New Music USA Online Library

The thought frequently crosses my mind that I should cut back enormously on the time I spend on social media as, by and large, it is a wasteland. But, then it comes back at me with yet another connection that only social media makes possible. In the case of “Artist” the soprano Laura Dixon Strickland posted the poem by Madhu Raghavendra. I happened to notice it and commented “maybe I’ll set it to music for you to sing!”

 

No sooner said than done – a collaboration between artists living in New Jersey, the Virgin Islands and New Delhi. Laura asked Madhu’s permission for me to set the poem, which was graciously granted, and I was off spinning notes.

 

With regard to the status of artists in our commerce driven society, the poem speaks for itself.