I Got A Crazy Teacher, He Wears Dark Glasses...
So here is a not-so-brief update, for those of you who've been inquiring on my class load this semester...
As I said before, because I passed my Theory IV exam a few weeks ago, this will be my last semester as an undergrad!! I'm very excited...
However, we're now only into the third week and already I can tell this semester is kicking my ass...
Here is what I got:
20th Century Theory - Probably the most challenging class I have, with ATONAL THEORIES that are exciting from a compositional standpoint but go a bit over my head, so I have to take extra time to work on them...The extra work I did for the Theory Exam over the summer seems to have paid off, but it doesn't make it any easier for me...The 8am classes are killing me too, so I have to remember getting to bed early - wish me luck on that...I'm just thankful Prof. Matt is teaching the class - he's very fair and I like his teaching style alot...
20th Century Ear Training - This is the OTHER most challenging class...Listening and being tested on atonal intervals...Hear that? That's the sound of my head going explody...
Jazz Theory - Did I mention this is the semester of theory? It's kind of funny for me, having gone off the deep end with the Free Jazz class last semester, to find now I'm learning the basics...I like Dean Sorensen as a teacher, and there's some overlap with 20th Century theory, so it's easier to understand...
Music Research - This is the easy class (especially with all the research I've done with my previous 5xxx level classes), and I love looking through dictionaries and encyclopedias...But the fact is I know most of what they're teaching ALREADY, so it just seems like busy work, which is irritating...
Composition - I'm rather excited to be working with Alex Lubet...Most of what we've talked about so far is theoretical and abstract - mainly, he's overseeing my Senior Project and giving me hints and ideas as I begin...I'm sure there will be more concrete discussions along the way...
And now...
My Senior Project - I decided, just before the semester started, that since I wanted to explore graduate programs for film/media scoring after I graduate, that scoring a film as a Senior Project would be the logical thing to do, especially for my portfolio...I decided that I wanted to score a short silent film (about 10-15 minutes in length) with some dramatic tension, and write the score for a small chamber ensemble (8-9 pieces)...
With that in mind, I went searching...
and I found this:
It's a 12 minute 1928 Avante Garde version of the "Fall of the House of Usher"
My ORIGINAL INTENTION was to score it, orchestrate it (for violin, bass, french horn, clarinet, reed accordian, two percussionists, 2 vocalists and possibly electronics), and have it PERFORMED LIVE in December, with an awesome group of folks (who already volunteered, hence the instrumentation) and a student conductor, and a screen projection (with a timer inserted in the video for syncronization)...
It was a GREAT IDEA...but, as of last week, I decided that it's not going to happen...I realized that I wouldn't have the orchestration or any of the other technical details ready in time for rehearsals...unless I wanted to kill myself...which I don't...
So instead, Dr. Lubet has said he'll accept a written score along a MIDI demo at the end of the semester...for which, I am very grateful...
I'm still excited about composing the score...I'm going to write it with the original instrumental parameters, partly because I'm intrigued how the instrumentation is going to affect the overall texture and mood, but also in case I actually get a chance to perform it live sometime in the future...
Right now, I'm still researching and "spotting" the film - There's a lot to it, so I want to know where I'm going with it before I write anything...
-------------------------------------------------------
And now, I have to get ready for a 20th Century Ear Training test in a few hours...Along with a 4 page paper AND an assignment for 20th Century Theory due TOMORROW...And I have OBI practice TONITE for a gig we have in Eau Claire on Saturday...
Hear that sound again? Yeah, that's been happening a lot this week...
As I said before, because I passed my Theory IV exam a few weeks ago, this will be my last semester as an undergrad!! I'm very excited...
However, we're now only into the third week and already I can tell this semester is kicking my ass...
Here is what I got:
20th Century Theory - Probably the most challenging class I have, with ATONAL THEORIES that are exciting from a compositional standpoint but go a bit over my head, so I have to take extra time to work on them...The extra work I did for the Theory Exam over the summer seems to have paid off, but it doesn't make it any easier for me...The 8am classes are killing me too, so I have to remember getting to bed early - wish me luck on that...I'm just thankful Prof. Matt is teaching the class - he's very fair and I like his teaching style alot...
20th Century Ear Training - This is the OTHER most challenging class...Listening and being tested on atonal intervals...Hear that? That's the sound of my head going explody...
Jazz Theory - Did I mention this is the semester of theory? It's kind of funny for me, having gone off the deep end with the Free Jazz class last semester, to find now I'm learning the basics...I like Dean Sorensen as a teacher, and there's some overlap with 20th Century theory, so it's easier to understand...
Music Research - This is the easy class (especially with all the research I've done with my previous 5xxx level classes), and I love looking through dictionaries and encyclopedias...But the fact is I know most of what they're teaching ALREADY, so it just seems like busy work, which is irritating...
Composition - I'm rather excited to be working with Alex Lubet...Most of what we've talked about so far is theoretical and abstract - mainly, he's overseeing my Senior Project and giving me hints and ideas as I begin...I'm sure there will be more concrete discussions along the way...
And now...
My Senior Project - I decided, just before the semester started, that since I wanted to explore graduate programs for film/media scoring after I graduate, that scoring a film as a Senior Project would be the logical thing to do, especially for my portfolio...I decided that I wanted to score a short silent film (about 10-15 minutes in length) with some dramatic tension, and write the score for a small chamber ensemble (8-9 pieces)...
With that in mind, I went searching...
and I found this:
It's a 12 minute 1928 Avante Garde version of the "Fall of the House of Usher"
My ORIGINAL INTENTION was to score it, orchestrate it (for violin, bass, french horn, clarinet, reed accordian, two percussionists, 2 vocalists and possibly electronics), and have it PERFORMED LIVE in December, with an awesome group of folks (who already volunteered, hence the instrumentation) and a student conductor, and a screen projection (with a timer inserted in the video for syncronization)...
It was a GREAT IDEA...but, as of last week, I decided that it's not going to happen...I realized that I wouldn't have the orchestration or any of the other technical details ready in time for rehearsals...unless I wanted to kill myself...which I don't...
So instead, Dr. Lubet has said he'll accept a written score along a MIDI demo at the end of the semester...for which, I am very grateful...
I'm still excited about composing the score...I'm going to write it with the original instrumental parameters, partly because I'm intrigued how the instrumentation is going to affect the overall texture and mood, but also in case I actually get a chance to perform it live sometime in the future...
Right now, I'm still researching and "spotting" the film - There's a lot to it, so I want to know where I'm going with it before I write anything...
-------------------------------------------------------
And now, I have to get ready for a 20th Century Ear Training test in a few hours...Along with a 4 page paper AND an assignment for 20th Century Theory due TOMORROW...And I have OBI practice TONITE for a gig we have in Eau Claire on Saturday...
Hear that sound again? Yeah, that's been happening a lot this week...