William Kenlon
@williamkenlon.bsky.social
he/him, American expat in Dublin, composer and music professor, designer of geographically accurate metro T-shirts, accidental expert on spicy marinara sauces
http://linktr.ee/williamkenlon
http://linktr.ee/williamkenlon
Well played today, #Worldle. Best one since Transylvania. @antoine.pinkbean.studio
November 27, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Well played today, #Worldle. Best one since Transylvania. @antoine.pinkbean.studio
Just learned that Bermuda is 200 miles closer to New York than it is to Florida, and I am shook.
November 17, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Just learned that Bermuda is 200 miles closer to New York than it is to Florida, and I am shook.
Minor life update, as of 11:11 on 11/11
November 11, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Minor life update, as of 11:11 on 11/11
Like many people, rewatching Stranger Things to refresh my memory for the upcoming final season. Hadn't seen S1 in about 9 years and MAN it's just so good. Tight, creative, economical, brilliantly executed. So easy to see why it was a smash hit, and it 100% holds up.
November 7, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Like many people, rewatching Stranger Things to refresh my memory for the upcoming final season. Hadn't seen S1 in about 9 years and MAN it's just so good. Tight, creative, economical, brilliantly executed. So easy to see why it was a smash hit, and it 100% holds up.
I'm getting a lot of "on this day" type things from a year ago this week and I have to say:
November 7, 2025 at 1:09 PM
I'm getting a lot of "on this day" type things from a year ago this week and I have to say:
Agromonte Arrabbiata: A little more tart than average due to the cherry tomato base, but I was not blown away by anything here. A nice bright contrast from heartier options, though. #SpicyItalianShowdown2016
October 21, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Agromonte Arrabbiata: A little more tart than average due to the cherry tomato base, but I was not blown away by anything here. A nice bright contrast from heartier options, though. #SpicyItalianShowdown2016
Another early music NYT spelling bee oversight 😒
October 16, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Another early music NYT spelling bee oversight 😒
Turns out making score videos is way easier than I thought. Read along with one of my favorite pieces if you want: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XOd...
William Kenlon: Lyric Suite For English Horn, V. (Score Video)
YouTube video by William Kenlon
www.youtube.com
October 16, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Turns out making score videos is way easier than I thought. Read along with one of my favorite pieces if you want: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XOd...
Another NYT Spelling Bee vocab fail (cc: @meganlavengood.com)
October 12, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Another NYT Spelling Bee vocab fail (cc: @meganlavengood.com)
Casa di Pasta Arrabbiata: Sold frozen rather than jarred (unlike this brand's Fra Diavolo sauce). Definitely the better option from Casa di Pasta - plenty spicy, with a good blend of tomato and herb flavors. #SpicyItalianShowdown2016
October 10, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Casa di Pasta Arrabbiata: Sold frozen rather than jarred (unlike this brand's Fra Diavolo sauce). Definitely the better option from Casa di Pasta - plenty spicy, with a good blend of tomato and herb flavors. #SpicyItalianShowdown2016
I can only assume that people who love making coffee in a French press have a preference for the last quarter to third of their drink to be bitter and full of silty sedimentary sandy sludge
August 19, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I can only assume that people who love making coffee in a French press have a preference for the last quarter to third of their drink to be bitter and full of silty sedimentary sandy sludge
70° with a little chill in the air is the August I always wanted but never had until now.
(For context: I moved to Ireland over the weekend)
(For context: I moved to Ireland over the weekend)
August 13, 2025 at 7:30 AM
70° with a little chill in the air is the August I always wanted but never had until now.
(For context: I moved to Ireland over the weekend)
(For context: I moved to Ireland over the weekend)
I don't think many of my few followers on here are local to DC, but just in case... I'm having a going-away concert/party next week and you should come! www.eventbrite.com/e/williams-g...
William's Going-Away Concert/Party
I'm good at two things: 1) writing music, and 2) hanging out. So let's do music and hang out one last time before I move to Ireland!
www.eventbrite.com
July 23, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I don't think many of my few followers on here are local to DC, but just in case... I'm having a going-away concert/party next week and you should come! www.eventbrite.com/e/williams-g...
This is a great example of why it’s safest to assume that AI is also wrong about everything outside of one’s own field of expertise.
So, today Elon claimed that Grok can answer academic questions at a level higher than PhDs "in any subject, no exceptions." Since I'm a music prof, I asked it a PhD-level music theory question: Explain Neo-Riemannian theory.
Grok responded by getting every single part of its definition wrong.
Grok responded by getting every single part of its definition wrong.
July 11, 2025 at 12:02 PM
This is a great example of why it’s safest to assume that AI is also wrong about everything outside of one’s own field of expertise.
I have just now learned that Robert Russell Bennett and Richard Rodney Bennett were different people, and it explains so much.
July 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
I have just now learned that Robert Russell Bennett and Richard Rodney Bennett were different people, and it explains so much.
America has been pretty much toast since November of 2016, but now it’s completely, totally, irredeemably toast.
July 3, 2025 at 10:05 PM
America has been pretty much toast since November of 2016, but now it’s completely, totally, irredeemably toast.
The first rule of American health care is that everything will cost the patient at least $1000 more than they were initially told. (Ask me how I know - I have multiple answers!)
June 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The first rule of American health care is that everything will cost the patient at least $1000 more than they were initially told. (Ask me how I know - I have multiple answers!)
The classical music in the trailer for The Phoenician Scheme (new Wes Anderson movie) is by Stravinsky (Petrushka [opening] and Firebird Suite [closing]) and Mussorgsky, orch. Ravel (Pictures at an Exhibition [Promenade 1]). I knew all my music degrees would come in handy someday.
May 2, 2025 at 1:09 PM
The classical music in the trailer for The Phoenician Scheme (new Wes Anderson movie) is by Stravinsky (Petrushka [opening] and Firebird Suite [closing]) and Mussorgsky, orch. Ravel (Pictures at an Exhibition [Promenade 1]). I knew all my music degrees would come in handy someday.
There are some things I’ll miss about my part-time composition teaching gig at GMU, but the commute - thanks to Virginia’s steadfast commitment to never actually connect universities to train lines - is not one of them.
May 2, 2025 at 2:27 AM
There are some things I’ll miss about my part-time composition teaching gig at GMU, but the commute - thanks to Virginia’s steadfast commitment to never actually connect universities to train lines - is not one of them.
Nice to see good news coming out of Canada today. I wonder what that feels like, having good news come out of your country
April 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Nice to see good news coming out of Canada today. I wonder what that feels like, having good news come out of your country
#Andor Season 1 rewatch is over - incredibly strong conclusion with the second Ferrix arc. A little frustrating to watch Cassian walk right into everyone’s trap, but equally satisfying to then see him slip through everyone’s fingers. Can’t wait to see horrible fates befall the survivors in S2!
April 26, 2025 at 8:41 PM
#Andor Season 1 rewatch is over - incredibly strong conclusion with the second Ferrix arc. A little frustrating to watch Cassian walk right into everyone’s trap, but equally satisfying to then see him slip through everyone’s fingers. Can’t wait to see horrible fates befall the survivors in S2!
The Narkina arc of #Andor Season 1 was great the first time around but even better on rewatch. Tragic and thrilling and way too real. I’d forgotten that “One Way Out” contains Emmy-worthy monologues from BOTH Serkis and Skarsgård. Just the best.
April 22, 2025 at 1:05 PM
The Narkina arc of #Andor Season 1 was great the first time around but even better on rewatch. Tragic and thrilling and way too real. I’d forgotten that “One Way Out” contains Emmy-worthy monologues from BOTH Serkis and Skarsgård. Just the best.
Rewatch of #Andor Season 1 continues with the one-off episode “Announcement,” which kicks off the Way Too Real portion of the series with Cassian’s bs arrest on Niamos. Knowing that this leads to the incredible prison arc improves the episode significantly.
April 20, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Rewatch of #Andor Season 1 continues with the one-off episode “Announcement,” which kicks off the Way Too Real portion of the series with Cassian’s bs arrest on Niamos. Knowing that this leads to the incredible prison arc improves the episode significantly.