Professor Carol, Author at Professor Carol : Page 14 of 20

Bug Free

November 8, 2013November 17, 2012 by Professor Carol

To every thing, turn, turn, turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn. I like things to be useful. When I blog for Discovering Music, I want the posts to promote the value of music history or an understanding of the arts. My heart may … Read more

Learning Polish History

November 8, 2013October 18, 2012 by Professor Carol

If you want to take a whirlwind tour through Polish history as well as Polish art and architecture, the place to start is Krakow’s Wawel Royal Castle and the Wawel Cathedral. We wanted an intense tour, so we employed one of our favorite strategies: Step … Read more

A Cheerleader for the Arts

November 8, 2013October 8, 2012 by Professor Carol

A “cheerleader for the arts” – that’s what one symphony-goer called me last week after hearing my pre-concert talk for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. I was flattered by his gracious assessment. I rather like that description because it captures my conviction that the Arts matter. … Read more

Van Cliburn and an Historic Concert

November 8, 2013September 12, 2012 by Professor Carol

Well, it was a smash. The Gala Concert celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Van Cliburn Competition exceeded anything we dared hope. Most marvelously, Mr. Cliburn addressed the audience right at the beginning. The crowd roared its love for this lion of a man who … Read more

Homeschoolers and the Renowned Van Cliburn

November 8, 2013September 6, 2012 by Professor Carol

How do music history, homeschoolers, and the Van Cliburn Series come together? On an airplane, of course. Airplanes present a peculiar work environment. On the one hand, everyone is miserable, stuffed into a tiny place with dozens of similarly compressed folks. Add in the crying … Read more

Music History on the Rhine

November 8, 2013September 3, 2012 by Professor Carol

Our journey down the Rhine presented featured both a rapid progression of riparian cities and the relaxed intimacy of a small ship with endless opportunities for conversation. (My favorite new buzz-word is riparian—of or relating to the riverbank.) Travel is a beguiling perfume. The common … Read more

The Rhine Delta

November 8, 2013August 26, 2012 by Professor Carol

How far are you ever from water in Amsterdam – the Rhine delta? As rain pounded the metal roof of our hotel last night, I was reminded of the very thing that will occupy us for the next week: the force of water. Water is … Read more

Journeying Up the Rhine

November 8, 2013August 20, 2012 by Professor Carol

Travel-blogging is not new. We just do it via high-tech nowadays. But other than that, most of the elements have stayed the same across the centuries. Have you noticed how water inspires travelers to write? Maybe that’s because it’s hard to hike up a steep mountain while … Read more

Songs My Mother Taught Me

January 10, 2022May 12, 2012 by Professor Carol

I first heard the song 32 years ago, sung by a beguiling Slovakian soprano (well past her prime) who stared at me incredulously: “You do not know Dvorak’s bea-uuuu-ti-ful “Songs my Mother Taught Me? Wvat is de matter with you?” With lightning speed, she plopped … Read more

Science and the Arts

November 8, 2013May 4, 2012 by Professor Carol

Which matters more: science or the arts? The answer is both, particularly at the magnificent 17th-century French court of Louis XIV. Louis XIV was one of the first monarchs to establish institutions called academies to promote “research and development” in specific areas of the arts and science. … Read more