Author Archives: dannyashkenasi

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About dannyashkenasi

I'm a composer with over 40 years experience creating music theater. I'm also an actor, writer, director, producer, teacher and general enthusiast for the arts.

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

Posted on February 24, 2019 by dannyashkenasi

  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 by dannyashkenasi

  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 by dannyashkenasi

  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 by dannyashkenasi

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 by dannyashkenasi

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 by dannyashkenasi

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 by dannyashkenasi

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 by dannyashkenasi

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 by dannyashkenasi

  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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6TH AVENUE, MIDTOWN, DECEMBER

Posted on December 22, 2018 by dannyashkenasi

  I think my phone’s camera has astigmatism. The way artificial light gets smeared, blurring the images, especially at night. Reminds me of why I need glasses at the movies and theater under stage lighting.     And last night … Continue reading →

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MARK TWAIN NEVER GOT TO THE LOUVRE (but I did)

Posted on December 14, 2018 by dannyashkenasi

A trip to the magnificent Louvre museum with Mark Twain.  Well actually Mark Twain himself never got there, but he wrote about not getting there in “The Innocents Abroad”, and that satirical anecdote about what happens to unwary, blustery Americans … Continue reading →

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A Freaky Little Tell-Tale Tidbit

Posted on December 9, 2018 by dannyashkenasi

Listen to this.  It’s rather creepy, isn’t it, not just because of the unsettling nature of the text, but because of, well, I’ll explain later, just listen now:     I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole … Continue reading →

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EXITING ETERNITY’S GATE

Posted on December 2, 2018 by dannyashkenasi

  Ed and I had just seen Julian Schnabel’s movie about Vincent Van Gogh, “At Eternity’s Gate”, and were exiting one of the more tucked away screening rooms at the Landmark 57 multiplex, which required walking down a long, narrow, … Continue reading →

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SENSUAL RODIN

Posted on November 24, 2018 by dannyashkenasi

We start with a famous thought.  We end with a famous kiss.   Rodin’s Thinker greats you in the courtyard of the Rodin House in Paris.  And so he will be the introduction to this post of some of Rodin’s … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE REVEAL!

Posted on November 18, 2018 by dannyashkenasi

  So what is the big new deal with “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre“?     OK!  Aright!  I know you’ve been on tenterhooks!   The suspense has been killing you!     But only figuratively.   Not literally, … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE SOUNDS

Posted on November 9, 2018 by dannyashkenasi

The final ghastly Tell-Tale hint before I reveal all!   What is this about?  Click to watch the short video; now can you guess? Yes, we appear to be in a recording studio. What, is that three cellists on the … Continue reading →

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