100 years ago today -- after years of delays, wars, financial setbacks, boring commercial gigs, and I suppose life -- Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, at 57, finally published the much anticipated follow up to his biggest hit.
When I set to the task of listening to each Sibelius symphony critically to determine my favorite last year, I wasn't really interested in the person who authored it. Since so many of the "great composers" seemed truly disinterested in being good people, and I'm interested in both, I don't feel I need to identify or deify any particular one.
Something about the Sixth, discoveries which I will share with you, made me return over and over, as well as read every analysis I could find of the symphony. If you'd like a glimpse into the doubts, trials, and passions of this 20th century master, check out my True Story of Sibelius's Sixth here.
If I have any legacy, I want it in service of supporting a young person's artistic gifts. I consider creating art the highest act of worship, and if I can facilitate the satisfaction of a young artist, I'll know the world will be better off. I realize now that I share my work broadly so that maybe some future space kid might come across an ancient song (or poem or what have you) and think, yes. You see how I see.
To that end, I'm beginning to consider a part of my creative journey taking me to the development of a media platform for regular people artists. People like me, who, for one reason or another, will continue to prioritize creative time regardless of financial capacity (or formal training or any indication of success whatsoever).
The Atlantic recently published some old news to folks following along here: https://archive.ph/xm3Ck -- we already know that making AI create something actually good is kind of hard. At least, it takes a certain skill and disposition. As someone who's naturally only gifted with a strong disposition to the arts, I can appreciate how much it costs to buy time for honing a creative skill -- something that. historically, was only available to the privileged.
The first iteration of the idea is called the Spacetime Spaceship. Basically, for $5 a month you get access to sneak previews, videos, supporting research materials and so on. In the future, I'd like to roll out a Producer's Circle where members can use new tools to share their own stories. That's going to take a while, so we'll start with baby steps.
It's not a great platform, but Ko-Fi will have to do for now. For those of you who've set up Patreons for me, I will make sure you have your membership transferred to this platform.
Oh -- and the first episode of Waking Up will be released March 17
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