Author Archives: dannyashkenasi

About dannyashkenasi

I'm a composer with over 30 years experience creating music theater. I'm also an actor, writer, director, producer, teacher and general enthusiast for the arts.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Posted on April 15, 2019

4/15/19 – 4:40pm EDT I am watching with horror and sadness the incredible destruction by fire of Paris’ iconic Notre Dame cathedral. In grief and helplessness I decided to go through the pictures I took when Ed and I visited … Continue reading →

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FIRST GRADE ALIENS RIDE PEOPLE’S HEADS!

Posted on April 10, 2019

  Another Year, Another Silly First Grade Opera! Actually, another three first grade operas at the Brooklyn Children’s School, created, written, composed and performed by first graders themselves, under the direction of their teachers and their teaching artist Mister Danny. … Continue reading →

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VERSAILLES – NIGHT TIME FOUNTAINS AND FIREWORKS SHOW

Posted on April 2, 2019

  As promised, pics and vids of the Versailles Once-in-a-Year Nighttime Spectacular   You can glance at the map of the park and see how it lovely it is during the day in my previous post, where you will also … Continue reading →

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VERSAILLES – A Walk in the Park (and what a Park!)

Posted on March 25, 2019

A detailed guided tour through the baroque mythological splendors and eye popping and head scratching extravagance of the park of Versailles. The park grounds of Versailles are immense and splendid. Below a map of the whole park: Only the bottom … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE PRATFALL – Tell-Tale Shoot Diary #2

Posted on March 12, 2019

  One for the blooper reel, except…   It was one of the least difficult set-ups of the Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre shoot.  Just me coming down the stairs – a flash back to when the murderer, fresh from … Continue reading →

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HEAD SHOTS BLOOPER GALLERY

Posted on March 2, 2019

  I needed new head shots.  I also knew I’d be shaving my beard for the Tell-Tale Heart shoot.  So I scheduled a head shot photo shoot right before the Tell-Tale film shoot in order to schedule my shave in … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE PEEK INTO THE ON SET MONITOR – Tell-Tale Shoot Diary #1

Posted on February 24, 2019

  Last week was production week for the short film “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre“.  One day of set-up, 6 days of shooting, 9-10 hour days that by the weekend became 11-15 hour days.  Everyone worked very hard and … Continue reading →

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SUN GLARE, 46th Street, Early February

Posted on February 18, 2019

  Specifically February 4, 8am, on 46th street between 7th and 6th avenues.     Do you too see animal faces in the steam?  A boar, a schnauzer, a fox?       … or maybe Fuchur AKA Falkor the … Continue reading →

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3rd Grade Choir Presents Love & Life with the Beatles

Posted on February 8, 2019

  A fainting spell nearly derailed the whole concert.  But it was still a rousing success.   When I plan choir concerts for elementary student performers, I hope to choose songs that will appeal to the age group but also … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE CELLO DOUBLES

Posted on February 2, 2019

In “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” the music is scored for three cellos.  And Friday evening three cello players were sitting in my living room practicing their cello parts for the shoot.  Because for key scenes, you won’t just … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE CAMERA TEST

Posted on February 1, 2019

Yesterday I met my Director of Photography Jason Chua at the film equipment rental place to do some camera tests in preparation for our upcoming “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” film shoot.   For me that mostly meant standing … Continue reading →

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VERSAILLES – A Stroll Through the Gilded Chateau

Posted on January 28, 2019

Take a walk with me inside the opulent grandeur of Luis XIV’s showcase We approach the palace, or chateau, from the municipality of Versailles. An equestrian statue of Louis XIV greets the tourists at the first gate:     This … Continue reading →

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OOO! LOOK AT THE LIGHT!

Posted on January 19, 2019

Pics with a Touch of Light plus a complimentary light-hearted music quiz   Light Music Query #1: Which musical features this dance into the light? (as ever, the answers are tucked into the tabs below)   Above, my gym’s basement … Continue reading →

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IF ONLY THE POE COTTAGE HAD BEEN OUR TELL-TALE MURDER HOUSE!

Posted on January 12, 2019

That is the Poe Cottage in the Bronx.  The last home Poe resided in before he died.  We had hoped to make it our Tell-Tale musicabre movie murder home. But alas, it is not to be! Most of the short … Continue reading →

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A HIGH-FLYING MUSIC QUIZ – while in sunset dappled skies

Posted on January 3, 2019

  It’s time for another Notes from a Composer musical quiz! All musical tracks and/or musical quiz queries will be somehow related to air travel, to tie in to these shots I took out the cabin window of our sunset … Continue reading →

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