4 weeks down and 14 to go

And so the third week of class is coming to and end. It’s been… hectic to say the least. This semester I have a composition, music history (fin-de-siècle in the 19th century and the 20th century), choral conducting, graduate theory and analysis, and ensembles. For this semester I have the following projects (for now):

 

Choral Conducting:

-Songs of Nature by Robert Young
-Brahms’ Song of Fate
-From Light to Light by Aaron McDermind

Graduate Theory and Analysis

For now I’ve been analysing Chopin Preludes and Bach chorales from left to right, it will be fun to see what other stuff I get to do

Music History (fin-de-siècle in the 19th century and the 20th century)

-Duka’s Ariane et barbe-bleue (Opera analysis). I know… I have to continue with my French obsession.
-Debussy’s Trois Chansons de Bilitis
(among a million readings)

Ensembles:

-Music, music and more music!!

Composition:

-Text by e.e cummings. Poem: “i carry your heart with me”. Voicing: 8-10 part mixed chorus.

Also, fun facts:

• The university is doing a Choral Conducting Competition! I am going to participate. This reminds me of the anime Nodame Cantabile (a 20-something conductor who goes out of his hometown in Japan to pursue his dreams in Europe). Let’s see how this goes!
• I already have 1/3 of my composition done, and I have the skeleton for the rest of it!
• It has been -25 degrees (or at least feels like it) for two days… maybe three. I thought I liked the cold, but this is ridiculous!

This semester is going to be a hectic one, but I know I can tough it out. On a bright side, I do have a lot of ideas for future posts. I only ask for you to be a bit patient for I don’t have much time to post as before!