Category Archives: Notes in the News

On current and historic events, likely with a musical angle

BERLIN WALL MEMORIES #1 – Growing up 5 miles from the BRIDGE OF SPIES

Posted on October 16, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The moment I read the announcement that Steven Spielberg was preparing his next movie called “Bridge of Spies”, I knew, without having any additional morsel of information, that Die Glienicker Brücke – the Glienicke Bridge of Berlin, also known as … Continue reading →

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DRY OUT THE NATION – SPEAKEASY, PROHIBITION and a very DRY SPEECH

Posted on September 24, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

By the time Jane Allison, in the musical “Speakeasy”, has walked through one door into a speakeasy foyer and through another door into an automat, she realizes that the regular rules and expectations of time and space may not apply … Continue reading →

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THE MADONNA CONCERT – as experienced, sorta, from the far far up and away and off to the side “cheap” seats

Posted on September 21, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

“Cheap” seats deserves it’s quotation marks.  After all, we did pay over $100 a ticket.  We could have paid less and ended up even further up, up, up in the nosebleed section, or even further off to the right and … Continue reading →

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THE SONG OF JOB 9:11 – 14 year anniversary of 9/11/2001

Posted on September 8, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The Song of Job 9:11 – Chapter Ten: HOPE – concert video, Sep 9, 2011 The Song of Job 9:11 – Chapter Ten: HOPE – concert audio, Sep 11, 2011 Above are recordings of the finale of the tenth anniversary … Continue reading →

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ANTHONY TOMMASINI RATTLES ME – On the Importance of Music in a Musical

Posted on August 30, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Today the New York Times published an excellent dialog between its classical music critic and avowed musical theater enthusiast Anthony Tommasini and its pop music critic Joe Caramanica about the musical Hamilton. The exchange included this from Tommasini, which has … Continue reading →

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Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears sings “Streets of Berlin” in Bent

Posted on August 1, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Martin Sherman’s classic play “Bent”, about homosexual persecution in Nazi Germany concentration camps, has received a highly acclaimed major revival directed by Moises Kaufman at the Mark Taper Forum in LA. “Bent” is credited with bringing the barely discussed subject … Continue reading →

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The Music of Ian McKellen reciting Shakespeare (hear! hear! right here!)

Posted on July 20, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Ian McKellen just quoted Shakespeare to make a strong point about Immigration. Marc Maron interviewed Ian McKellen on the WTF podcast.  Maron confessed he had trouble understanding Shakespeare, and McKellen suggested Moran may have not yet heard Shakespeare spoken by … Continue reading →

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OUR DAY HAS COME – a personal marriage story with musical accompaniment

Posted on June 26, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Ed and I got married in 1998.  And again in 2011.  Then our marriage got federally augmented in 2013.  And now finally in 2015 the state of our union will be fully recognized in every state of the Union.   It’s … Continue reading →

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Rest in Peace, James Horner

Posted on June 22, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

May you soar in the heavens with your melodies. (Hymn to the Sea – James Horner (from Titanic)

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Jacqui Sutton waxes musically about Mark Twain and American Anthems

Posted on June 17, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Jacqui Sutton isn’t merely a performer who has sung my music at numerous occasions, she is also a friend whose wedding to the writer Edward Porter I have attended (with my husband whom I call “my Ed” to distinguish him … Continue reading →

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SNOW WHITE and the SEVEN HOS: an SCA Benefit Performance

Posted on June 11, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Be warned.  This will not be the Disney Musical Fairy Tale of your or anyone else’s childhood.  For one, Snow White is a recovering sex addict, and the seven dwarfs she meets all struggle with sex addiction and a variety … Continue reading →

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Like me, really like me, on FACEBOOK! :-)

Posted on June 9, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

There is now a Facebook page for “Notes from a Composer”. All new blog posts will also be listed on the “Notes from a Composer – Danny Ashkenasi” Facebook page: Notes from a Composer – Danny Ashkenasi FACEBOOK PAGE So … Continue reading →

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Lisa Kron’s acceptance speech must be heard and shared!

Posted on June 8, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Lisa Kron won a Tony for writing the book of the musical Fun Home. She gave a wonderful speech with a fantastic extended metaphor that just needs to be heard and shared. No one saw this on CBS.  They aired … Continue reading →

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TONY! TONY! TONY! Just Live-Blogging it is Reward Enough!

Posted on June 7, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Tonight are the Tony Awards!  Woo-hoo!  The Second Gay High Holy Day!  (Well, let’s face it, the Oscars are indisputably the #1 Gay High Holy Day, Gay Christmas!  But the Tonys are a close second, right?  Gay New Year!  Day … Continue reading →

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Last Night at the Festival

Posted on May 23, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

We performed “Two Songs from Speakeasy” at the LES (Lower East Side) Festival at the Theater for the New City last night (The festival continues through Sunday at the TNC).  Big crowd, big ovation, it was fun and sweet and … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY songs to be performed this Friday at the LES Festival

Posted on May 16, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Two songs from my musical “Speakeasy – the Adventures of John and Jane Allison” will be performed at the Lower East Side Festival at the Theater for the New City. Andrea Pinyan and Rachel Green will perform the songs “Wonderland” … Continue reading →

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