Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
The Austin Symphony Orchestra performed a "Film With Orchestra" event, bringing live music to the film 'West Side Story'.
Read More »Concert Review: Austin Symphony Rumbles with the Jets and the Sharks
Editor Pick: Music
Music Review: Beth Hart – ‘A Tribute to Led Zeppelin’
One of our greatest blues-rock singers takes on the biggest songs by the blues-based hard rock legends and hits a home run.
Read More »Music Reviews: Lise Davidsen and Leif Ove Andsnes – ‘Edvard Grieg’, and Shani Diluka – ‘The Proust Album’
The Norwegian soprano and pianist pay tribute to Norway's greatest composer, while Shani Diluka evokes Proust with an enchanting set of French music.
Read More »Charlie Doherty’s Top Songs and Albums of 2021
A brief but varied list of favorites of 2021 that includes Neil Young, SZA, Jesse Malin, Julien Baker, War on Drugs, and more.
Read More »Concert Review: Yo-Yo Ma Joins Youth Music Culture Guangdong Symphony Orchestra at Closing Concert
A stellar concert brought the 2022 edition of YMCG to a close with Beethoven and Dvořák from the past, Yo-Yo Ma from a distance, and much promise for the future.
Read More »Concert Review: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center – Beethoven, Schulhoff, Dvořák (18 January 2022)
String quintets and sextets by Beethoven, Dvorak and Schulhoff launched the CMS's 2022 concert schedule.
Read More »Concert Review: Emerson String Quartet, Renée Fleming, Simone Dinnerstein, Uma Thurman – ‘Penelope’ by André Previn, Tom Stoppard at Carnegie Hall (NYC, 23 January 2022)
A starry concert event showcased Previn's last composition along with Greig, Fauré and Philip Glass plus new music by Kevin Puts.
Read More »Music Review: Eric Nathan – ‘Missing Words’ (Based on Ben Schott’s ‘Schottenfreude’) with Neave Trio, International Contemporary Ensemble
A two-CD trip through the inventive mind of a composer who's part translator of the human condition, part trickster.
Read More »Book Review: ‘Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story, in Music Lessons’ by Jeremy Denk
The pianist's revealing memoir takes us behind the scenes into the developing mind of a music student as he becomes a mature virtuoso.
Read More »Music Review: Debbie Gibson — Electric Youth (Deluxe Edition)
A deluxe CD/DVD reissue of teen pop phenomenon's 1989 sophomore album revisits her trailblazing artistic beginnings.
Read More »