The Collective - A Mosaic of Alternative Voices, A Movement of Artistic Conscience

Most Recent Content

February 16, 2024

Movement/Personal Reflection

Mapping the Nueva Canción Chilena

Mona Sangesland takes a personal journey through the musical and environmental landscapes of Chile.

Winter 2024: Media mélange

Collective writers recommend music that has accompanied them through the winter season.

February 16, 2024

“The busy world is hushed”

Read, watch, listen! Editors Dani and Elisa recommend thought-provoking art in this ongoing series.

February 16, 2024

ChatGPT & me

Performer-scholar Noël Wan goes on an epistemological playdate with an AI chatbot.

August 16, 2023

Most Popular

Decolonizing myself, The Jungle Book, and Rudy, too

Writer/director Vijay M. Rajan details how working on an adaptation of The Jungle Book helped him reconcile code-switching as the material technique for the decolonization of his psychology.

November 16, 2022

A derasha on school choir by a gay American Jew

Ethnographer Michael B. Silvers confronts choral Christianity and exclusion in American school music through discussion of Jewish musicality and "meaningful musical experiences."

January 24, 2022

Ten Black composers to program this year

In this robust and dynamic listicle, conductor Allegra Martin confronts the gap between “thought" and “action" in efforts to diversify Western art music.

January 24, 2022

“You Ain’t No King”: Black masculinity and political satire in Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly”

In her analysis of “Wesley’s Theory” from Kendrick Lamar’s album "To Pimp a Butterfly," Tori Tyler explores the expression of Black masculinity in Hip-hop and Rap and argues for the validity of these genres in academic study.

August 16, 2022

Nugget

Nugget

Winter 2024: Media mélange

Collective writers recommend music that has accompanied them through the winter season.

February 16, 2024

Nugget

Summer 2023: AI and the exploitation of writers

Editor Elisa Moles shares a short reading list regarding the dangerous legal violations by AI against writers.

August 16, 2023

Nugget

Spring 2023: Beautiful days in the neighborhoods

Collective contributors share their favorite artistic neighborhoods around the world.

May 16, 2023

Nugget

Winter 2023: Media Mélange

In accordance with this issue's theme of engaging with source materials, our writers recommend artistic works that evoked reflections about composer and creator intent — whether controversial, obscure, or nuanced in some other way.

February 16, 2023

Editors' Corner

“The busy world is hushed”

Read, watch, listen! Editors Dani and Elisa recommend thought-provoking art in this ongoing series.

by Editors

February 16, 2024

“What if I reinvented again?”

Read, watch, listen! Editors Dani and Elisa recommend thought-provoking art in this ongoing series.

by Editors

August 16, 2023

“Just my neighborhood and me”

Read, watch, listen! Editors Dani and Elisa recommend thought-provoking art in this ongoing series.

by Editors

May 16, 2023

“Visions and revisions”

Read, watch, listen! Editors Dani and Elisa recommend thought-provoking art in this ongoing series.

by Editors

February 16, 2023

Field Notes

The Collective community shares significant and meaningful moments in their lives as artists and artist-thinkers.

Want to submit your own Field Note?

Click here!

Much like Kevin Costner in the 1989 classic, as artists we’re all in the field of dreams . . . But creating dreams is hard work. Sometimes, it can feel fruitless. As a filmmaker, I feel like I’ve spent years toiling, honing my craft, and creating time and time again without the promise of support, recognition, or fulfillment. I was almost crippled by this feeling when I wrote my latest film — an afrosurreal ode to all those who grew up fatherless. Although I was excited about the premise, doubts filled my head as I looked for any excuse not to pursue it further. How will I be able to bring this film to life? How can I get others to buy into this dream I’ve created? When it’s all said and done, will anybody even want to watch? . . . Read more!

– JARED LEAF

The views and opinions expressed in the articles are not necessarily the views of the Editors; The Collective is a mosaic of voices, celebrating the myriad perspectives of our diverse community.

PREVIOUS ISSUE

ChatGPT & me

Performer-scholar Noël Wan goes on an epistemological playdate with an AI chatbot.

August 16, 2023

Building an artistic home on my own terms: An interview with Evalena Marie

Collective editors Dani and Elisa talk with actress-in-recovery Evalena Marie about industry toxicity, mental health, and re-finding herself through her art.

May 16, 2023

On being a father and an early career academic

Musicologist Nolan Vallier
addresses fatherhood in academia through the lack of current scholarship and lens of his own experience.

May 16, 2023

The subtle power of “yay” ambassadors

Jill Burlingame Tsekouras looks to the sidewalk shout-outs of Athenian women to inspire a practice of "yay"ing ourselves and others, artistically and beyond.

May 16, 2023

Propaganda for artists

Writer Vijay M. Rajan delineates between base and artful propaganda, calling for the creation of lasting, nuanced, and effectively persuasive art.

May 16, 2023

The creative potential of cross-disciplinary collaboration

Reflecting on the process of planning a comprehensive composer residency, conductor Isaac Brinberg discovers joy and possibility in bridging artistic communities.

May 16, 2023

Latest

Movement/Personal Reflection

Mapping the Nueva Canción Chilena

Mona Sangesland takes a personal journey through the musical and environmental landscapes of Chile.

February 16, 2024

Materials/Academic-ish

ChatGPT & me

Performer-scholar Noël Wan goes on an epistemological playdate with an AI chatbot.

August 16, 2023

Movement/Interview

Building an artistic home on my own terms: An interview with Evalena Marie

Collective editors Dani and Elisa talk with actress-in-recovery Evalena Marie about industry toxicity, mental health, and re-finding herself through her art.

May 16, 2023

Diversity/Academic-ish

On being a father and an early career academic

Musicologist Nolan Vallier
addresses fatherhood in academia through the lack of current scholarship and lens of his own experience.

May 16, 2023

Performing/Join the Conversation

The subtle power of “yay” ambassadors

Jill Burlingame Tsekouras looks to the sidewalk shout-outs of Athenian women to inspire a practice of "yay"ing ourselves and others, artistically and beyond.

May 16, 2023

Ethics/Academic-ish

Propaganda for artists

Writer Vijay M. Rajan delineates between base and artful propaganda, calling for the creation of lasting, nuanced, and effectively persuasive art.

May 16, 2023

Bridges/Personal Reflection

The creative potential of cross-disciplinary collaboration

Reflecting on the process of planning a comprehensive composer residency, conductor Isaac Brinberg discovers joy and possibility in bridging artistic communities.

May 16, 2023

Learning/Personal Reflection

Living burnout in retrospect

Composer Brandon K. Smith tracks his experience with burnout through music school into the professional world

May 16, 2023

Bridges/Academic-ish

Playing with the past: “Momata Barbi” and Georgi Gospodinov’s Time Shelter as two folkloric futures

Folklorist Sarah Craycraft examines how "turns to folklore” in contemporary Bulgarian culture and art help us to process the use of the past in our daily lives.

February 16, 2023