Music!!
I'm sitting in the Gamelan room @ the University of Michigan. (Javanese Gamelan) I had a nice Syrian meal with Lena, discussing the composition program. According to Lena, almost everyone is very interested in their student's work and not caught up in their own fame (or lack thereof!).
Everything seems to be very relaxed here - almost too much, as though they're denying the fact that there's an actual world out there where the students will eventually have to work and survive. I don't know if this kind of atmosphere will lend itself to me succeeding.
On a different note, the practice rooms are nice. There are a lot of them, scattered throughout the building - and something that's unique (I think) to U of M is that the ones with grand pianos in them are locked, and can only be accessed by piano major/principal-instrument students. Too bad I don't have a key NOW, though. In most of the other rooms, there are uprights.
A sidenote: I like Javanese gamelan a LOT more than Balinese. It seems to be more musical (as opposed to percussive) and fluid. The tuning system is very interesting. Would be int. to incorporate it into a Western-music composition (their tuning adapted to conform with Equal Temperament?) (Combination of tuning systems?!)
Enough for tonight.
GOOD LUCK TONIGHT WITH THE MUSICAL!!! I'M SURE IT'LL GO MARVELOUSLY! I'm really sorry I can't be there. :(