Another in my sporadic posts... This time, a post about the extraordinary story of McArthur Wheeler who robbed two banks in broad daylight with the most surprising plan for success. This isn't a new story, but it is certainly one that merits a re-telling. If you fancy, there is a mildly entertaining video of this … Continue reading The Heist and Dunning-Kruger
Author: Robin Newton
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Am AI making sense?
Artificial intelligence is already everywhere. From the first Google search of the day, through job and university applications, money management, online shopping… There are few parts of our lives that remain untouched by AI of some description. Education, however, is a long way behind in making good use of the benefits AI (and many other technologies) afford.
I am the very model of Model Music C’riculum
The new model music curriculum: is it worth reading?
Stormzy will save us all
A recent article on the BBC News website suggested that ‘better’ music lessons had enabled 974 students ‘at risk of expulsion’ to save their education. Attendance leapt to 95% and ‘there were also links to people taking part performing higher than expectation in subjects such as Maths and English as well as music during the … Continue reading Stormzy will save us all
Are there currently any living modern composers who will go down in music history alongside the famous classical composers?
I think this is a great question; it’s certainly one which has been asked often in the past 120 years. A number of previous answers have, correctly in my view, pointed out that no-one can really tell. Some composers we know well took time to reach their position, others arrived very quickly. I do think … Continue reading Are there currently any living modern composers who will go down in music history alongside the famous classical composers?
Knussen bolts
During my hiatus from regularly writing here, I missed a significant passing in the musical world – that of Oliver Knussen. Since I first started seriously exploring contemporary music while I was at Cambridge, Knussen has been a constant presence. His death on 5th July last year was a real loss to music, both as … Continue reading Knussen bolts
Is Classical music dying?
Written in answer to a question from Robert Holmén on Quora. It seemed to me worth spending a little time on. I don’t know what you are basing your question on - I’m not sure that the data actually bear out your premise, though it certainly isn’t easy to find clear information about listening figures. … Continue reading Is Classical music dying?
Why has there not been another Mozart?
How do you know that there hasn’t been? It depends on exactly what you mean. Clearly, there can’t actually be another Mozart but there could be another composer who demonstrates similar qualities. For me, Mozart’s greatest quality is an absolute mastery of the musical language such that at its best, his music sounds so inevitable, … Continue reading Why has there not been another Mozart?
The road being travelled
It has been some time since I posted and much has changed both within my focus and outside it. I am 18 months into a teaching career that has proved massively more rewarding and enjoyable than I could possibly have imagined. Social media is filled with positive spins on everyone’s life – people cherry picking … Continue reading The road being travelled
Make the case for music!
A couple of months ago, I wrote a response to an article in The Economist lamenting the continued devaluation of music in the curriculum in the UK. A couple of weeks ago a similar article was published in The Times by Alice Thomson. I’m not sure what prompted the article but it drew a supportive … Continue reading Make the case for music!
Robin Newton 