Hey there, art lovers! Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Constantine, the face behind The High Arts Review. You might know me by my former pseudonym, ‘Konsgaard,’ but I’ve decided to step out from behind the curtain and embrace my true identity.
The decision to adopt the name The High Arts Review was born from a deep conviction about the enduring value of artistic excellence. While some might perceive “high arts” as exclusionary, I see it differently: it’s a celebration of works that demand our full attention, that challenge us, and that reward careful study. This isn’t about creating hierarchies—it’s about championing depth, complexity, and the transformative power of art that aspires to greatness. The High Arts Review represents a space where we can explore these works with the seriousness and sophistication they deserve, while remaining accessible to anyone willing to engage thoughtfully with the arts.
So, who am I? I’m a self-taught arts enthusiast who has spent a lifetime immersed in the worlds of classical music, cinema, and literature. I’m the kind of person who finds genuine joy in reading the Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music in the bathroom (back when it was still in publication!) or settling in with issues of Gramophone Magazine, Cahiers du Cinéma, Sight and Sound, and various literary journals. These aren’t mere hobbies—they’re lifelong passions that have shaped how I understand and experience art.
My journey as a critic began in my teenage years, scribbling thoughts on films, music, and books in a trusty notebook. As I matured, my passion found wider audiences through newspapers, magazines, and various online platforms. I experimented with separate blogs for each art form before realizing that these conversations naturally interweave and enrich one another. That realization led to the creation of The High Arts Review—a single space where film, music, and literature can be explored in dialogue with each other.
Now, you might find it curious that despite my deep immersion in the arts, my formal education took a different path. I hold degrees in European Studies and European Policy Studies, and earned my PhD in Education Policy. But life’s most interesting journeys rarely follow straight lines, do they? Beyond academia, I’m also a certified life and business coach, working with artists, classical musicians, and creative professionals to help them unlock their potential.
When I’m not writing or coaching, you’ll likely find me at the gym lifting weights. Yes, I’m a former NASM-certified personal trainer and fitness enthusiast who believes that cultivating both body and mind leads to a richer engagement with art and life.
My vision for The High Arts Review is both ambitious and deeply personal. I aim to revive the tradition of sustained, rigorous criticism—the kind that holds art to the highest standards and doesn’t shy away from exacting judgment. Whether reviewing a newly released film, exploring a classical music recording, or analyzing a literary work, I strive to interpret rather than merely describe, to illuminate the inner workings and broader impact of the works I discuss while maintaining uncompromising critical standards.
As for my artistic allegiances? I adore Bach, but I’ll always maintain that Beethoven, Bruckner, and Allan Pettersson (if you haven’t encountered him, you’re in for a revelation!) are my supreme symphonists. In cinema, I hold unwavering admiration for Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, and Michelangelo Antonioni—in that precise order. And in literature, I frequently cite four writers as touchstones: Leo Tolstoy, Thomas Mann, Henry James, and Marcel Proust.
So that’s me—equipped with an insatiably curious mind, a dash of humor, and an admittedly obsessive attention to detail (I’ll absolutely notice a cough during a pianissimo passage or comment on a film’s opening credit design!).
I warmly invite you to explore the rich world of the arts alongside me at The High Arts Review.