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Mike

@professorberry.bsky.social

Orchestra teacher, music theorist, bassist "Listening to Rap" (2e) and "Rap Music and Whiteness in Postracial America" both coming from Routledge in 2026. michaelberrymusic.com

2,751 Followers  |  1,765 Following  |  2,865 Posts  |  Joined: 03.07.2023
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Posts by Mike (@professorberry.bsky.social)

“Rutherford Statement on Operation Epic Furry” 

“Furry” highlighted by me

http://rutherford.house.gov/media/press-releases/rutherford-statement-operation-epic-furry

“Rutherford Statement on Operation Epic Furry” “Furry” highlighted by me http://rutherford.house.gov/media/press-releases/rutherford-statement-operation-epic-furry

Google result showing the presser for Rutherford’s statement on “Operation Epic Furry” was posted 11 hours ago

Google result showing the presser for Rutherford’s statement on “Operation Epic Furry” was posted 11 hours ago

What a time to be alive

01.03.2026 01:58 — 👍 2450    🔁 545    💬 68    📌 149

Well done!

01.03.2026 00:00 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

The world could be such a nice place if we allowed it. It's all so goddamn unnecessary. There's no need for any of it. It's so beautiful here. It should be so cool to be alive

28.02.2026 12:42 — 👍 16118    🔁 4982    💬 126    📌 101

Agreed. It’s so interesting to think about how this piece “works.”

28.02.2026 04:29 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I have never *not* looked at a conductor so hard. 😑

28.02.2026 04:20 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
A score and bass part for Stravinsky’s “Soldier’s Tale” on a music stand. A pencil and some Pops bass rosin look on.

A score and bass part for Stravinsky’s “Soldier’s Tale” on a music stand. A pencil and some Pops bass rosin look on.

LFG!

28.02.2026 04:20 — 👍 7    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Boa Constrictor
YouTube video by Shel Silverstein - Topic Boa Constrictor

In Adventures in MLL teaching today we were reading a news story (from an old workbook) about how Burmese pythons were an invasive species in Florida etc. etc.

We talked a bit about snakes and I played this for them:

27.02.2026 01:38 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
Music and Labor Symposium, May 15–17, 2026 - AMS Career Center About: This symposium brings together emerging and established music scholars who prioritize labor as a focus of our teaching and research, and who are developing it as an organizing concept...

Just a few more days to submit proposals for the Music & Labor Symposium (May 15­–17 at the Friday Harbor Laboratories at the University of Washington)!

Details at the link -- please share widely. I'd love to review lots of proposals! (Yes, really!)

careers.amsmusicology.org/opportunity/...

27.02.2026 03:42 — 👍 12    🔁 12    💬 2    📌 1

Might need to track down some of the old Dragonlance books too…

27.02.2026 01:43 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

“He got drunk, wandered into the forest and we didn’t find him for two days.”

I was speechless.

“Wow… uh, was he ok?”

“He died.” 😑

27.02.2026 01:38 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

A few of them were chuckling and I said “can you imagine being swallowed by a boa constrictor?”

One student raised their hand and said “My uncle was.” 😬

27.02.2026 01:38 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Boa Constrictor
YouTube video by Shel Silverstein - Topic Boa Constrictor

In Adventures in MLL teaching today we were reading a news story (from an old workbook) about how Burmese pythons were an invasive species in Florida etc. etc.

We talked a bit about snakes and I played this for them:

27.02.2026 01:38 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

It’s never too soon to start talking to your kid about Dungeons and Dragons.

(a LOT has changed apparently since I last played in 1994…)

27.02.2026 01:33 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0

So bad 😖

26.02.2026 04:23 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I probably should not have agreed to play "A Soldier's Tale" in the same weekend my book is due...

26.02.2026 04:04 — 👍 6    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0

Amazing—thank you!

25.02.2026 19:51 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

My TikTok is a weird mix of excellent DJs/turntablists, birdfeeder cams with rap songs overdubbed, and ultramodern “classical” music

25.02.2026 06:48 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Thank you! I’ll try to track it down. Dan sent something as well—looks like what you’re describing.

25.02.2026 03:38 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0

Oh--I see. Cool! Thank you!

25.02.2026 01:40 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

That make sense--kinda what happens a few measures later? I can help her work that out.

Thank you!

25.02.2026 01:39 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

She said (and I've found the same) that on many recordings, the soloist isn't playing what Dvorak wrote there. What *are* they playing and how can I get a copy of it?

@danielketter.com @mirandacello.bsky.social plz and thank you!

25.02.2026 01:33 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 3    📌 0

Cello friends: a student of mine is working on the Dvorak cello concerto and we're trying to figure out what happens in the first mvt at 4 mm. before reh. 12 (the "ossia" passage).

25.02.2026 01:33 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
screenshot of an email from Google congratulating me on 1,000 total review views of my review of Ben Bridge Jewelers. "Fantastic service! They helped me find the watch of my dreams."

screenshot of an email from Google congratulating me on 1,000 total review views of my review of Ben Bridge Jewelers. "Fantastic service! They helped me find the watch of my dreams."

I'm kind of a big deal on Google Maps.

25.02.2026 00:57 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I'm about 10 minutes into the piece you linked above and it's marvelous! Very subtle and beautiful.

25.02.2026 00:41 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

What a fun piece! I played it like 30 years ago (?!) and have been dying to play it again.

25.02.2026 00:00 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never heard of her nor of her music—will remedy that later today.

24.02.2026 19:52 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Titled "Seeking help"

I'm Professor Harcum and I come here to say
Psychology class is not the place to play.
For freshman people and the seniors, too.
There's much to learn before you're through.
So keep on working on the syllabus,
To dis that old semester-end fuss,
'Cause life is not all just fun and games,
Before you know it you'll go down in flames.
So if you see you're gonna fall,
Give Professor H a mighty quick call,
Be very sure he will try to please, 
But in this place we've no guarantees.
The professors here may be very weird,
But not as bad as you might have feared.
We know the hassles here can get your goat,
Just be sure we know we're in the same darn boat.

Titled "Seeking help" I'm Professor Harcum and I come here to say Psychology class is not the place to play. For freshman people and the seniors, too. There's much to learn before you're through. So keep on working on the syllabus, To dis that old semester-end fuss, 'Cause life is not all just fun and games, Before you know it you'll go down in flames. So if you see you're gonna fall, Give Professor H a mighty quick call, Be very sure he will try to please, But in this place we've no guarantees. The professors here may be very weird, But not as bad as you might have feared. We know the hassles here can get your goat, Just be sure we know we're in the same darn boat.

From a 1991 article titled "Rap singing as an icebreaker for large classes" by E. Rae Harcum:

24.02.2026 04:57 — 👍 11    🔁 4    💬 2    📌 2

I appreciate it.

24.02.2026 05:20 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Holy cow.

24.02.2026 05:19 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Like, how the hell did this ever get published?!

24.02.2026 05:11 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0