Speedlinking - 22 December 2011

As the year winds down to a close, here are some interesting links from the news and blogosphere that are worth a look over the next few days:

• Guttural or alveolar? Norman Lebrecht looks at the proper way to enunciate one's r's in German. 
• It all starts with us - Nicole Murphy writes about developing a studio concert culture.
• I met pianist and conductor Kevin Class some time ago in Holland - hear what he has to say about collaborating with a conductor. 
• Are you from a small town and study or work in the big city? Lachlan Glen shows how to get back to your roots with a musical thank-you concert.
• Collaborative pianist, teacher, and writer Ashley Danyew (see her play here) writes her own version of The Night Before Christmas, choir-style.
• Kennith Freeman shares what he has learned from his first semester as staff accompanist at Union University.
• Erica Sipes gives some advice gleaned from playing for loads upon loads of juries.
• And finally, congratulations go to Tracy Cowden, whose discovery of a little-known book of poetry in the Virginia Tech library led to both the commissioning of a new song cycle by Daron Hagen and a debut in New York City.