Are there any more dispiriting words in an invite than "smart casual?"

Many of the pieces in this sixth instalment of Mahan Esfahani ماهان اصفهانی's celebrated Bach survey may have been intended as teaching exercises, but their modest origins are deceptive. These imaginative performances reveal expressive depths to rival the major keyboard works…

作曲家ミロスラフ・スルンカの立ち合いのもと、指揮者のエメリャニチェフ、チェンバロ奏者のエスファハニと、5日公演で日本初演するチェンバロ協奏曲「スタンドスティル」のリハーサルが行われました。弦楽器奏者が使用する「ゆで卵カッター」の奏法も、作曲家が直接指導！ yomikyo.or.jp/concert/2023/1…

明日5日（木）公演では、欧州で注目を浴びる鬼才エメリャニチェフがシューベルト「グレイト」などを指揮し、革命児エスファハニは現代作曲家スルンカのチェンバロ協奏曲を日本初演します。 当日券は18時から販売。学生券（2000円／25歳以下）の整理券も18時から配布します。 yomikyo.or.jp/2024/09/5-39.p…

Today Mahan Esfahani ماهان اصفهانی will give the Japanese premiere of the harpsichord concerto by Miroslav Srnka and the 読売日本交響楽団 Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra Toi toi toi to all!

Major ancient Persian studies klaxon -- congratulations !

OK so I've not thought much of the afterlife but I'm pretty sure if I'm good I will get all the Japanese "karē pan" カレーパン I want (it's the one on the left btw).

A souvenir shop near Mount Fuji sells Fuji "blue" curry 😳

Nice to meet up today in Osaka in an old-school kissaten with the great Japanese composer 山根明季子 Akiko Yamane !

With Japan's living sound god, 有馬純寿 Sumihisa Arima

Using the cloying "so much" after saying thank you should be punishable by stoning; likewise saying "I'll do" in lieu of "I'd like" at a restaurant and "you're good" to excuse someone for bumping into you.

Old orchestral culture (as in, the culture between the players), which seems to have actually been pretty toxic

This was one of the only Proms I listened to all the way through in one sitting this summer. Clare Hammond is one hell of a pianist, classy and ear-tickling and moving all in equal measure. I wish we had more playing like this that believes in something other than itself.

Surely, "concepts of a plan" is the new "covfefe."

The humidity in Kyoto is currently somewhat beyond my usual thresholds of tolerance

The great Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov was born 95 years ago today.

Worthwhile and important thread on the future of a great opera company

What people forget about this letter is context, namely that it must have been very fun to troll a blowhard such as Bernard Berenson