use of technology in the arts is OK to a point. In MysteryGuitarMan's videos, you can see that he is still actually playing the instruments despite all that he adds in through the use of electronics. Where I don't agree with the use of computers, in music especially, is that it makes it much easier for virtually anyone to produce a piece of music. The person does not even have to have any musical talent in order to create music using something such as Garage Band or Sibelius. In this respect, I do not think it's fair for musically untalented people to make hits using these programs while other, truly talented musicians can barely make a living trying to get by on live performances."
--( posted on Nov 15, 2010, commenting on the post Mystery Guitar Man? )
 
"I never really understood acoustics either, I just always knew that they had something to do with the way a group sounded. Once I got to high school, I compared my new auditorium to the one I had played in for 3 years at the middle school. There was a noticeable difference in the quality of the sound. Currently, one of the bathrooms in my house is being redone. I remember just the other day, I was practicing my flute in my room. My sound was alright that day, but I have produced a better tone before. However, during my practice, someone knocked at the front door. I walked down the hallway to answer the door, still playing my flute as I walked. As I passed the bathroom--which was, at the time, basically just an empty room with sheet-rocked walls, my flute sounded so rich and full! Afterwards, I decided to take the piece I was working on into the unfinished bathroom and practice in there! The acoustics must have been really great because the sound was phenomenal! Of course, I can't have my performances in my bathroom, but this change in sound made me long to achieve that type of sound in any other room I practiced in. Acoustics counts!"
--( posted on Nov 15, 2010, commenting on the post Philharmonic at Carnegie: What a difference a hall makes )
 
"All I wanted to do as I sat through this interview was go home and practice my flute. I longed to pick up my instrument and try to apply everything that Wooten was saying about playing music. Personally, I got a lot out of this presentation. As a music major myself, I could really relate to everything that was discussed. While Dan and Wooten were talking, I could recall comments that my private flute teacher tells me constantly. Comments such as "Think about the line, not the individual notes", or "Imagine this was being played on a cello...ok now a violin...a trumpet...someone is singing it". And once I play something really musical, my teacher will always ask "Ok, now what did you do to make it sound like that?" My response is always the same: "I'm really not sure! I just felt it, like that's the way it is supposed to sound to me." I really enjoyed learning about some of the oversimplified science of what is going on in the brain while listening to or learning music. I loved how the two speakers brought up the point that the listeners long to be a part of the music, to engage in it in some way. When a performer can actually get to that point, where the audience is fully captured, and feel a part of the music that they themselves are not actually playing, then is it a great musical performance. I'm definitely glad I went to this lecture!"
--( posted on Nov 4, 2010, commenting on the post Greg Antonelli – Wootenology (A Made Up Science About Music And The Brain And Fantastic Bass Playing) )
 
"When it comes to things that have been done for years, I think it is very important to keep them going. I admire Ms. Johnson's fervor in trying to re-start the Dance Theatre of Harlem. I have found that situations such as these serve as a model for the rest of the community. If the Dance Theatre just shut down all together and gave up, what hope would that provide for the surrounding area? Even if the dance group is going to be smaller, and maybe not as good yet as it was in the past, it is the principle of keeping the program around that will spark hope and life into the people and city. It very well may serve as a symbol to keep on going against all odds."
--( posted on Nov 3, 2010, commenting on the post Greg Antonelli – Dance Theatre of Harlem )
 
"This sounds so cool! I would love to experience The Ride someday. I really liked how you said "When it’s not obvious who the audience is and who the subjects of the show are, you know it’s something special." How often is there such an experience as this? This is certainly a very creative idea, and one that will hopefully inspire other productions like it."
--( posted on Nov 3, 2010, commenting on the post The City is your Stage )
 
"WOW! I honestly did not even know who Julia Fischer was before reading this post, but I cannot believe how talented she is! Both of those pieces on violin and piano are clearly not easy. I can't imagine the amount of time Julia Fischer must have spent practicing each instrument. This ties in with the lecture we are going to see tonight, in a way. Would Julia Fischer be considered a "master" at both violin and piano? Evidently, she sounds amazing on both instruments, but I wonder if she put in at least 10,000 hours practicing each! Both performances by Fischer had me floored. Like you, Erica, I sometimes practice for hours and feel like there is still so much left to work on. Great post!"
--( posted on Nov 3, 2010, commenting on the post Julia Fischer, Professional violinist…AND pianist! )
 
"I am not a dedicated viewer of this show, but I have seen it a few times. The cakes they create are really amazing, and look delicious! But I think Doron is right in saying that how one views a piece of art is partly dependent on the mood they are in at the time. This also ties in with what Professor Smaldone was speaking about in class just yesterday. If you go to an art museum in a bad mood, with the expectation that it will be really boring, then you may not get as much out of the artwork as someone who goes into the museum with a cheerful disposition and low, yet open expectations."
--( posted on Nov 2, 2010, commenting on the post SugARTists )
 
"I really enjoyed watching this, Beth! I thought this was a very creative and interesting vlog idea. As I watched your video, I noticed that I was paying equal attention to your hands, mouth, and voice. While mouthing the words really aided in me understanding what you were saying with your hands, I don't think I would have gotten everything if it weren't for your dubbed voice and words on the bottom of the screen. I cannot imagine having to read sign language all the time instead of just hearing someone speak. What a privilege we have! I wonder if people who can't hear still get the same effect as people who can hear when watching a "silent" show. Do they fill the silence with music, voices, and other sounds in their heads? It would be interesting to find out!"
--( posted on Nov 1, 2010, commenting on the post Sign Language and Theater Vlog )
 
"I agree with you that the music in movies is just as important as the movie itself. I remember doing a lab in biology when I was in 9th grade. We watched the scary movie The Ring, one time all the way through, music and all. During one suspenseful part, one of the main characters is sneaking around a warehouse trying to find a file. The music in the background is very eerie, and when the character pulls a file out, she drops it on the floor and a HUGE centipede-type bug falls on the paper. The bug falling is accented by a loud bang in the music, which caused my whole class to jump, and a few people to scream out. After the movie ended, my teacher went back to this particular scene and played it again, this time without sound. Suddenly, the scene was not scary at all, and the bug that fell was just seen as a gross bug! I found it amazing how much the music actually contributed to the movie! Music is super important!"
--( posted on Oct 27, 2010, commenting on the post A World Without Sounds )
 
"Alex, this was great! You were entertaining to watch and listen to, and I'm jealous that you tried out a Vlog and had it work out so successfully :) I am a guilty member of the party who heard of Muse because of their song in Twilight, and since then, I have not really listened to any other songs by them. I cannot say that I am a Muse fan right now simply because I have not taken the time to listen to their albums. However, your post made me really interested in the band's other music, and I would really like to check it out! Great job!"
--( posted on Oct 27, 2010, commenting on the post Vlog: Muse Live at Nassau Coliseum )
 
"As a musician, I have always hated the idea of confining myself to one genre. While I do love classical, jazz is also a favorite. However, the two are extremely different. There have been countless times in my music theory classes when I would hear my teacher say something like "That would be acceptable for jazz, but it is forbidden for classical." This always bothered me; why should certain things be allowed in jazz -- certain intervals and figured bass -- but not in classical? I play classical flute, but I also play jazz on alto sax and am a jazz vocalist. I remember preparing for a classical NYSSMA solo in 11th grade; it was my first time really singing a classical piece, and I kept trying to put some jazz flare into the music. My teacher told me that I couldn't really do that because the judge would be looking for more traditional classical singing. There have been so many times that I wished I could successfully bridge the gap between jazz and classical. And who knows, maybe one day, I will!"
--( posted on Oct 17, 2010, commenting on the post Alexander Markov: Two Sides of the Same Coin )
 
"To answer your question, I don't remember the last time I used an actual CD player besides the one built into my car! But I certainly do not miss carrying one around! This post made me think about how things considered "art" now may not necessarily have been considered art during their time. When the boombox or CD player came out, I doubt that people thought it was some great work of art. However, now that it has pretty much faded from society, it is becoming valuable and now worthy of being called "art". This is the case with so many other things -- paintings, music, movies, etc. I wonder why that is!"
--( posted on Oct 17, 2010, commenting on the post Where our music was… )
 
"This was super disgusting! I could not even watch the whole video! I guess it would have to be considered art though--vomiting like this is how this particular artist chooses to express himself. Who am I to say that it is wrong? Apparently, many people find the works great; great enough to pay $5000 for a piece! I would not be among those people, for sure, but I certainly cannot say that this artist does not create art at all. To him, I'm sure his works are beautiful, which is really all that matters anyway."
--( posted on Oct 10, 2010, commenting on the post Vomit Art )
 
"Beatboxing has always fascinated me as well. I am a flute player, and someone showed me this video of a man playing the flute while beatboxing into the instrument. Some may not particularly like this, but I found it really cool! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59ZX5qdIEB0"
--( posted on Sep 28, 2010, commenting on the post Beatboxing = The Art of Urban Vocal Percussion )
 
"I really enjoyed this performance, and it really opened my eyes to a whole new world of dance. I have not been to a ton of dance performances, but this one was one of the best I've seen by far. The dancers really did an amazing job of conveying the emotions of the storyline. I was surprised by how easily I was able to understand what was going on, and it was so interesting to me that an actual story could be told through dancing. The music did help a lot in understanding the story, and I really liked the song choices. The only thing that would have made it better is if I was able to see the actual performance!"
--( posted on Sep 28, 2010, commenting on the post Parson’s Dance )
 
"First of all, I really enjoyed the setting of this performance. I liked how the lighting was low and the mood was very relaxed. Even the performers on the stage were assembled in a laid-back manner. During the soundcheck, I really didn't know what to think of the music. The piece with the track of Evan Ziporun's daughter seemed very eerie during small clips they played for the soundcheck. However, when I heard that piece in full during the actual concert, I liked it much better. Although the concert only consisted of two long pieces, it felt like more. Each section of the piece brought in something new, although I felt as if there was a recurring motif that could be heard throughout. I thought they concert was an excellent display of musicianship. All of the performers were clearly talented, and I was amazed by the level of communication between each of the players. I especially enjoyed watching the cellist; the way she moved with her instrument, and her face as she played made watching the performance more enjoyable. I could really tell that she wanted to be there, and she was playing something that she loved. All in all, it was a new, fun, interesting experience that I am glad I got to partake in."
--( posted on Sep 28, 2010, commenting on the post Le Poisson Rouge )
 
"This is insane! In my english class, we were talking about graffiti and whether we find it acceptable or not. I think a lot of graffiti is done to make a point, but I wonder what the point of this person's graffiti is! It is extremely interesting and creative, but does it seek to serve an ulterior purpose than just that? In English, I brought up the point that graffiti artists deserve the right to express themselves just as any other person does. Maybe BLU is just simply expressing himself through this graffiti!"
--( posted on Sep 23, 2010, commenting on the post The World is Your Canvas )
 
"I agree with Professor Smaldone in that it is much harder to "hate" artwork after you have met the artist. The idea of 6 people banging on wood for an hour did not particularly peak my interest upon first hearing of the concert featuring Michael Gordon's piece. However, meeting with Mr. Gordon and getting to know him a little bit before hearing the piece allowed me to understand a little of what he intended when he wrote it. Therefore, I was able to really enjoy the concert a lot better than I thought I would. He talked about his favorite part when the percussionists played quarter notes, so I made sure to listen for that part in order to see why he thought it was so cool. Getting to know him as a person before hearing his piece helped me feel like I knew the music better. I would love to have the opportunity to meet many more artists in the future."
--( posted on Sep 18, 2010, commenting on the post Voices Emerge from Behind the Curtain )
 
"You would think that splattering paint over an already beautiful picture would ruin the original photo. This is not the case here! All of these pictures are really cool. I love the way that painting over the original picture actually brings something new and interesting to the pictures."
--( posted on Sep 14, 2010, commenting on the post Overpainted and Understated )
 
"This was really interesting. I have seen these words written in places and many times have wondered what they meant. I poked around on the website a little bit, and some of the pictures of the couple's artwork was pretty strange to me. Maybe it's just not what I'm used to. However, just because I may not take a liking to it does not mean that their work isn't art. I'm sure many people regard their artwork as amazing. Cool post!"
--( posted on Sep 14, 2010, commenting on the post Who is Peru Ana, Ana Peru? )
 
"Wow, this was really cool! I wish I could dance like that!"
--( posted on Sep 14, 2010, commenting on the post José Manuel Carreño )
 
"I've always loved old black-and-white photographs, so I really enjoyed the photos taken by Ginsberg. I agree in that it is very important to capture moments when you're in them, and I never get tired of looking back on old photos, therefore reliving memories. Interesting post."
--( posted on Sep 14, 2010, commenting on the post Allen Ginsberg: Awakened to an Art )
 
"I really enjoyed these pictures. Each one really brings you into the scene and has an interesting perspective on what is going on. Loved this!"
--( posted on Sep 7, 2010, commenting on the post Art and News )
 
"I agree with Professor Smaldone on this one. I could not watch the whole video--it was so disturbing! To each his own, I guess!"
--( posted on Sep 7, 2010, commenting on the post To All You Nail Biters. )
 
"I found this video very interesting! I knew that sound could be made by a finger on a glass, but who knew that it could sound so beautiful? This just makes me think about how music is such an extremely broad category, and how there really is no "good" or "bad" way to play something. Anything could be considered a piece of music, from John Cage's 4:33 to Swan Lake played using a bunch of glasses filled with water. I wonder if Tchaikovsky ever imagined his piece being played like this!"
--( posted on Sep 1, 2010, commenting on the post Musical Glasses )