Projects and Guest

We have a guest this weekend. Andy Hill.  He was the music supervisor for movies such as Lion King and Sister Act. He then directed the masters program at Columbia College in Chicago and has helped launch Berklee’s film scoring degree. This weekend he is going to talk to us primarily about the history of film music and its “language”. The time passed really quickly today. He was a very engaged teacher. At the beginning of class he asked us all a few questions to quickly get an idea of who we are. One of the questions was if we thought we were more on of a bold personality or accommodating. I was the only one who said I was probably a little more on the “bold” side. I think the others are liars! J They all said if a director asked them to change something they would…. Therefore they are accommodating. Well, I would too but I think there is a distinction between learning how to work with people and understanding the hierarchy compared to what your personality traits are. I feel like my experience working two very different directors on theatre projects were more on the accommodating side. I showed the music to one director for scene 2 and she told me she heard it as scene 4… OK it’s now scene 4 and I have to figure out what to do for scene 2 again. It wasn’t a problem. I was insulted. I didn’t argue with her. It’s her play! I knew I was there to serve HER play. But I would say that’s different from having a bold personality. Not bold in a bad way, but I have to be bold to be the ONLY female on this program. I have to be bold to put my self out there and say “HI, I’m a composer!” Anyways, I was also honest and also said when someone says they don’t like something it’s hard to not instantly think “they don’t like me! They don’t like my music!” Andy said that’s a very normal response but suggested we all take on a “persona” or an “artist name” so that when that happens, it’s not a personal attack but an attack on the “persona”. He suggested the names: “She Wolf” or “Pirate Queen” lol J I am open to ideas.

Yesterday we recorded a brass quintet. The assignment was nothing other then “write a brass quintet”.  I really struggled with writing something without a scene or a theme. I finally made up my story – like I always have. All my works have a “secret story” as I told Andy Hill today.  I think it went fairly well. I, for the first time, supervised my own music. It took a little while to get comfortable pressing the button in the booth to tell Derek (the conductor and director of the course) some changes. I wanted the first melodic line in the horn to be “cantabile” (singing) and really wished he would have let the player play rubato… which I pressed the button and said…. But it didn’t happen. I am a little disappointed. The horn player mentioned a similar sentiment. BUT I think the piece will still turn out ok. It was a good learning experience. We had a talk back afterwards and I got some good feedback.

I had invited all the MA guys over to our place so we could “workshop” our brass quintet. I made “American” chili. ---Well, at least what I could find for it. It was more like a taco soup. But it was very good! It was one of the guy’s first time to have chili. My roommates were in heaven. Bo, my roommate, was able to find Corona! That meant I was in heaven. I found salsa (as a topping or just for the chips). The size --- well --- it’s really a one person serving! I was laughing about it. One of the guys asked what a normal size is… I said milk gallon. HAHA 

The end of the semester is starting to approach. I am really getting stressed about the amount of work and assignments due within the next couple of weeks. It doesn’t help that assignments are just now being drafted to work within DIT’s standards (DIT – Dublin Institute of Technology, is the umbrella school for this program.) I’ll be frank and say I am frustrated. I understand this college is within its first year and so I am trying to be a little lenient. That being said it is hard to plan my time wisely between assignments when they do not have written out for us the details of what an assessed assignment contains. Its in the process, I know. But that’s frustrating. We were shown a draft of an assignment and it made me feel like these 6 weeks have been a waste of my time. There were things on there they are requiring to be handed in which we have already done--but now have to re-do because it isn’t done in a “hand-in” form or to the detailed degree they are now asking. So, this adds to our workload by requiring us to go back over work we should have ALREADY had done. Waste of my time.

Physically I am still not doing well. My hand is in constant pain. I am using it too much. There is no way around it. The rest of my body is achy and sore but not as consistent as my hand. Not sure what to do. Honestly I have been so discouraged about how bad I hurt and how this program is going, that I’ve considered dropping. BUT I know I would regret it and play the “if only” game.  SO, I’ll push forward. Christmas break is in a month, so I can evaluate things then. Hopefully the program gets organized and I can find something to help my pain.

On a completely side note. My sister mailed me my ballot. It came on a Wednesday (I believe). During my lunch break the next day I rode my bike to the post. The lady said she couldn't guarantee it would get there by the 3rd unless I sent it some special way... can't remember the terms... anyways, I went to the side to fill out this form and saw on the form that the cheapest  price was 30 euro! So I went back to the window and she told me, yes it would be 30 euro! IS that worth my vote... ???hummmm, maybe not. Then she told me she could send it a different way but really couldn't promise it would be there in time. This would be 10 euro. I decided to try. I had to mail it to my mom to have her drop it off because they couldn't deliver to a  P.O. box. Well, Monday, I get a message from my mom that it got there! I was completely shocked honestly. So, I am proud to say, I spent 10 euro to vote! :)