Subscribe

From Carnegie Hall in New York to the global stage of the Super Bowl, this reflection considers how American cultural identity continues to evolve. In the wake of Bad Bunny’s historic 2026 halftime performance, where Puerto Rican culture and Spanish-language music reached an unprecedented mass audience, this essay asks what it means to inherit, transform, and reimagine identity in the United States, just as George Frederick Bristow and his contemporaries did more than a centu

New York City, January 29, 2026 --- I’m honored to be joining an extraordinary group of scholars and musicians at the Forging an American Identity conference this January in New York City. The conference opens Wednesday, January 28, at Geffen Hall, Sidewalk Studio, Lincoln Center, and my participation will take place the following day, Thursday, January 29, at the Elebash Recital Hall at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.

The lives of these four artists span different generations and movements, yet three share roots in Spain's Mediterranean arc—Valencia and Catalonia—while Vicente hails from Castile's high plains. Despite their distinct origins, these regions have long been Spain's most outward-looking, connected by trade, art, and a comfort with cultural exchange. Each man carried that sensibility to New York: an appreciation for light and color, a balance between classical training and natur

The Piccirilli Factor will be part of the Fall 2025 Film & Video Series at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College, CUNY. The screening is scheduled for Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 6 PM, in Manhattan.