One Bag Packed

Today was a bit of an odd day- but good. It was rainy- so I couldn't get too distracted by any nice weather (or running, unfortunately). I woke up "early" (remember, I have trained my body to stay up "late" to accommodate classes, so early for me is now 7 AM) and did some things for Women's Choir. The final is tonight, but we're not meeting since we have finished. I reviewed and revised my Research Methods final project- and submitted it! So now I just have a final quiz and to show my professor my Research Methods binder. I received an e-mail from my teacher today asking me to create a final for tomorrow morning- so I did that and created an answer sheet. I revised my Teaching Philosophy, although I am sure I will review and revise it again tomorrow. I also finished putting together two "agreements" that will allow me to put both Italian and French diction on my transcript for next semester (I took English/Italian diction this semester and will take French next semester).

Tomorrow morning is the undergrad conducting final. Tomorrow night is Research Methods. Wednesday is the English/Italian diction final. Wednesday night I meet up with friends for a holiday dinner. And Thursday I have some meetings to attend.

After my final on Wednesday I begin my "master works studying". I have a book that lists a bunch of large works and I believe that I need to start studying. So that will happen over break- where I listen and perhaps buy some scores. And look up information. And listen.

First Final Presentation

Tomorrow is juries. I think I am ready, although I'm nervous. It has been a long time since I have sung for a grade. Last night we had a mock jury for my studio and it went okay. I was very nervous. One of my friends (a grad student in performance) happens to be in my studio, and he was very encouraging. He also commented how he didn't expect such a "big voice" to come from me, saying it seemed very different from my speaking voice. I am really thankful we had a mock jury, because I think that gives me mental preparation for tomorrow morning. After juries, I will study for finals and help prepare a final for undergrad conducting.

I cannot believe that next week is finals. I have two finals- I found out the diction professor wants me to take the diction final. I'm not actually signed up for the class, but will place it on my transcript next semester. It's for one credit and I did a IPA project. I thought that because I did a project, I would not have to take a final. But not true. So that is a new thing I will have to study for. I also have my research methods final, which our professor told us we could use our binder on. Our binder is something we have put together that includes resources and citing rules, as well as Library of Congress call numbers and other things related to research.

Tonight I gave a presentation with a group in my graduate theory class. It did not go quite as smoothly as I had hoped, but it was still a solid presentation. I have a two papers yet and then done. Wow... am I really almost done with my first semester of graduate school? I can hardly believe it.

This break will include a lot of studying of new choral pieces, determining rep for the Women's Choir, and maybe some fun reading. Oh, and wedding planning.

Winter Fest 2011

WinterFest 2011 is over. Wow this weekend went quickly. I am really glad I did homework on Friday- did I think I would have other free time this weekend? I'm laughing.

We had two shows on Saturday and one yesterday (Sunday). Saturday morning I met up with some others I am doing a group project with for Schenkerian theory. I did not anticipate it would take three hours. So when that finished, I really only had time to come back and get ready before I had to head off for WinterFest.

I was so nervous. Not as nervous as I had been for the dress rehearsal- when there was still that fear that maybe I couldn't get through the first movement of the Rutter. But I was still nervous. My leg shook slightly at one point, but it was hidden under a skirt and my hands were steady. Once the trumpet overshot that first A flat because of his nerves, I knew that I could focus in the midst of a glitch. I didn't show much other than the beat and clarity of cut-offs and entrances. The Women's Choir did well at the first show, although their dynamic range was not so expansive at. The tempo was a little slower for "This Little Babe" compared to the dress rehearsal, which was a good thing.

The second show felt better. I wasn't as nervous before the Rutter, although I still felt a little nervous. I was able to show a little more in my gesture, since the nerves went away right away and I was able to focus on the smaller things I did. The ladies sang well, with a few stray notes in Ma Navu (which was odd, considering that didn't happen at the first show... or the third). But the tempos were more relaxed, both from me and when the ladies sang. Their final two chords were in tune. The first concert their penultimate chord didn't lock into place, which was very odd for them. But the second concert did not have that problem. Solid show. My teacher and another ensemble leader (who leads the vocal jazz) both told me they had never heard the ladies choir sound this good- in their 12 or 10 years they have been at the school. I was very excited John flew home to watch this late show. And I was very proud of the ladies.

Sunday's show came around and I found myself a little nervous again. How strange- since I had already done it twice! Before the show, my teacher and I were chatting and he said this was the first time in years he was nervous before a show. I thought this strange since he had already done two of the exact same show the day before, not to mention years of WinterFest before this. Then he told me that the Chancellor was at our show- and he was "one of the most powerful people in higher education." The Chancellor of the CSU system had never been to a WinterFest before. Plus the dean and the provost were there as well. And the Carmelite nuns- which I do not know where they are from or anything about them. All I know is that the singers were so excited to have a group of 30 nuns at our show.

The Gloria went well. I felt very confident, despite the fact I was nervous. I was determined to show things that I had inconsistently showed until that point, so that went well. The choir did well, and the brass was spot on. The Women's Choir did a great job. It took a few phrases to get them to respond to some of the accents we had practiced, but other than that, they did very well. They listened and sang in tune (for the most part) and their dynamic range was the biggest at this concert. I was very proud of them and am very sad to see the semester end.

I know someday when I am conducting the Women's Choir, I will cry. It's hard not to be moved.

Tonight is our last rehearsal- we turn in music and I baked some cookies yesterday for them.

One week of classes left. Wow.

One Week Before Finals

I have been very productive today. I hope that helps with any potential stress levels for Winterfest this weekend or juries next week. Last night I wrote a rough draft of my philosophy of education (for my Teaching Music in the University class). I have a philosophy of music education from undergrad, and although poorly written, I still agree with much of what I wrote. I did not use any of my undergraduate paper for this one. I wanted to write a new one without reviewing what I wrote before until after I already wrote my current paper. I also organized my research methods binder last name, complete with a Table of Contents and colored tabs. The binder is being graded. This morning after my work out I found some more sources for my Master Thesis proposal. We have to have a minimum of 30, maximum of 80. After about 5 hours of searching, I now have 30 sources. It is not due until finals week, so this gives me time to find other sources. I wrote the chapter outline for my master thesis proposal as well, which was a little difficult to do since information is not gathered and categorized until I start on my actual thesis. I just finished my final project for diction, although I want to double check a few vowels. I have to do that using an Italian dictionary, which I do not have. I'll do that on campus next week. I also practiced this morning. I'm happy to report I am making progress on my memorization- especially on my Handel aria "If God Be For Us, Who Can Be Against Us."

My goal was to get as many things on paper as possible. I can do revisions after this weekend.

This leaves me with about 2.5 hours before I leave for our dress rehearsal tonight. In that time I want to review the pieces I am conducting this weekend and spend some time relaxing. I also hope to check in with John. I know he is very busy since his client went live with the software. I was worried that it would stress him out to fly home for one of my performances this weekend, but after our discussion last night I think it will be good for him to get away from the saturation of work, even if just for a little bit.