Travesty! Or rather, "Agony!"
I just got off the phone with the admissions office of Eastman School of Music. Though I need to learn more about the other schools to which I am applying, I had hoped to at least be considered for Eastman. There is a mandatory interview in Rochester, NY for Music Theory Ph. D. applicants on Feb. 1 & 2. Those are the two dates of our performance of Into the Woods. The admissions office tells me there is no wiggle room.
What do I do? Do I prefer the musical, or the interview (assuming I decide to go through with the application process, and they invite me out)? Ever since I saw Into the Woods, I wanted to play the role of one of the princes -- and now I am, at my alma mater surrounded by good friends. But if I can't attend the interview in Rochester that weekend, I cannot hope to attend Eastman in 2008.
I have already decided one thing: I will not leave Into the Woods without a second Prince. If I do get the interview, and I decide I want to pursue that instead of the musical, but we can't find an understudy, I will nonetheless be performing the musical in Santa Barbara. That is my commitment, and the Lord will honor that.
But now, do I still break my back finishing my Eastman application in the next few days? I think so, since I've done so much work already, and especially because I already have three recommendations for Eastman, and those were kind enough to have been done over Thanksgiving. No, I need to at least apply, and get my foot in the Eastman door.
But will I follow through? At this point (having thought about it for less than an hour), I think not. I will still apply to the other schools, investigate them, and see what opportunities lie about me. But unless one of the other schools really catches my attention, I think I will defer any acceptances for a year (if possible) and spend another year in Santa Barbara. I would be continuing in a job that I mostly enjoy, would be saving up more money for when I eventually become a musician pauper, and would be able to study a foreign language (which all schools seem to require; either German or Italian). However, I would not be leaving a job situation that has proved to not be the best (though I can/should work to improve it), nor would I be pursuing music as soon as I would have hoped.
But God's time is not man's time. I am fully devoted to His time in this matter, and that makes me overwhelmingly happy and peaceful. ...Despite the turmoil of decision-making, of course. Jesus, lead on!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Graduate School? #3
GRE ETA: 5 days, 20 hours
Eastman ETA: 10 days
Others: > 1.5 months
Well, my music resume is wrapping up. Lianne gave it a very thorough once-over (for which I'm ever so grateful!) and we reworded pretty much everything. It's looking much more professional. I just need to adjust a few items, and it should be good to go.
Today I paid a visit to Westmont to elicit the recommendations of the two music faculty who 1) had me as a student (that is, not Dr. Shasberger) and 2) are not in Europe (Dr. Brothers). But since I need three recommendations within a week and a half, I got in contact with an adjunct professor I had for one semester of Music History. She's visiting family for Thanksgiving -- but in this case that works in my favor because that brings her from Boston to L.A.! God is good! ...Though I feel bad for taking time during her Thanksgiving break. But, there's no turning back now!
For the portion of the recommendation forms I had to fill out, I had to specify to which graduate awards I would be applying. Which means I had to look at them for the first time. I saw two that I think would be pretty fun! One is basically a music computer lab technician and also an electronic music technician -- but they request that you know something about Linux / Windows / MAC administration and a few other very-C.S. things. =D I think I'd have fun investigating merging my loves.
The other is a classroom teacher of "aural skills" -- which means teaching sight-reading, dictation, and a few other skills that were required of us at Westmont and even some that weren't. That too sounds fun! Except... they require that you be able to sight-read excerpts from piano music. Now, I keep saying I should be better at that than I am, and that's certainly the truth! But I got discouraged reading that. And then I decided that I liked everything else about that job enough, and needed to better my sight-reading anyway, so I'll still be applying for that award. =D Which means sometime, in my "spare" time, I need to be improving in that area. Please hold me accountable! Not only will I lean against doing that work, but I'll probably forget too. =)
And finally, the GRE... is fast approaching. Like a passenger train. Those who are worthy are able to hop on board before it rams you into smithereens. I only hope I will be counted worthy... =)
But honestly, I have no fear. This is in God's hands. Nevertheless, I intend to be a good steward of my time and study whenever possible beforehand.
Eastman ETA: 10 days
Others: > 1.5 months
Well, my music resume is wrapping up. Lianne gave it a very thorough once-over (for which I'm ever so grateful!) and we reworded pretty much everything. It's looking much more professional. I just need to adjust a few items, and it should be good to go.
Today I paid a visit to Westmont to elicit the recommendations of the two music faculty who 1) had me as a student (that is, not Dr. Shasberger) and 2) are not in Europe (Dr. Brothers). But since I need three recommendations within a week and a half, I got in contact with an adjunct professor I had for one semester of Music History. She's visiting family for Thanksgiving -- but in this case that works in my favor because that brings her from Boston to L.A.! God is good! ...Though I feel bad for taking time during her Thanksgiving break. But, there's no turning back now!
For the portion of the recommendation forms I had to fill out, I had to specify to which graduate awards I would be applying. Which means I had to look at them for the first time. I saw two that I think would be pretty fun! One is basically a music computer lab technician and also an electronic music technician -- but they request that you know something about Linux / Windows / MAC administration and a few other very-C.S. things. =D I think I'd have fun investigating merging my loves.
The other is a classroom teacher of "aural skills" -- which means teaching sight-reading, dictation, and a few other skills that were required of us at Westmont and even some that weren't. That too sounds fun! Except... they require that you be able to sight-read excerpts from piano music. Now, I keep saying I should be better at that than I am, and that's certainly the truth! But I got discouraged reading that. And then I decided that I liked everything else about that job enough, and needed to better my sight-reading anyway, so I'll still be applying for that award. =D Which means sometime, in my "spare" time, I need to be improving in that area. Please hold me accountable! Not only will I lean against doing that work, but I'll probably forget too. =)
And finally, the GRE... is fast approaching. Like a passenger train. Those who are worthy are able to hop on board before it rams you into smithereens. I only hope I will be counted worthy... =)
But honestly, I have no fear. This is in God's hands. Nevertheless, I intend to be a good steward of my time and study whenever possible beforehand.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Graduate School? #2
I'd still like to fill y'all in on the road that led up to my decision to apply to graduate schools in music -- at least the parts I can see -- but time is currently of the essence, so I've decided to keep posting just about the present and near future. Sometime later I'll fill in the story with ways I've seen God moving, because those are some of the best parts!
Current status: booked to the gills, and not enjoying it so much anymore. I currently have no time to waste doing frivolous trivialities (read: necessary recreations). And I'm applying to graduate school? What am I thinking? This won't remedy my current stressed state! Though I trust God that it will be good in the end -- either more enjoyable during school, or better after school, or probably both.
Dr. Butler gave sage advice that I should read some Music Theory journals to see if that kind of research piques my interest. So far, so good! I'm enjoying reading about arrays of pitch classes, an author's rebuttal to Berlioz's condescension of Schoenberg's music, octatonic tendencies in Takemitsu's music, and other fine topics! However, do I want to do this kind of research? A few days ago, I said "yes!" In my exhausted state, I say "heck no!" But I expect this to pass, because this still piques my interest. I'm just currently not excited about the work potentially ahead.
I've also been working on my "music resume": a list of all things musical I've done since I entered high school. It's no small list! Though I wonder if all my choral activities will shine brightly enough in their eyes that they don't mind that I haven't had any musical vocation. But then, I don't know what they're looking for at all, so I expect that things will be OK.
Oh yeah, and have I mentioned the GRE? Yup, in two weeks the test will already be behind me. All three of the study guides I ordered from Amazon have come. I read the introduction to one, and haven't cracked the other two. But my #1 goal with that test is to not stress out. I know that will be most important.
Current status: booked to the gills, and not enjoying it so much anymore. I currently have no time to waste doing frivolous trivialities (read: necessary recreations). And I'm applying to graduate school? What am I thinking? This won't remedy my current stressed state! Though I trust God that it will be good in the end -- either more enjoyable during school, or better after school, or probably both.
Dr. Butler gave sage advice that I should read some Music Theory journals to see if that kind of research piques my interest. So far, so good! I'm enjoying reading about arrays of pitch classes, an author's rebuttal to Berlioz's condescension of Schoenberg's music, octatonic tendencies in Takemitsu's music, and other fine topics! However, do I want to do this kind of research? A few days ago, I said "yes!" In my exhausted state, I say "heck no!" But I expect this to pass, because this still piques my interest. I'm just currently not excited about the work potentially ahead.
I've also been working on my "music resume": a list of all things musical I've done since I entered high school. It's no small list! Though I wonder if all my choral activities will shine brightly enough in their eyes that they don't mind that I haven't had any musical vocation. But then, I don't know what they're looking for at all, so I expect that things will be OK.
Oh yeah, and have I mentioned the GRE? Yup, in two weeks the test will already be behind me. All three of the study guides I ordered from Amazon have come. I read the introduction to one, and haven't cracked the other two. But my #1 goal with that test is to not stress out. I know that will be most important.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Graduate School?
So, it hasn't been a short road to come to this decision, but I'm applying to graduate schools. I'd love to tell the whole story in chronological order, but because time is so pressing with the graduate school applications and such, I'd rather tell you where I am, and we can get caught up on how I got here later.
I'm looking for a Ph. D. program in Music Theory. I'm currently considering these options (in the order that I currently think I would prefer them, along with their respective application deadline):
I'll post more as things happen, and in the meantime, please join with me in praying this modified popular prayer:
God, grant me the ability to accomplish the things I cannot forsake,
the courage to postpone the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Amen.
I'm looking for a Ph. D. program in Music Theory. I'm currently considering these options (in the order that I currently think I would prefer them, along with their respective application deadline):
- Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York (Dec. 1st)
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon (Jan. 15th)
- University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (Jan. 9th 2006 -- a small type-o, I'm sure)
- UCSB, Santa Barbara, California (Dec. 15th)
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York (Jan. 15th)
I'll post more as things happen, and in the meantime, please join with me in praying this modified popular prayer:
God, grant me the ability to accomplish the things I cannot forsake,
the courage to postpone the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Amen.
The First Violin Sonata
It's finished!
My first Sonata for Violin and Piano is complete! I already found several wrong or questionable notes in the piano part, but this is the latest and greatest version (all piano notes should now be correct).
My first Sonata for Violin and Piano is complete! I already found several wrong or questionable notes in the piano part, but this is the latest and greatest version (all piano notes should now be correct).
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
New Beginnings
Well, let's see how this Blogger business compares with Xanga, shall we?
First, how in the world do I search for someone else on here? Then I want to subscribe to them, too. Ah, so confusing...
First, how in the world do I search for someone else on here? Then I want to subscribe to them, too. Ah, so confusing...
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