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
Showing posts with label graduation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graduation. Show all posts
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
It is finished.
And the sky turned black as the night.
I think that's from an old Petra song... I'm not exactly sure. You know, 80s Christian rock?
Well, actually, my undergraduate education is finished, and that's far better than any 80s Christian rock song you could ever think of. I handed in my last paper yesterday. You have no idea how annoying it is to walk across that stage on commencement day, get your case for your diploma that they will send you in the mail -- if, after checking on your grades, you have actually met all your requirements. I still had a paper outstanding for a 2-credit elective course. However, this elective course was one I needed to fulfill my graduation requirements, so I didn't have that oh-so-desirable sense of finality as I sat listening to Rick Warren go on forever and ever about things that will last forever, like his sermon did.
By the way, I didn't want a sermon for graduation. Oh well. I probably would rather have listened to Hillary Clinton for those 20 to 30 minutes in her strained, monotonous, half-yelling sort of oration. While we're on the topic of graduation speakers, I will only say this of the Baccalaureate address: talk to me if you want to hear my opinion.
So I found out for sure that I'm playing the Brahms clarinet quintet (clarinet + string quartet), Op. 115, at the Scotia Festival. If you have not listened to this piece, you need to do so. I'm also going to bring a bunch of other chamber music for clarinet, strings and piano as well, because we can probably work on more than just that one piece. I'm very excited for this opportunity - not only because we get to be coached by world-class musicians, but also because I'll be playing with other young people who are serious about their craft. In addition, while the wind program at Baylor is very strong, doing a festival like this one with a large string component will be good, since the strings at Baylor (from what I understand) aren't quite as strong as the winds, and there's not a ton of collaboration between strings and winds for chamber music.
I think that's from an old Petra song... I'm not exactly sure. You know, 80s Christian rock?
Well, actually, my undergraduate education is finished, and that's far better than any 80s Christian rock song you could ever think of. I handed in my last paper yesterday. You have no idea how annoying it is to walk across that stage on commencement day, get your case for your diploma that they will send you in the mail -- if, after checking on your grades, you have actually met all your requirements. I still had a paper outstanding for a 2-credit elective course. However, this elective course was one I needed to fulfill my graduation requirements, so I didn't have that oh-so-desirable sense of finality as I sat listening to Rick Warren go on forever and ever about things that will last forever, like his sermon did.
By the way, I didn't want a sermon for graduation. Oh well. I probably would rather have listened to Hillary Clinton for those 20 to 30 minutes in her strained, monotonous, half-yelling sort of oration. While we're on the topic of graduation speakers, I will only say this of the Baccalaureate address: talk to me if you want to hear my opinion.
So I found out for sure that I'm playing the Brahms clarinet quintet (clarinet + string quartet), Op. 115, at the Scotia Festival. If you have not listened to this piece, you need to do so. I'm also going to bring a bunch of other chamber music for clarinet, strings and piano as well, because we can probably work on more than just that one piece. I'm very excited for this opportunity - not only because we get to be coached by world-class musicians, but also because I'll be playing with other young people who are serious about their craft. In addition, while the wind program at Baylor is very strong, doing a festival like this one with a large string component will be good, since the strings at Baylor (from what I understand) aren't quite as strong as the winds, and there's not a ton of collaboration between strings and winds for chamber music.
Monday, May 19, 2008
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. :-)
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. :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)