Chris Foley
@chrisfoley.bsky.social
This week's newsletter looks at memorization, careers, and being present with what's directly in front of us.
In order to recall them meaningfully in performance
Last week one of my students was having some trouble with memorizing a piece and asked if I had written anything about the subject. As it turns out, quite a lot. For a while I've been wrestling with m...
world.hey.com
March 16, 2025 at 2:07 PM
This week's newsletter looks at memorization, careers, and being present with what's directly in front of us.
Props to @laurastrickling.bsky.social for her short video on how the arts needs to fit into your own life, rather than the other way around.
Fitting the Arts Into Your Life — Foley Music and Arts
Many of those I’ve met in the profession with long, meaningful careers have had one thing in common: their careers don’t look typical. You’ve got to prioritize life because there’s no guarantee that s...
www.foleymusicandarts.com
March 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Props to @laurastrickling.bsky.social for her short video on how the arts needs to fit into your own life, rather than the other way around.
Managing the return of history by focusing on what is right in front of us.
Finding a Centre of Gravity — Foley Music and Arts
Life was so much easier when we felt we were at the end of history and the world could be predictably smooth sailing. But history is back and many of us are struggling with how to process the fast ...
www.foleymusicandarts.com
March 6, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Managing the return of history by focusing on what is right in front of us.
My latest newsletter is out with music from Liszt and Whine Problem as well as a look at different traits that could be rising or falling in value.
Like the stock market, the value of these traits can rise and fall
One of the recurring conversations I've had recently has been about traits in people that are valuable in situations such as at work, with family, or friends. Like the stock market, the value of these...
world.hey.com
March 6, 2025 at 1:52 PM
My latest newsletter is out with music from Liszt and Whine Problem as well as a look at different traits that could be rising or falling in value.
Here's a video of my student Carlos Rojas Rodriguez performing the Etude No. 6 from ranz Liszt’s Grande études de Paganini at The Royal Conservatory’s Mazzoleni Hall a few months ago.
Carlos Rojas Rodriguez Plays the Paganini-Liszt Etude No. 6 — Foley Music and Arts
Here’s a video of my student Carlos Rojas Rodriguez playing the Etude No. 6 from Franz Liszt’s Grande études de Paganini at The Royal Conservatory’s Mazzoleni Hall a few months ago (don’t shoot the vi...
www.foleymusicandarts.com
February 28, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Here's a video of my student Carlos Rojas Rodriguez performing the Etude No. 6 from ranz Liszt’s Grande études de Paganini at The Royal Conservatory’s Mazzoleni Hall a few months ago.
Which personal traits do you see as gaining in value in the coming years? Which do you see losing value?
More vs. Less Valuable Traits — Foley Music and Arts
What are the traits that are becoming more valuable vs. those that are losing value? Quarter--Mile looks at this question and comes up with some personal qualities that are becoming less...
foleymusicandarts.squarespace.com
February 28, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Which personal traits do you see as gaining in value in the coming years? Which do you see losing value?
Congrats to my former student Emrys Bourdeau on the release of Sleem, Whine Problem's deubt EP! Apple, Spotify, and Bandcamp locations are on the link.
Sleem is Whine Problem's Debut EP — Foley Music and Arts
My former student Emrys Bourdeau is a member of Whine Problem, a London-based punk band who just released Sleem, their debut EP. You can play the tracks from Bandcamp below; you can also find it on ...
www.foleymusicandarts.com
February 24, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Congrats to my former student Emrys Bourdeau on the release of Sleem, Whine Problem's deubt EP! Apple, Spotify, and Bandcamp locations are on the link.
My newsletter is back! Sign up at the bottom of the page on the link. I (mostly) send out updates on Sunday mornings.
Safe, curated, non-algorithmic ways to read about cool stuff
The last few months have been busy as always, with our studios operating near capacity. My examining route in January took me to Toronto Central at the RCM building on Bloor Street as well as the Toro...
world.hey.com
February 24, 2025 at 12:35 PM
My newsletter is back! Sign up at the bottom of the page on the link. I (mostly) send out updates on Sunday mornings.
A while back I purchased an 1898 annual calendar of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, the former operating name of @royalconservatory.bsky.social. Here's a gallery of some photos from the calendar. There's also a skill-testing question from the 1898 History exam...
The 1898 Toronto Conservatory of Music Annual Calendar — Foley Music and Arts
This is an article in draft that I found on my Drafts dashboard that I originally (mostly) wrote well over two years ago but never published. Although I did post the photos on Facebook, I never posted...
www.foleymusicandarts.com
February 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
A while back I purchased an 1898 annual calendar of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, the former operating name of @royalconservatory.bsky.social. Here's a gallery of some photos from the calendar. There's also a skill-testing question from the 1898 History exam...
We're all inundated with information and it's only going worse. Asking yourself the question of why you're consuming information can perhaps reduce the burnout caused by overexposure, especially with algorithmic feeds on places such as Facebook.
Stay Sane With Outcome Orientation Rather than an Information Diet — Foley Music and Arts
Navigating the accelerating rate of information that is constantly thrown at us is one of the evolving challenges that every one of us are navigating. Add to the mix the new regime in Washington and i...
www.foleymusicandarts.com
February 18, 2025 at 5:49 PM
We're all inundated with information and it's only going worse. Asking yourself the question of why you're consuming information can perhaps reduce the burnout caused by overexposure, especially with algorithmic feeds on places such as Facebook.
I’ve been blogging since 2005 but was on hiatus for ages. Now I’m back, fountain pen shots and all.
I haven’t published anything on this blog since May 2023 but early 2025 is as good a time as ever to return to it — Foley Music and Arts
I want to get back into blogging and I know how to do it. Start simple, start at the level of the blog post rather than planning too much. The goal is output rather than views or stats. That’s no long...
www.foleymusicandarts.com
February 18, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I’ve been blogging since 2005 but was on hiatus for ages. Now I’m back, fountain pen shots and all.
Putting thoughts to paper with a fountain pen is how I like to start every morning. This Platinum 3776 music nib actually came with a dual grind, and the writing here is with the cursive italic back side. Diamine Evergreen is always a pleasure to write with this time of year.
January 31, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Putting thoughts to paper with a fountain pen is how I like to start every morning. This Platinum 3776 music nib actually came with a dual grind, and the writing here is with the cursive italic back side. Diamine Evergreen is always a pleasure to write with this time of year.
Reposted by Chris Foley
Some advice on How to Weather the Storm, including “create something lovely for yourself or others”, “moderate your exposure to the bullshit”, “find the people who are already doing the work, and follow their lead”, and “join something”. [kottke.org]
How to Weather the Storm
Without really meaning to, this week I’ve posted a few related articles around the theme of how to survive the next four years of the new oligarchical, authoritarian regime here in the US. I thought it would be helpful t
kottke.org
January 24, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Some advice on How to Weather the Storm, including “create something lovely for yourself or others”, “moderate your exposure to the bullshit”, “find the people who are already doing the work, and follow their lead”, and “join something”. [kottke.org]
Reposted by Chris Foley
Excellent reflections on Bishop Mariann Budde's inaugural prayer service sermon and reactions to it by @kkdumez.bsky.social, whose book Jesus & John Wayne my Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity history and theology students are reading this semester. kristindumez.substack.com/p/between-go...
Between Good and Evil
A challenge for Christians in the days ahead
kristindumez.substack.com
January 24, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Excellent reflections on Bishop Mariann Budde's inaugural prayer service sermon and reactions to it by @kkdumez.bsky.social, whose book Jesus & John Wayne my Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity history and theology students are reading this semester. kristindumez.substack.com/p/between-go...
Reposted by Chris Foley
Nobody has the luxury to be "unpolitical" anymore.
January 21, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Nobody has the luxury to be "unpolitical" anymore.
Reposted by Chris Foley
Today is my only teaching day this week. Grateful as always to be working with so many fine students and colleagues.
January 18, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Today is my only teaching day this week. Grateful as always to be working with so many fine students and colleagues.
Reposted by Chris Foley
Housed in the Ensemble Library at Eastman School of Music are compositions from the legendary jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington, thanks to a donation by Eastman alum Luther Henderson III ’71E, ’73E (MM)
www.rochester.edu/newscenter/r...
www.rochester.edu/newscenter/r...
Eastman scores
Luther Henderson III ’71E, ’73E (MM) has chosen the Eastman School of Music as home for his father’s Duke Ellington arrangements.
www.rochester.edu
January 17, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Housed in the Ensemble Library at Eastman School of Music are compositions from the legendary jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington, thanks to a donation by Eastman alum Luther Henderson III ’71E, ’73E (MM)
www.rochester.edu/newscenter/r...
www.rochester.edu/newscenter/r...
Examining at @royalconservatory.bsky.social in Toronto this week! Yesterday Allison Wiebe and I heard ARCT candidates performing on a Steinway concert grand in the superlative acoustics of Mazzoleni Hall.
January 15, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Examining at @royalconservatory.bsky.social in Toronto this week! Yesterday Allison Wiebe and I heard ARCT candidates performing on a Steinway concert grand in the superlative acoustics of Mazzoleni Hall.
Reposted by Chris Foley
Always good to talk to John Blake of CNN, although truth be told, I’d prefer to have written a slightly less relevant book.
January 12, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Always good to talk to John Blake of CNN, although truth be told, I’d prefer to have written a slightly less relevant book.
Where have the entrepreneurs gone in Canada? Guess we’re a dying breed.
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
Canada's missing entrepreneurs - Marginal REVOLUTION
From John Ruffalo.
marginalrevolution.com
January 12, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Where have the entrepreneurs gone in Canada? Guess we’re a dying breed.
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
Richard Griffiths on crafting cohesive writing from unorganized notes. Maybe I don’t need that Zettelkasten after all.
writingslowly.com/2025/01/12/m...
writingslowly.com/2025/01/12/m...
Maybe you can create coherent writing from a pile of notes after all
“My notes were like plans for a bridge”. …
writingslowly.com
January 12, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Richard Griffiths on crafting cohesive writing from unorganized notes. Maybe I don’t need that Zettelkasten after all.
writingslowly.com/2025/01/12/m...
writingslowly.com/2025/01/12/m...
Reposted by Chris Foley
Good reminders…
January 11, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Good reminders…
Driveway is cleared and ready for yet another Saturday teaching marathon!
January 11, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Driveway is cleared and ready for yet another Saturday teaching marathon!