Results and Next Steps

Well, the results are in.  I passed my comprehensive literature exam.  I really was nervous about it.  The first listening example threw me for a loop, and I did not know the answer.  I thought for sure I would recognize most of the pieces and the first four I did not recognize.  I almost started crying.  I briefly dreamed about flipping the exam over and walking out.  Yes, I get that stressed out.  It seemed as if my colleague was having an easy time with it.  I thought I was doomed.

Turns out that Mike, my colleague, was also nervous and questioning the examples we were hearing.  But I did not know that until after the exam was completed.

At any rate, starting with example 5, I recognized the rest (7 of them).  That was a breeze.  There were 5 score ID after that.  One of them I made an educated guess, but immediately after the exam was done, realized that it was not right.  It was a large romantic work- and I guessed Berlioz Requiem.  But that was not true.  Although the orchestration was huge, the women were not in unison, which they are the majority of the time in his Requiem.  I thought maybe Verdi, but the line writing seemed a little late.  I thought it could have been Beethoven, but I ended up guessing Berlioz.  I literally woke up the next morning and immediately thought, "It was Beethoven!  From Missa Solemnis.  The Gloria.  The ending."

At any rate, I earned an A on my comprehensive exam.

And my thesis was approved.  So soon I will pick that up from the library and pay for the printing and publishing.

In a week from today is my recital.  That should be fun!  I am feeling positive and focused about rehearsal tonight.  We have quite a bit to get done.

This is the oddest concert I have ever had.  We are doing so much music (over twice the amount we normally do).  We are premiering a piece that was written specifically for us.  That is not officially a part of my recital set.  We are having four outside soloists/singers come in to give more support on the premiere.  We have percussion.  And I am so proud of my women for all the work they have done, but it may be the very middle-of-the-road.  It is not their fault- I probably should not have done my recital with them.  It's a lot to ask of a group of mainly non-music majors who meet only once a week.  I wish I had more time with them.  And I think I will battle with the quality- I hope I am not too disappointed... but if I am, it won't be in them.  It will be in my own planning.  The problem is I just can't address everything in a way that will stick with the singers.  In the end, I will be proud of them... they have worked harder this semester than ever.

We have started packing.  I think we have 4 or 5 boxes packed.  It's not a lot and it's just books, but our hope is to pack up a little bit this week before visitors this weekend.

I was asked to join the Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society.  Great!

One more thing- I need to buy my "black glam" outfit for the Rolling Stones concert I am singing in.  Woo!  Also... I am debating, should I buy a new recital outfit?  I think I would like to, but I do not have a lot of time.