MOOC Review: International Human Rights Law: Prospects & Challenges

International Human Rights Law: Prospects and Challenges is offered by Duke University through Coursera. It is the first Coursera course I have taken that is not related to music. I previously completed Coursera’s Fundamentals of Music Theory, Develop Your Musicianship, and History of Rock Part 2. This course is, of course, quite different. While I for the most part had no trouble breezing through the weekly quizzes of those music-related courses, this human rights course was far more challenging. 

My Top 10 Favourite Scores for War Films

Love, betrayal, revenge, elation, regret, shame, and anger are amongst the emotions composers may be called upon to describe musically when composing for a war film. Those emotions can range from the highest of the highs to the lowest of the lows. The following pieces of music inspired by those diverse emotions as they examine the human condition through the lens of war described through the tapestry of symphonic music.

My Top 5 Guitarists!

Number 5: Glenn Proudfoot  My first impression of Glenn Proudfoot came via this duet he played with Tommy Emmanuel, my third favourite guitarist. Seeing him perform with Tommy was proof that he had something special going for him and was worth exploring.

Going Clear: A Documentary About Scientology

Summary & Background: In February 2011, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Lawrence Wright wrote a lengthy article about Scientology based around the reflections of screenwriter and Academy Award nominee Paul Haggis who had recently left Scientology.

Violin Master Shinichi Suzuki “The Biggest Fraud in Music History.”

October 27, 2014: Violin Master Shinichi Suzuki “The Biggest Fraud in Music History.”

Summary: In addition to appearing in The Sydney Morning Herald, this article appeared on several news sites and caused quite a stir in the violin community. Violinist Mark O’Connor claims to have discovered evidence that Shinichi Suzuki, creator of the famous Suzuki Method of musical instruction, was a complete fraud who lied about his history and experience in order to sell violins and make money via his rather unoriginal and bizarre teaching ideas.

An Interview with Composer Michael Giacchino

An Interview with Composer Michael Giacchino

Date: August 19, 2014

Summary: Film composer Michael Giacchino looks very relaxed as he speaks frankly about his work as a film composer and the journey that led him to his job. The interview covers his entire life and career up until the interview date. The interviewers are very knowledgeable about Michael and his music, and that helps to make the interview both more informative and a lot more interesting.

TED Talk: Ex-Moonie Diane Benscoter: How Cults Think

Ex-Moonie Diane Benscoter: How Cults Think (February 2009)

Summary: In her TED talk, Diane Benscoter recounts her experiences while a member of Sun Myeong-moon’s Unification Church (통일교회).

Breaking News English: Misbehaving Students Punished With Mozart

Misbehaving Students Punished With Mozart (January 20, 2010)

Summary: Brian Walker, a teacher in England, plays Mozart for his students on Friday afternoon detention in an effort to encourage them to improve their behaviour.

John Williams: The Most Oscar Nominated Person Alive

This very short CNN interview with composer John Williams highlights a rather remarkable fact about his career: he has more Oscar (Academy Award) nominations than any other person alive.