Yuja Wang: Sonatas & Etudes
Few young female pianists can compete with French legend Helene Grimaud, yet Yuja Wang is most likely on her way to become one of the exceptions. Her Sonatas & Etudes: Chopin, Scriabin, Liszt and...
Mothers, embrace the insanity!
From the moment we hear our child’s first cry, we are immediately encouraged to perform the role of long-suffering, ever-vigilant, hyper-nurturing and self-sacrificing mother. It begins with the...
To Be Certain of the Dawn: an interview with Stephen Paulus
Stephen Paulus was born in 1949. His recording, To Be Certain of the Dawn, was composed at the invitation of Minnesota Orchestra and The Basilica of St. Mary. The recording celebrates the 60th...
The Pope and the meaningless apology
Canada has a history of racism and violence against its Indigenous peoples. In the name of conquest, the Canadian government, aided by the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and United Church, forced...
Star Trek Reboot: a franchise boldly going again
This is a special edition of this column. At some point, the team behind the new "Star Trek," the eleventh feature film of the franchise, must have considered the predicament Spock often finds...
Israel’s Troika: Barak is no Barack
In Israel, the peace process rests in the hand of the “troika”. With the first meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama looming (May 18th, saves the...
The monarchical democracy of Lebanon: excerpt
For those Arabs who believe in liberal democracy, the Lebanese election is a source of both inspiration and despair. For where else in the Arab world is there an election that will actually produce...
Speeding through Montreal
I’m a quarter Canadian and have some wonderful cousins in Canada. I remembered my cousins when I found a bargain flight going to Montreal from L.A. - it turned into a a perfect excuse to see them....
Silly immigrants, Canada is for white people
Racism strikes again here in the Great White North, otherwise known as Canada. It seems that when you are backed into a corner, punched and have a racial slur thrown at you, acting in your own...
The invisible rule of whiteness
Writing critically about race is not an easy thing to do. We have tendency to avoid discussing race as it has been determined to be one of those “hot button” subjects. This silence about race...