In my last post...

I lied. I read through it, and after having a couple weeks to let it all settle, I realized that I only wanted to recount every little detail of the summer music festival because I was so excited about the new experiences. At this moment, I have realized that I'm still very much the same Jesse, but my eyes have been opened a little bit more, my horizon is now a bit broader, and I made new friends through these experiences.

This is the same Jesse who now is preparing to shove as many of his most important belongings into a 1996 Subaru Legacy station wagon as will fit in order that he might make the three-hour trek back to Brunswick, NY, continuing on (with father) for another 27 hours thence to Waco, TX.

Recently, I have begun realizing how fast time really does pass, and that its pace only quickens as I age. One freaking month until I hold residence in freaking Texas?!? For sure, this seemed so far away to me as my real conversation with Baylor University started back in March. Five months? That's ages! Four weeks? That's right around the corner! But then, I have to think of all that has happened since March to make this time fly by:

I made a visit to the University of Georgia.
I applied to two summer music festivals and Baylor University.
I was accepted to two summer music festivals and Baylor University (this with an assistantship).
I accepted the offers from two summer music festivals and Baylor University.
I gave my senior recital.
I visited Waco, TX, and Baylor University.
I signed a lease long-distance on an apartment in Waco, TX.
I took my last round of undergraduate final exams and also achieved my highest-ever clarinet jury score.
I graduated! (And my diploma arrived at my parents' house today!)
I attended the Scotia Festival of Music.
I was a fellow (student) at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln Chamber Music Institute.
I recommenced working, and commenced much working out and practicing of the clarinet.

Wow! That is a lot to have done in the course of three months! Now, working, working out, and practicing are basically all I do. I need to begin studying for the Music History and Music Theory graduate placement exams, though, so I can hopefully not have to take the remedial course for either of them (especially as the assistantship will not cover the tuition for these courses).

And since I started the body of this post with a comment about how fast time flies, at this time next year, I will quite possibly be about to embark on another round of trips! This will be to audition and audition at other schools for the purpose of pursuing a DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts), a graduate performance diploma, or an artist diploma (depending on how much progress I make this year, of course). Talk about time flying! This is also not to mention the fact that preparation for next summer's festival auditions has to start this semester. Oi!

This post is now officially too long, especially as it has been talking about the rapid passing of time, and it possibly took too many moments out of one's day to read this (if it gets read at all :-) ).

Until I don't know when,
Jesse

Mission: Auditions... complete!

The middle of last week brought my final audition, this at UGA. I really liked the professor. I think he could help me establish some good habits in my playing that would bring about much improvement. In addition to two clarinet assistantships open next year, there is also a band assistantship available, because of which he had me play for the band director as well. We'll see what happens. I have to take the GRE now, because Georgia hasn't waived the GRE requirement for performance majors (all the other schools to which I applied waive the GRE for grad performance majors). Pain in the butt.

Speaking of things left on applications, I found out that because of a single course that I took at Hudson Valley Community College during a summer and because of credit I earned at SUNY Albany in high school French 4, I need transcripts sent from them to Baylor University to complete my application there. Another pain in the butt. Grr. Especially when the music school doesn't even care. Dr. Shanley indicated that the faculty were sending positive recommendations both for admission and for an assistantship to the music graduate program. Oi. All these steps make me wish that music programs were separate from the universities, but on the other hand, music schools probably don't often have the finances to run well without a larger institution.

When I got back on Thursday, there were two pieces of mail for me from Boston University. They actually accepted me, but I didn't get any money from them, so I probably won't go. I like Boston, but not enough to spend at least another $60k to stay here two more years, especially when there are good teachers and other cool towns elsewhere.

Finally, I went and got myself an A clarinet on Friday. It came with a double case, and I bought a case cover with it. This makes me elated. Now I have my own set of instruments and can call myself a real clarinetist! Hopefully the instruments will hold up for a long, long time. I'm going to be sending in the form for insurance ASAP, either today or tomorrow.