About Paleface

Inspired by the acclaimed paintings of New York “psychological pop” artist Jerry Kearns, Paleface explores the persistence of the American hero myth, even as it breaks down on every level in our contemporary society. It begins with the Western cowboy mythos— horses, cowboys, folk songs and church hymns (Jesus plays a lurking role in the piece), even a gun fight. Then it jumps to the varied 20th century heroes who struggle and triumph over dark forces—detectives from pulp comics and film noir, the secret agent, and the muscled action hero. Paleface concludes with all these icons now as phantoms, struggling in the night to cohere and make sense of a world they no longer can possibly describe. They ultimately all go to church and fade away to a ghost gospel choir.

A “desert island” piece, if there ever was one, is the Bach C minor Cello Suite. I use the opening Preludeas a favorite listening exercise to help people both understand the power of interpretation, and their own inherent ability to perceive more than they realize.

You would never guess that hearing auditions can be just as emotional as playing them. Each one is like a 15 minute mini epic. I just spent an intense weekend hearing new and returning students from all over the city audition for the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra. And I’m filled with awe…

Why do we understand some music instantly, but other music takes repeated listening to grok? Regardless, I think musical context is critical if we want audiences to keep listening…

A short essay on my mental struggle going from conducting the Brahms first symphony to the Tchaikovsky fifth symphony. 

Mahler's piccolo notes that pierce the musical fabric to full consciousness!

Just the voluptuous Alma Theme from Mahler's 6th Symphony

Every page of the score to Mahler's 4th is chock full of orchestration master brushstrokes. Most people focus on the sublime slow movement and moments in the orchestral song that is the finale. But two of my favorite places are in the scherzo—and they pierce right through the devil and his fiddle!

Violinists Alisa Luera and Clara Ross make two violins sound like an orchestra in my first violin duo—"fast and percussive"

Last week New York threw everything at my new trio that it could. Weather reports screamed "Bombogenesis!"—possible cyclone winds. Pics and short video...

Introduction to my piano trio Paleface inspired by the art of Jerry Kearns. Premieres Friday January 5, 2018 at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York City, performed by the Neave Trio.

One of many moments that trap us like flies to amber to the music of Gustav Mahler—the coda of the slow movement from his fourth symphony.