Maria Thompson Corley

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Contributor

BSR Contributor Since August 30, 2010

Maria Thompson Corley is a Juilliard-trained concert pianist and published novelist.

Maria Thompson Corley is a Juilliard-trained pianist, composer, church musician, voice actor, writer, and mother of two highly gifted artists. In her non-existent spare time, she loves to read, watch movies, and take pictures of flowers.

By this Author

74 results

Page 1

'Theme and Variations: Musical Notes by a Neurologist,' by Dr. Carl Ellenberger

Listening in

Neurologist and flutist Dr. Carl Ellenberger's new book about the effects of music on the brain continues in the vein of the great Oliver Sacks. Maria Corley reviews.

Maria Thompson Corley

Nov 29, 2018 Articles 3 minute read

'A Wrinkle in Time' director Ava DuVernay, actor Storm Reid, and an on-set hairstylist make movie magic. (Photo via IMDB.com.)

Black Hollywood is (and has been) ready for its closeup

Helping Hollywood help itself

When black people are given the opportunity to take charge behind the camera, they can diversify every other aspect of a film. When that happens, everyone benefits. Maria Corley considers.

Maria Thompson Corley

Mar 06, 2018 Articles 4 minute read

We could learn a thing or two from the gentle baboons of Forest Troop. (Illustration for BSR by Hannah Kaplan.)

Humans going ape

It's time for us to evolve

The mass shooting in Las Vegas was just another sign that something in our culture is fatally flawed. Maria Corley thinks she knows what that might be.

Maria Thompson Corleyand Illustration by Hannah Kaplan

Oct 17, 2017 Essays 3 minute read

The Robert E. Lee monument in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Cville Dog, via Creative Commons/Wikimedia.)

Confederate monuments down, racists still standing

Beyond sheetcaking

Maybe the nation's Confederate monuments will all come down, but what will we do about the racists who are still standing? Maria Corley considers.

Maria Thompson Corley

Aug 22, 2017 Essays 5 minute read

L to R: Jon Michael Hill's Moses and Ryan Hallahan's Mister in Antoinette Nwandu’s 'Pass Over,' at Steppenwolf Theatre. (Photo by Michael Brosilow.)

Hedy Weiss, Antoinette Nwandu, and taking ownership

What language does critique speak?

When a reader from the U.K. reviewed Maria Thompson Corley's new novel, it reminded her of the Hedy Weiss/Antoinette Nwandu reviewing controversy.

Maria Thompson Corley

Jul 24, 2017 Essays 5 minute read

Book cover: Title appears a center in yellow, superimposed on a red-haired woman in a drab dress.

Lilli de Jong: A Novel, by Janet Benton

For Mother's Day, a mother's tale

Janet Benton's debut novel, 'Lilli de Jong,' offers a view of single motherhood in late-19th-century Philadelphia. Maria Corley reviews.

Maria Thompson Corley

May 09, 2017 Reviews 4 minute read

Tradition: Fred Barnard's 1870 illustration of Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit. (Image via Creative Commons/Wikimedia)

When fake news invades real life

God help us, every one

When a fake news story took over the headlines in Maria Corley's Lancaster County town, people suffered, which was bad enough; but even worse, she believed it.

Maria Thompson Corley

Jan 03, 2017 Essays 5 minute read

Gaining citizenship, losing confidence

Yearning to breathe free

Maria Thompson Corley, a Canadian citizen, got her long-awaited U.S. citizenship after the election ended. So, now what?

Maria Thompson Corley

Nov 21, 2016 Essays 4 minute read

Why Prince was special

‘Better live now’ — and so he did

Why did an entertainer like Prince inspire a classical pianist like me? Because he refused to be pigeonholed or controlled by any force except the Almighty.

Maria Thompson Corley

Apr 24, 2016 Articles 4 minute read

Lennox Randon's 'Memoirs of a Dead White Chick'

Experiencing another life

Memoirs of a Dead White Chick is a lively, entertaining read. It considers issues around gender and race — and the darker side of America's history of them — without delving too deeply into their horrors.

Maria Thompson Corley

Feb 15, 2016 Articles 5 minute read

Finding meaning, hope, and forward movement: Jeanne Krausman. (Photo courtesy of the author)

Meet Jeanne Krausman

A long musical life

She gave herself a “musical Bat Mitzvah” at 83, followed, at 85, by seven consecutive daily performances of a short living room recital. Jeanne Krausman was preparing for her final concert, at 89, when fate intervened.

Maria Thompson Corley

Jan 12, 2016 Articles 4 minute read

An autistic artist communicates

The power of art

I was moved by seeing all of those little brown faces become more animated as the half hour went by and all pretense of cool faded away. They were so excited about art and life.

Maria Thompson Corley

Dec 13, 2015 Essays 4 minute read

Helen Mirren, at 70, is still regarded by many as sexy — should we emulate her? (Photo by See Li via Creative Commons/Wikipedia)

Does sexy have an expiration date?

I will, on occasion, pull together an outfit purely for the fun of pleasing myself aesthetically, but when I'm dressed that way, I don't assume anyone is deciding whether I'm “toothsome” or not — I figure that, at nearly 50, I'm pretty much invisible, and at this point I don't care if people are assessing me or not.

Maria Thompson Corley

Oct 22, 2015 Essays 4 minute read

Serena Williams in 2012. (photo by Charlie Cowins via Creative Commons/Flickr)

The many kinds of success of Venus and Serena Williams

Raising champions

That Serena and Venus are excellent, well-adjusted, and curious about things outside their area of expertise is phenomenal. That they are best friends on top of that is even more amazing; the investment Oracene Price and Richard Williams made in their children has paid many important dividends.

Maria Thompson Corley

Sep 12, 2015 Essays 5 minute read

Kiana takes flight: the author's daughter on her way to the Berklee summer program.

Help! My daughter is a music major!

Despite my best efforts to guide her, my daughter's love for music wore me down. Now I'm hoping for the best.

Maria Thompson Corley

Aug 30, 2015 Articles 4 minute read