A month is a long time...

and a lot has happened. I have now walked across that stage, and in doing so have been declared a college graduate (never mind the fact that I have a paper left to write).

Since my last post, I have also made a visit to Baylor, signed a lease, received my GRE scores, and performed at my final jury.

Working backwards:

The jury was interesting. I almost didn't have to do one, since Dr. Michael Monroe, my wonderful faculty coach (known less appropriately as an "accompanist"), had thought that at the beginning of the semester that he didn't have any juries to play for. All his students were graduating seniors, and normally one doesn't have to do a jury the semester one gives a recital. However, I was in the BA degree track, meaning that my three recitals were not degree recitals and that I had to perform a jury anyway. In any case, he had scheduled a rehearsal since he didn't think he had any juries, and thus could not make mine. So, instead of having me not do a jury (which the department chair would have permitted if my clarinet instructor agreed), Mr. Kirkley had me play the unaccompanied "Abyss of the Birds" from my recital, to give me an opportunity to polish it up a bit, or in his words, to "make [me] learn it." Though the performance at the jury was significantly removed from perfection, it was the highest grade I ever got from a jury, so I was very happy.

In a similar vein, my GRE scores were quite good, especially given the fact that I did hardly any (~ 45 minutes) preparation. I have just stopped worrying about things like this; in my mind, you get what you get, and usually it's what you deserve, so don't spend time fretting. If you're curious to know what my scores were, you can ask. I'm just not going to announce it on a blog - that's kind of lame. Turns out I didn't need the scores at this stage of my life anyway, since I'm not going to UGA for my master's, but it will be good to have it in the future.

So, at my visit to Baylor, I realized how different it's going to be from anything I've ever known - all of it: the climate, the culture, the school, the music. I had the opportunity to hear a graduate clarinet recital, a wind ensemble concert, and an orchestra rehearsal. The wind ensemble there is better than any band I've ever played in, including honor bands. In Texas, band seems to be the ultimate art form. I was also impressed with the clarinet players I heard there, both at the recital and in the ensembles. It will be a good experience for me, especially since I won't have to pay to go to school. :-)

While visiting, I scoped out apartments, and I had success. I just signed a lease with a roommate that I found through a service that caters to Baylor students looking for various living situations. The apartment is a 930-square-foot, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom unit, and the rent is just $625. This includes cable, internet, water, sewage, and trash. All we have to pay for is electric. A place like this, for under $400/month per person. A steal!

In any case, I'm out! More later - I have music festivals coming up and am quite excited about them! I'll tell why in the next post - who's going to be there, pieces I'll be playing, etc. Tata for now, and there will be less time before the next post. :-)

So I was mistaken...

Due to my not receiving a confirmation email from ETS about the GRE, I thought that the exam I registered for was on Friday, though in reality (I found out Thursday) it was on Thursday. Thus, I had to drop another $140 to register for it again. This time I got a confirmation email. It's tomorrow. Oi. I really don't have the time to study, but it doesn't matter, because.........

I ALREADY GOT AN ASSISTANTSHIP!!!!!!!

I received three letters this morning - acceptances from Duquesne and Oklahoma, and an acceptance with assistantship from Baylor. Before I even knew about the assistantship, all my professors here at Gordon have been telling me to go to Baylor. I just yesterday bought plane tickets to visit Baylor at the end of the month, and this morning I got the letter. So excited. Hopefully I'll like it when I visit. So now the list is as follows:

Baylor - assistantship!

Duquesne - accepted

Oklahoma - accepted

Ohio - accepted

Georgia - unofficially accepted, pending GRE

BU - accepted, not going

FSU - rejected

So, a recital in less than two weeks, a visit to Texas a week after that, and a decision to be made very shortly.

Also, I found out recently that I have been accepted into the Scotia Festival of Music, which is a two-week chamber music festival in Halifax, NS, CA, where the Ying Quartet (faculty at Eastman) will be guest artists/faculty, in addition to clarinetist Todd Palmer and a bunch of other amazing musicians. It may cost me a grand or so, but I think I should jump on this opportunity. I'm excited to do a festival - something I've never done before - and to meet other passionate musicians coming from a different place than myself. Networking is everything in music.

And there remains so much to do.

GRE on Friday and recital on April 20. I guess I should start studying for the GRE and really learn my recital music.

And this morning...

an email came from Mr. Samuels (Duqesne University in Pittsburgh) saying that he accepted me into his studio. This is exciting for two reasons: a) I got in to a school at which, during my visit, I got to hear the amazing Pittsburgh Symphony, discovered what a good teacher he is, and realized how nice it would be to go to school in a city, and b) I have now heard from every school to which I applied!

The schools I now must consider are, in order of most information/most certainty:

Ohio University: officially accepted
Baylor University: recommended for admission and assistantship by clarinet professor and faculty committee
University of Oklahoma and Duquesne University: accepted into clarinet professors' studios
University of Georgia: accepted by professor, University admission pending GRE

Money will play an important role, and we will see whether my GRE is good enough for admission to Georgia. I may not have enough time to study for it! We'll see what I can do. I've talked to friends who have taken it (one of whom has a condensed study guide he made up), and I've bought the Kaplan's review book. We'll see how much I can prepare for it.

That is all. In the meantime, I must do homework so that I may graduate.