B-town and Lala land.
My god it has been one hell of a week. A week that has felt like at least five. I've been sick since last Friday, which has made it all the more interesting. But from the beginning.
Tuesday Feb 20
Had a lesson with Hdez in the morning, and between family stuff, being sick, nervousness of my impending interview, and general wedding unplannedness I must have looked pretty shitty, as there was a look of concern. But we lessoned on as usual, as that made me feel better, and helped me put my worries aside. Drove home to get my plastic piece of shit clarinet to march down Main Street with, and caught a flight to Vegas, then red-eye to B-town, getting there Wed. Morning.
Wed Feb 21
Upon arriving in B-town I notice something I've never really seen in real life: Snow in the city. I've seen snow. But only in the mountains. Snow in the city was completely wierd to me. And as we take the train from the airport into downtown, I see a lot of scenery I've only ever seen in the movies, and it definately looks cool. Big old homes covered in snow, trees and streams nearby. I just can't get over the snow. Snow on the sidewalks. Of a city. We get in, check into the hotel, by which time I collapse on the bed and take a nap, as I haven't slept much (planes are damn noisy). Afterwards, we check out B-town, and frankly, it doesn't seem like there's a hell of a lot going on there. We went to the aquarium, in part because as a wimpy californian, I was not well prepared for the cold, and later went to Pbody to catch a percussion ensemble recital (had they advertised better that Mason Bates was there that night too, I SO would have gone to that instead. pissed that I missed it for a stupid percussion ensemble. grr). I asked Dan his impressions afterwards, as I listened more to the music (blech!) than paid attention to technique or anything ('sides, I don't know shit about percussion anyway), and he said that it wasn't so impressive. That a certain couple of CSU grads could whoop on them. Which I believed. We came back to the hotel and rested for the next day (day of DOOM...just kidding).
Thurs. Feb 22
This was the day I ran around Pbody doing what I could to convince them that I should go there. First was my theory test, which I swear I nailed, but I wasn't asked to do an interview for the assistantship (lovely process they have, you are scheduled for an interview, but if you don't do well enough on the test, you don't get it, but they don't tell you until you go up for it. I could have sat freaking out about my composition interview for that hour instead. Or whatever). I was all prepared too. Calm and collected, and feeling confident (a rarity for me, I assure you) or at least that I could portray confidence. That was shot down. Maybe affected my confidence for the comp interview. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
After the theory test, I had the ear training exam, and really, it would have been helpful to know how the test would be done, because I could have done better if I'd known. Not that I did all that bad. I think I nailed the single voice dictation. The harmonic one, not so confident on, mostly because I am used to more playings, being played poorly. AND the guy giving the exam would stress one voice more than the other on different playings which totally fucked me up and pissed me off. And the two voice dictation went well until the middle, where I got behind and just couldn't keep up. hopefully it is not so appaling as to not accept me.
Walking around, waiting for things, I saw a composer looking over his music, much more professionally done than mine, since I haven't really paid a lot of attention to that (but now thinking maybe I should), before my comp interview, they had a waiting room for us, and current Pbody students there to talk to, ask questions, or in my case, to completely take my mind off the interview so I didn't become sick to my stomach with nervousness. Everyone was very kind, I didn't feel any air of competativeness (unlike the trip to NY and interview with RCM at Julliard, where I got that impression from Julliard students and I wasn't even auditioning for their school).
Which brings us to the interview. Everyone wants to know how it went, hell, I want to know how it went, and I was there. I'm just not sure. All but one of the professors were there. Chris Theofanidis, Kevin Puts (apparently, just got in from NY), Nicholas Maw (who mumbled in a british accent, so I rarely understood what he said), Greg Boyle, and Michael Hersch. Chris Theofanidis did most of the talking. They asked me about my orchestra piece. The unfinished orchestra piece that I knew they were going to ask me about. Said it was very different from everything else, and asked what I was thinking about when writing it. And I said color, that I was really focusing on the colors in an orchestra (this is my first orchestra piece) and how I might use them. And Chris started to rephrase his question, as if I didn't really answer his question (which leads me, in my over-thinking hyper-analytical way to think I did not give the correct answer), but stopped and asked me if I thought it was different because of the medium I was writing for, or something else. And I said no, that my whole process of writing music is changing or something like that, that I'm moving away from a straight melody/harmony thing to something more interesting. In much more eloquent terms. Then they asked me who my influences were, and as usual, my mind went blank except for PG, VW (the VW influence got some unidentifiable mumble from Maw) and Stravinsky, which I think only came to mind since I started reading his autobiography on the plane. They looked a little surprised to hear that. Of course, I elaborated that PG was an earlier influence, that I stopped being in love with his stuff when I discovered it was the same (to which several agreed), and then Michael Hersch asked me about VW, if I knew which symphony was in e minor, and I knew it was either 6 or 9, but I didn't remember which (hey, give me credit for naming two in minor! which I only happen to know because they are on the same cd in the collection I have) and suggested I check it out, because late VW is great (um, yeah, I think most VW is great. And I know late VW is great. so :P). And then they asked what orchestral pieces I've been studying. And I drew a complete blank. My mind shut off for those two minutes or whatever and would not give me names of pieces I've been studying. Goddamnit! Then they asked me something about me being witty in my other pieces, and I don't really remember what I said to that, but I don't think it was highly intelligent. I see it in some pieces, but not all. I don't know. And now I wait until April to hear back. APRIL.
Went to part of a question and answer session with composition faculty, during which I noticed I was the only female auditionee there that day. And several people asked some really stupid questions (which highly annoyed some of the faculty and it was very amusing to watch). And then Dan and I had to leave early to catch our flight out. We caught a cab to the airport and flew to Lala Land via Vegas again, arrived at some ungodly hour at LAX and Dan's dad picked us up and drove us to our hotel, which after some confusion over room changes and walking in on someone else's room (fortunately, part of Dan's band group and not a complete stranger) we crashed early Friday morning.
Fri. Feb 23
At this point, I couldn't tell you what time or day of week it was I was so bloody tired and confused. Fortunately, we were able to sleep in a bit and not have to go over to Disneyland with the band. Disneyland was...the overpriced cheesy dirty theme park that it is. And partway through the day, we marched across it. Mind you , I haven't marched in four or five years. I didn't learn the music and I've never played with the band. Furthermore, we marched shows at my high school, in tuxes, no street marching, no band uniforms with plumes and everything. I'd like to say, tuxes are way more comfortable. Anyhow, I did very little playing and a lot more staring at the guy in front of me's feet, trying to stay on time while wiggling my fingers so it kind of looked like I was playing. The kids played great. I sucked. And I felt bad because I didn't put a lot of effort into it. But then again, there's no way I could have. Just a lack of professionalism on my part I'm not happy with (another blog topic altogether). More Disneylanding, partly with Dan's niece (now 3, adorable, finally talking more, and just amazed at life).
Dan and I, the other band director (Chief) and her student teacher, and a couple chaperones went to club 33. I'd never heard of this before, it's apparently this really exclusive place and you wouldn't know it's there unless you knew it because it's just a door with a 33 on it (and so many doors in that place are fake) but you have to be a member, and it takes something like ten years to join or something, I don't know, but it was an upscale resturant in the middle of disneyland. For two hours, it was like we weren't in disneyland. It was weird. It's also the only place that serves alcohol. It was peculiar. I, for one, don't understand the obsession with disney stuff. but whatever. That night was the first decent night's sleep the whole trip.
Saturday Feb 24
More Disneyland. The band did get to do this cool recording deal, where they play little bits of music from actual movie clips (arranged for wind band of course) and then get to see their peformance with the real clip. It was supposed to be a taste of the recording process (except there would be much less rehearsing and much more firing, as I understand it), and it was a really neat experience. I'm certainly not a good enough player to do it (nor have I ever thought I could be) but it was cool to see how that sort of thing works. That and meeting up with one of Dan's old roommates was the highlight of that day.
The rest of the week was rather boring. Sunday we came home. Today was Dan's birthday, he taught, I laid around the house coughing all day and felt too sick to do much of anything but watch tv. Tomorrow I lesson. and teach. All day. Hooray for cough drops.
Tuesday Feb 20
Had a lesson with Hdez in the morning, and between family stuff, being sick, nervousness of my impending interview, and general wedding unplannedness I must have looked pretty shitty, as there was a look of concern. But we lessoned on as usual, as that made me feel better, and helped me put my worries aside. Drove home to get my plastic piece of shit clarinet to march down Main Street with, and caught a flight to Vegas, then red-eye to B-town, getting there Wed. Morning.
Wed Feb 21
Upon arriving in B-town I notice something I've never really seen in real life: Snow in the city. I've seen snow. But only in the mountains. Snow in the city was completely wierd to me. And as we take the train from the airport into downtown, I see a lot of scenery I've only ever seen in the movies, and it definately looks cool. Big old homes covered in snow, trees and streams nearby. I just can't get over the snow. Snow on the sidewalks. Of a city. We get in, check into the hotel, by which time I collapse on the bed and take a nap, as I haven't slept much (planes are damn noisy). Afterwards, we check out B-town, and frankly, it doesn't seem like there's a hell of a lot going on there. We went to the aquarium, in part because as a wimpy californian, I was not well prepared for the cold, and later went to Pbody to catch a percussion ensemble recital (had they advertised better that Mason Bates was there that night too, I SO would have gone to that instead. pissed that I missed it for a stupid percussion ensemble. grr). I asked Dan his impressions afterwards, as I listened more to the music (blech!) than paid attention to technique or anything ('sides, I don't know shit about percussion anyway), and he said that it wasn't so impressive. That a certain couple of CSU grads could whoop on them. Which I believed. We came back to the hotel and rested for the next day (day of DOOM...just kidding).
Thurs. Feb 22
This was the day I ran around Pbody doing what I could to convince them that I should go there. First was my theory test, which I swear I nailed, but I wasn't asked to do an interview for the assistantship (lovely process they have, you are scheduled for an interview, but if you don't do well enough on the test, you don't get it, but they don't tell you until you go up for it. I could have sat freaking out about my composition interview for that hour instead. Or whatever). I was all prepared too. Calm and collected, and feeling confident (a rarity for me, I assure you) or at least that I could portray confidence. That was shot down. Maybe affected my confidence for the comp interview. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
After the theory test, I had the ear training exam, and really, it would have been helpful to know how the test would be done, because I could have done better if I'd known. Not that I did all that bad. I think I nailed the single voice dictation. The harmonic one, not so confident on, mostly because I am used to more playings, being played poorly. AND the guy giving the exam would stress one voice more than the other on different playings which totally fucked me up and pissed me off. And the two voice dictation went well until the middle, where I got behind and just couldn't keep up. hopefully it is not so appaling as to not accept me.
Walking around, waiting for things, I saw a composer looking over his music, much more professionally done than mine, since I haven't really paid a lot of attention to that (but now thinking maybe I should), before my comp interview, they had a waiting room for us, and current Pbody students there to talk to, ask questions, or in my case, to completely take my mind off the interview so I didn't become sick to my stomach with nervousness. Everyone was very kind, I didn't feel any air of competativeness (unlike the trip to NY and interview with RCM at Julliard, where I got that impression from Julliard students and I wasn't even auditioning for their school).
Which brings us to the interview. Everyone wants to know how it went, hell, I want to know how it went, and I was there. I'm just not sure. All but one of the professors were there. Chris Theofanidis, Kevin Puts (apparently, just got in from NY), Nicholas Maw (who mumbled in a british accent, so I rarely understood what he said), Greg Boyle, and Michael Hersch. Chris Theofanidis did most of the talking. They asked me about my orchestra piece. The unfinished orchestra piece that I knew they were going to ask me about. Said it was very different from everything else, and asked what I was thinking about when writing it. And I said color, that I was really focusing on the colors in an orchestra (this is my first orchestra piece) and how I might use them. And Chris started to rephrase his question, as if I didn't really answer his question (which leads me, in my over-thinking hyper-analytical way to think I did not give the correct answer), but stopped and asked me if I thought it was different because of the medium I was writing for, or something else. And I said no, that my whole process of writing music is changing or something like that, that I'm moving away from a straight melody/harmony thing to something more interesting. In much more eloquent terms. Then they asked me who my influences were, and as usual, my mind went blank except for PG, VW (the VW influence got some unidentifiable mumble from Maw) and Stravinsky, which I think only came to mind since I started reading his autobiography on the plane. They looked a little surprised to hear that. Of course, I elaborated that PG was an earlier influence, that I stopped being in love with his stuff when I discovered it was the same (to which several agreed), and then Michael Hersch asked me about VW, if I knew which symphony was in e minor, and I knew it was either 6 or 9, but I didn't remember which (hey, give me credit for naming two in minor! which I only happen to know because they are on the same cd in the collection I have) and suggested I check it out, because late VW is great (um, yeah, I think most VW is great. And I know late VW is great. so :P). And then they asked what orchestral pieces I've been studying. And I drew a complete blank. My mind shut off for those two minutes or whatever and would not give me names of pieces I've been studying. Goddamnit! Then they asked me something about me being witty in my other pieces, and I don't really remember what I said to that, but I don't think it was highly intelligent. I see it in some pieces, but not all. I don't know. And now I wait until April to hear back. APRIL.
Went to part of a question and answer session with composition faculty, during which I noticed I was the only female auditionee there that day. And several people asked some really stupid questions (which highly annoyed some of the faculty and it was very amusing to watch). And then Dan and I had to leave early to catch our flight out. We caught a cab to the airport and flew to Lala Land via Vegas again, arrived at some ungodly hour at LAX and Dan's dad picked us up and drove us to our hotel, which after some confusion over room changes and walking in on someone else's room (fortunately, part of Dan's band group and not a complete stranger) we crashed early Friday morning.
Fri. Feb 23
At this point, I couldn't tell you what time or day of week it was I was so bloody tired and confused. Fortunately, we were able to sleep in a bit and not have to go over to Disneyland with the band. Disneyland was...the overpriced cheesy dirty theme park that it is. And partway through the day, we marched across it. Mind you , I haven't marched in four or five years. I didn't learn the music and I've never played with the band. Furthermore, we marched shows at my high school, in tuxes, no street marching, no band uniforms with plumes and everything. I'd like to say, tuxes are way more comfortable. Anyhow, I did very little playing and a lot more staring at the guy in front of me's feet, trying to stay on time while wiggling my fingers so it kind of looked like I was playing. The kids played great. I sucked. And I felt bad because I didn't put a lot of effort into it. But then again, there's no way I could have. Just a lack of professionalism on my part I'm not happy with (another blog topic altogether). More Disneylanding, partly with Dan's niece (now 3, adorable, finally talking more, and just amazed at life).
Dan and I, the other band director (Chief) and her student teacher, and a couple chaperones went to club 33. I'd never heard of this before, it's apparently this really exclusive place and you wouldn't know it's there unless you knew it because it's just a door with a 33 on it (and so many doors in that place are fake) but you have to be a member, and it takes something like ten years to join or something, I don't know, but it was an upscale resturant in the middle of disneyland. For two hours, it was like we weren't in disneyland. It was weird. It's also the only place that serves alcohol. It was peculiar. I, for one, don't understand the obsession with disney stuff. but whatever. That night was the first decent night's sleep the whole trip.
Saturday Feb 24
More Disneyland. The band did get to do this cool recording deal, where they play little bits of music from actual movie clips (arranged for wind band of course) and then get to see their peformance with the real clip. It was supposed to be a taste of the recording process (except there would be much less rehearsing and much more firing, as I understand it), and it was a really neat experience. I'm certainly not a good enough player to do it (nor have I ever thought I could be) but it was cool to see how that sort of thing works. That and meeting up with one of Dan's old roommates was the highlight of that day.
The rest of the week was rather boring. Sunday we came home. Today was Dan's birthday, he taught, I laid around the house coughing all day and felt too sick to do much of anything but watch tv. Tomorrow I lesson. and teach. All day. Hooray for cough drops.
posted by Jessica at
11:38 PM
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