Dictée by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha
Book, 1982
Cha’s Dictée is a stunning work of postcolonial écriture féminine. This experimental autobiography unfurls Cha’s identity as a female Korean-American artist through ghosts of space (i.e., memories of her transnational childhood) and time (i.e., women from the past: her mother, Joan of Arc, Greek Muses, and others).
“God, Allow Me (Please) To Play Music” by Voice of Baceprot
Video, released October 6, 2021
Voice of Baceprot is an Indonesian rock band comprised of three Muslim girls from Indonesia. Their trio uses rock n’ roll to challenge religion, gender inequality, and ageism. I recommend attention to this group because, although they are contentious within their social milieu, they also confirm their devotion to Islamic faith and community. They are important for the performance of social justice movements by Indonesian artists.
Dreams of a New Day — Songs by Black Composers by Will Liverman (baritone) and Paul Sánchez (piano)
Album (CD), 2021
I discovered this gorgeous recording while researching repertoire for an online music appreciation course on Song Cycles. I was struck by Will Liverman’s robust and expressive singing, pianist Paul Sánchez’s phenomenal playing, as well as the impeccable quality of the sound recording itself. The album repertoire represents a wide variety of twentieth-century composers, including voices who were familiar to me, as well as many who were not. Liverman’s album has been nominated for a 2022 GRAMMY Award in the Best Classical Solo Vocal Album category, and I really hope it wins!
Station 11 created by Patrick Somerville
TV Show, 2021
Come for Station 11’s rich and multifaceted debate about the role of Art for humanity in troubled times, something it handles with aplomb and arguably more sensitivity than the book upon which it is based. Stay for a plague story in a plague time that manages to unflinchingly portray horrible things in a troubled world, but where care, love, and moments of sweetness do in fact matter, all handled by a phenomenal cast, including Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, Daniel Deadwyler, and Gael Garcia Bernal.
The Singing Guitar by Conspirare & Craig Hella Johnson with Douglas Harvey, and the Los Angeles, Texas, and Austin Guitar Quartets
Album (CD), 2020
This album features four pieces written for SATB choir and guitar quartet, and is some of the beautiful music I’ve ever heard. Two of the pieces are multi-movement works by contemporary composers Nico Muhly and Kile Smith, and both deal with travel and the westward expansion of the United States.
Beating the Little Hater & Ballad of the Little Hater by Jay Smooth
Videos, 2007 & 2008
Jay Smooth created New York’s longest-running hip-hop radio show, the Underground Railroad. After parting ways with WBAI in 2018, he started broadcasting from hiphopmusic.com on Saturday nights. He was also known for his Ill Doctrine video blog, which was primarily active from around 2007-2019. The “Little Hater” videos are part of that blog. I was a big fan of the Ill Doctrine blog, and to have Jay share his vulnerability around creativity was very important to me. I think that “Little Hater,” as a shorthand for the challenges we all face around creative doubt, should enter the common lectionary, so this is my attempt to make that happen!
Unity by The Muslims
Song (music video), 2021
This total bop of a song provocatively and explicitly, if not crudely, asks: what is elided or silenced by calls for “unity”?
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Book, 1923
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran provides many examples and interesting perspectives on how to approach topics of human life. Love, work, joy and sorrow, crime and punishment, time, death, and many more topics make up twenty-six brief chapters related to morality. This short book can be read in one sitting, but the poetic language and thought-provoking messages allow us to consider and evaluate our own lives, making it a book that can be re-read and understood in different ways. In a way, it has served me as a guide to practice kindness, patience, and gratitude, and to treat myself and others with respect.
The Fountain by Darren Aronofsky
Film, 2006
Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain is a visually stunning, musically brilliant, and emotionally charged parable. In this sprawling love story, a scientist seeks to conquer death itself. Combining Christian, Mayan, and even microscopic biological imagery with Buddhist structure and philosophy, it breaks boundaries, transcends genres, and explodes with a heart-felt yearning that truly engaged my intellect and my emotions. Some have called it a grand failure; for me, its brilliance lies in its unapologetic lack of subtlety. Make sure you check out the terrific soundtrack by Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet, as well.
