Category Archives: Notes in the News

On current and historic events, likely with a musical angle

Announcing the New Musicabre: The Raven

Posted on May 19, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

“Raven” is the New Page in the Notes from a Composer Banner I’ve been teasing this announcement for a while now. Three previous posts have already revealed that I am working on the third short film Poe musicabre, to join … Continue reading →

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Wisdom of my own personal NEW YORKER CARTOON captions

Posted on May 10, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

If it ain’t pastels, it don’t pass muster! This will be the last of the caption installments whose title is inspired by books of the Old Testament. Only the Catholic and Orthodox churches recognize Wisdom, the Protestants and Jews consider … Continue reading →

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Artemis Launch Viewed from a Plane

Posted on April 3, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

There are a lot a videos of the Artemis II launch taken from planes. The best one I’ve seen, lasting about two minutes is this one:(https://x.com/HustleBitch_/status/2039728543819497846) I’ve not found the full video on YouTube, only the site formally known as … Continue reading →

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NO KINGS 3/28/26

Posted on March 29, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

We joined the estimated 8-9 million protestors in over 3000 No Kings protests across the USA, not to mention the marches and rallies held elsewhere all over the planet. The NYC protest started at Columbus Circle to march down Central … Continue reading →

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Snow Storm on Our Street

Posted on February 23, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

As Ed and I came home last evening just as the Big Blizzard was kicking in, we just had to take some photos of the snowy landscape our street had become. City Bikes, marshmallow coated

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Solaris Film Festival Awards “Prelude to a Death”

Posted on February 8, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

The Solaris Film Festival in Helsinki, Finland has given “Prelude to a Death” the award for “Best Unproduced Script”. “Prelude to a Death” is a feature length gothic ghost story. I have sent the screenplay to a handful of festivals … Continue reading →

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Ian McKellen Performs Shakespeare’s Immigrant Speech on the Late Show

Posted on February 5, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Ian McKellen appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night, and the whole interview is delightful and engrossing – the full video is posted below – musing on Gandalf and Magneto, Christopher Lee and Elvish tattoos, and seeing … Continue reading →

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Song of Songs of my own personal NEW YORKER CARTOON captions

Posted on January 26, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

The only roles they offer us in Hollywood are city stompers and jeep chasers. Continuing the long running series and continuing to find installment titles in the Old Testament, one would think that, as a composer, I would have availed … Continue reading →

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NO ICE! NO KINGS! NO WAR!

Posted on January 11, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Photo/video diary of the protest gathering and march in NYC January 11, 2026

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Joining the Wall of Emotion

Posted on January 8, 2026 by dannyashkenasi

Above is my contribution to WOE – Wall of Emotions, a project created by Eva Mueller as a response to the ’24 post-election reality. Yesterday Eva was at Maison 10 on 29th Street in Manhattan, taking photos of more subjects … Continue reading →

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Performing at the Piscator Awards

Posted on November 1, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Michael Lahr von Leitis presenting Cole Escola with the Piscator Award I had the pleasure and privilege of performing October 23 at the Piscator Awards, a dinner and fundraiser at the swanky Upper East Side Lotos Club benefitting the arts … Continue reading →

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NO KINGS – TIMES SQUARE

Posted on October 19, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

I joined some friends (and 300 000 more) in New York City yesterday (plus 7 million more nationwide) to march for Democracy, Truth, Decency, among other things, and against Fascism, Lies, Bigotry, among other things… Above and below, references for … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE in MILLESIMO

Posted on September 21, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

“The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” wins Best Long Short Movie at the Millesimo – Cairo Montenetto International Film Festival Officially “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre“, the first of my now three short film musical Edgar Allan Poe adaptations … Continue reading →

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Me as Poe (or) Poe as Me (or) The New Musicabre

Posted on August 12, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

A Little Sneak Preview at Coming Attractions I just got my hair cut, finally. The length it had before had been uncomfortable in the summer heat. But I couldn’t cut it earlier because I needed my hair long for my … Continue reading →

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I Take the Colbert Questionert

Posted on August 5, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Now that the Cowardly Broadcasting Service has caved to “economic” AKA political pressures and cancelled the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the chances of me ever taking the Colbert Questionert on the air are close to nil (they never were … Continue reading →

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MANHATTANHENGE

Posted on July 13, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

This last Friday and Saturday was Manhattanhenge. Ed and I each took some pictures on 42nd Street while it happened around 8:20pm on Friday. Manhattanhenge is what we call those days when the sunset aligns perfectly with Manhattan’s street grid. … Continue reading →

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