On Writing

Folks who are enamored of every word they write are unlikely to write well. Erasing is the key to good writing. Nowadays we are blessed with that ubiquitous servant, the Delete key. It must be used with abandon and with nary a second's hesitation.

Another key is revision, the more the merrier. I try to write early then allow the article to ferment for a while; upon returning to it a week or so later, I'm much more inclined to notice problems.

Program Notes and Lectures

I write program notes for a number of institutions, including the San Francisco Symphony. In most cases I can't reproduce those notes here since I don't retain the copyright. However, I can link you to a page that directs you to the dates a particular article may be in print, and/or provide links to online publications of my articles.

The link will also point you to those times when I am appearing as a pre-concert lecturer, and where I'll be, in case you'd like to attend.

Free Composition (Blog)

I maintain a regular blog on LiveJournal that I update with 2-3 postings per week. The blog's ostensible purpose is for me to keep my writing chops in shape, but along the way I have a fine time blabbing incontinently about whatever interests me at the moment. "Free Composition" has no theme, no unifying thread, no plan, no agenda, no mission. It's just me, sticking words together into sentences and paragraphs.

Excerpts from Essays and Columns

A collection of passages taken from my writings over the years, arranged by topic.

Worthy Articles from S.F. Classical Music Examiner

An expanding collection of "rescued" articles from S.F. Classical Music Examiner.

Selections from Letters

A ten-year plus correspondence on an almost daily basis produced quite a heap of stuff, much of it not worth saving. However, there are some good gleanings in the vastness.

This section is sure to continue expanding—I have a lot more material to comb through.

Essays on a Variety of topics

General-purpose essays on a topics from soup to nuts.

Buddhist writings

I've written quite a bit on Theravada Buddhism; here's the collection. I probably won't be expanding it any time soon, though.