oasis for classical musicians seeking inclusivity
a photo of Mercury from MESSENGER, NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center a poem inspired by my view on the evening of June 15, 2018 with special thanks to my father who often paused to walk into the front yard and look up at the stars and… Continue reading What Bright Spots Accompany the Moon
Walking with Earthworms Does an earthworm deserve death after deluge makes it homeless? Or are careful footsteps sacred? If bombs rain as gas and dust flood lungs Shall we trample those who can't go home? Krystal J. F. Grant, April 16, 2017 An earthworm's return home after this morning's deluge became the climax of my… Continue reading Singing the Syrian
"Hey, it's Lafayette," I said and smiled as if referring to a friendly acquaintance. I recognized his recorded voice at the gift shop at The Kennedy Center last weekend: the opening song of Hamilton was playing in the background. After the music's dramatic buildup and split-second pause, I sang along with the name "Alexander Hamilton"… Continue reading Echoes of Hamilton
Instead of going to stores on Black Friday, my family and I went to the matinee performance of the new play Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole at People's Light in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
In my first class session of first-semester music theory, I ask my students two questions: "Who are you?" and "What is music?" The first question usually takes the form of name, hometown, instrument or voice part, and a favorite of something. I answer with Dr. Krystal J. F. Grant, Birmingham, Alabama, composition and piano, and… Continue reading Commencing Music Theory with Meaning
They gave me the shirt, introduced me to what became my favorite band, and immersed me in rap and reggae...
The cafe's mint fragrance and their empathy helped restore me. They also encouraged me to visit the farm and taught me about the six varieties of mint grown on site, each with a unique flavor and leaf texture they let me sample.
I remember my teacher’s face when talking about Kahlo and now contemplate that her being on the verge of tears may not have been only because of the tragedy...
This fashion love story is about my favorite sweater..... When I wait until the last minute to decide what to wear, glimpsing this sweater in my closet instantly allows me to look good and feel comfortable. #lovedclotheslast
I fell in love with linguistics because of a course in my undergraduate second major in Spanish. Our class at Vanderbilt University started in Latin, followed how sounds and spellings became Spanish (distinct from other Romance languages), and further traced dialectal variants from the Mediterranean coast to the Andes mountains. The systematic explanation of how… Continue reading Listening to Arrival
Ars Arvole 