Alex Ross

Hailing from the cultural nexus of Washington, DC, Alex Ross has established himself as a formidable authority in the realm of music criticism. His tenure as the music critic for The New Yorker, which commenced in 1996, has solidified his reputation as a perceptive commentator on the interplay between sound and society. Prior to this, Ross honed his craft at the New York Times from 1992 to 1996, where his incisive analyses began to garner attention. A resident of Manhattan, Ross’s personal life is as vibrant as his professional one, marked by his marriage to actor and filmmaker Jonathan Lisecki in 2005. Among Ross’s most distinguished literary contributions is "The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century," which emerged as a national bestseller upon its release in 2007 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. This seminal work traverses the intricate landscape of 20th-century music, earning accolades such as the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Guardian First Book Award. It also achieved the distinction of being a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the Samuel Johnson Prize, further cementing its status as a critical touchstone. Following this triumph, Ross continued to weave his intricate narratives with "Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music," a profound exploration of Wagner's pervasive influence across the arts and politics. Ross’s oeuvre is characterized by a distinctive style that marries erudition with accessibility, allowing readers to engage deeply with complex musical and cultural themes. His contributions extend beyond the written word, as evidenced by his receipt of fellowships from the American Academy in Berlin and the Banff Centre, as well as his recognition as a MacArthur Fellow in 2008. Through his scholarly rigor and eloquent prose, Ross has not only chronicled but also shaped contemporary discourse on music, securing his place as a leading voice in the field.