High society

Rejoice with me! I have just been accepted into, ahem, the Music Critics Society of North America.

Remember when I sent in my stuff? I wrote about it on my other Web log. Well, the Association was very nice and sent me a note saying I had been approved by unanimous vote. That made me feel good. Howard said it is probably just one guy but it is not. It is a whole board!

You can read my public welcome here.

My august colleagues include Barbara Jepson, who writes for the Wall Street Journal; and Tim Smith from the Baltimore Sun, whom I already am in touch with on Twitter. And Anne Midgette, the critic for the Washington Post. She wrote a nice review when the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra played Carnegie Hall. And she is writing a book about Leon Fleisher who was one of Leonard Pennario's friends and fellow pianists.

There is also Gary Lemco, a freelance critic who I remember called me two or three days after Pennario died, when I was still in California, kind of dazed. That was a strange week for me. I lost six pounds! Count on me to remember that.

Other people can gripe about the Internet. I love the Internet, I will tell you that right now. I love being able to connect in any way, shape or form with people like this. Not just for professional reasons. It is just fun. It is fun to find people interested in talking about the same things you are.

Still, I have to say it psyches me up professionally, being a member of the Music Critics Association of North America.

It makes me want to get right out there and criticize!