It is perhaps the most famous chord in history. Composed of the dissonant brew of F, B, D♯ and G# and dubbed the “Tristan” chord after Richard Wagner's opera “Tristan und Isolde,” this single chord helped begin the modernist breakdown of tonality. It edged 19th century music into the 20th century — a time of tension, insecurity and anxiety. It’s the chord that refuses to … [Read more...] about Dissonance Matters
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Nicki Minaj Empowers Women
Nicki Minaj’s latest song “Anaconda,” which premiered on Aug. 19 is many things. It’s sexual, wild and butt-filled. But one of the important themes found in the song is one of independence — something that many people may have missed. One of the highlights of the lyrics is that it shows the other side of the story. The males she brings up in the song are only with her for … [Read more...] about Nicki Minaj Empowers Women
Summer Music Spotlight: Festivals
Photo Courtesy of T. Tseng From downtown to Santa Monica , up the coast to San Francisco, to the valley of Coachella and the desert of Nevada, artists filled the summer air in several music festivals. Coachella The silver lining of finals is the much anticipated Coachella music festival in Indio, Calif. Over the past few years, the festival has duplicated itself into two … [Read more...] about Summer Music Spotlight: Festivals
Gavin DeGraw blows up Alumni
Photo by Allison Hubbard The Waves made some noise for Gavin DeGraw. The singer gave an acoustic performance to an adoring crowd at Alumni Park on Saturday evening. Students, families and alumni gathered around the temporary stage as they swayed along to DeGraw’s music. Highlights of the concert include his opening act, 2007 alumna Jessica Childress, his intimate … [Read more...] about Gavin DeGraw blows up Alumni
Concerts you crave near home
With the chaos of the dreadful midterm season dying down, it’s safe to take a breather and once again indulge in a little bit of “me time.” The beauty of attending school near Los Angeles is that there is never a shortage of things to do. Rather than reading about what music I’ve been listening to lately, why not get out and go see some great artists performing in your own … [Read more...] about Concerts you crave near home