MUSIC CRITIC FRESNO BEGINS ITS SECOND YEAR

Music season begins and the website has a new look and a new approach to sharing thoughts about local performances.

Why bother writing and publishing critical reviews?

Music Critic Fresno is the only keeper of the public record regarding criticism of important musical performances in Fresno. Without this website, every musician who performs in Fresno gets a free pass--no report on how well or poorly the performance went, no published response from the community. As the last official music critic of the Fresno Bee, I feel compelled to continue the service to the community.

Someone must provide a "starter" opinion concerning the major concerts in Fresno. Those who attend the concerts gain an ally or a foe when reading the "expert" opinion, and the general response of the audience is validated by the published report. When you attend a big performance like James Galway with the Fresno Philharmonic (October 6, 2010), you expect to read about it in the paper the next day. It is part of our city's story, our history.What you would have read in the paper two years ago now appears here.

This season, Music Critic Fresno offers an RSS feed, so you can receive a notice every time we publish an article or review, our forum is working, and we are toying with Twitter and the possibility of tweeting during intermissions. The idea is that there will be a formal review, but there will also be conversation about the music in a place where audience members can share their thoughts and opinions.

Is the music we listen to in Fresno important? Is it interesting, life-affirming, entertaining? Why do we go to the concerts? I believe that most people in attendance believe in the power and humanity of music and live performance. Those thoughts have a great deal of value, and I hope you are willing to share them.

Make the most of your local musical conversation this season. What you think matters a great deal to the people who bring the music to you, and your thoughts will make our community richer.