The UCLA-owned Japanese Garden is a marvelous plot of land unique to the Los Angeles landscape. In lieu of making real budget cuts to exorbitant administrative costs, Chancellor Gene Block has led the charge to sell-off this one-of-a-kind property under the public eye.
Send him your own e-mail at chancellor@ucla.edu and SIGN THE PETITION! Here’s my response…
Brief: I started studying classical piano and music theory at the age of 8 and played in bands/ensembles throughout high school. When I moved up to LA for college, I did not find time to play in groups, though I have continued to develop my chops in jazz, funk, rock and more. I’ve been playing acoustic guitar since age 14 and most of my playing on that instrument is bluegrass-style. I’m working on my flatpicking… Anyway, it’s time to get playing again.
Skills: keyboards, acoustic/rhythm guitar, background vocals, music theory and arranging
Influences: Classic Rock, Bluegrass, Indie-Folk, Jazz, Electro, Trance, Hip-Hop, Blues, Singer-Songwriters… I take it all in.
I Play: Roland XP-30, Alvarez AD-90SDK
Back in the day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXyhwSY-cSA (we won the high school battle of the bands with this performance)
I can’t help thinking about Paul Robeson while I try to sleep.
Born in 1898, the literal Son of a Preacher Man, Paul Robeson earned a four-year scholarship to Rutgers. Recognized as Phi Beta Kappa, he was also valedictorian of his class at Rutgers while simultaneously earning 15 letters in track, baseball, basketball, and football. As if this wasn’t enough, Robeson was also an *All-American* footballer in his college years.
While a student at UCLA, my partner and I “conducted” an interview and profile of Professor Neal Stulberg, Director and Conductor of the orchestras at University of California, Los Angeles (which include the UCLA Philharmonia and the UCLA Symphony). Also featured are Dr. Stephen Karr and Henry Shin.
As Programming Director at Yiddishkayt, I presented Psoy Korolenko in a sold-out, standing room only show at Genghis Cohen on June 4th, 2011. His performance took the crowd on a journey through Yiddishlands real and imagined. Psoy is a lexicological prankster, comically switching between tongues and cheeks.