Other than turning in my Experiential Education Program notebook,(which is basically putting the notebook in order...), I'm done. I'm done not only with this academic year, but my graduate school career at Longy. The past three years have been rewarding, intense, difficult at times, and - well, fun! I think that this year, in particular has been my favorite of them all. I'm not sure why - maybe it's because I feel like I finally fell into my groove as a musician and an artist, the first year in my life that I've felt a little more than competent at what it is I do, or it could be because I didn't have those *#$& profeciencies looming over my head and I could enjoy academics and know that I was definately graduating at the end of this year! Whatever the case, staying an extra year after my masters was one of the wisest decisions I've ever made - even if it put me more debt!
It's been an extremely intense and busy year filled with accomplishments as we well as disappointments with lessons learned - but even those were good.
Our Experiential Education Program project (EEP) at the Boston Arts Academy (BAA) was a hug success - HUGE! I was blessed to be working with Michelle and Bree, not only close friends - but also excellent musicians and overall creative and fun people. The combination of the three of us working together couldn't have been any better - we worked off of each other so well in the classroom and our mutual respect for each other allowed us to come up lesson plans that we could all agree on without compromising our beliefs in what we would be presenting and expecting of these 9th graders. Our project was a 4 week session (artist in residency program so-to-speak) dealing with poetry and song - more specifically taking art song and today's "pop song" and comparing and contrasting them by first taking a look at the text. The emotion of a song stays the same, (whether it be a 19th century art song written by Schubert or 21st Hip-Hop), but the means by which these emotions are expressed change - and also keeping in mind that every song is someone's story. This class of 20 some freshmen gave us a list of their favorite pop song - to which we spent hours pairing an art song with that pop song trying to match emotions or stories. We chose a different theme for first 3 sessions we held with the kids, (Week 1 - Love/Love Lost, Week 2 - God/Power of God, Week Three - Lonliness/Emptiness - an ambiguous story), and chose a pairing for each week. For example, in Week 1 we chose Aaron Copeland's Heart We Will Forget Him and paired it with Lil'Bow Wow's Outta My System. We first read through the text and explained the importance of subtexting - having the students subtext all of or portions of each song - even the rap song. We always worked with the "pop" song first, listened to it, and then transitioned into the art song - subtexting that and then one of us would perform it. Each week we followed a similar format - but with different activities to keep the kids interested, always emphasizing the importance of knowing the story and the emotions that are read inbetween the lines before the song was even sung. This was a huge success - the kids got it, loved it, and it was special to them because we used their music and their interests and didn't dismiss it. Week 4 ended in a concert given by the freshmen class in front of an audience of the sophomore class. It was so exciting for us and for them and the three of us felt like proud parents. The concert was going so well that we ended up staying an extra hour and gave a mini-masterclass for both classes of students re-emphasizing the importance of subtexting, knowing the text well before you sing and how to fit that emotion into the song - as well as the importance the accompaniment by reminding them that the piano part tells the story in some way. This program was such a success that the three of us were invited back a week later to adjudicate the senior recitals and also choosing those seniors who would go on to participate in the Honor's Recital. In addition, there is now discussion about our program becoming something permanant at the BAA starting next year with us having an actual "artist in residency program" and being compensated as professionals for our work! VERY exciting! The interesting part about this program is that while the basic premise and work would stay the same - the actual music would always change because it will always be a new set of students with a new list of favorite pop songs.
Our group was also asked to speak about our project at the spring Board of Visitors meeting at Longy and it was recieved so well by everyone there - including Longy's new president. We were approached by a Harvard professor who is on the board who asked us if we were interested in copyrighting this project and even to go as far as suggest creating a webpage about the project as a source for other teaching artists to use. This project was also highlighted in Longy's yearly newsletter. I mean, really - Go us!
Another big accomplishment this year was the honor of being a finalist in Longy's Concerto Competition with Berlioz's Les Nuits d'été. Although the outcome was not necessarily what I was hoping for, the privilege and surprise of having been chosen to advance in the first place was reward enough.
And then there are the non-musical aspects of my life that are just as sweet. Picking up the running again first with Ashley and our 5 mile training and then training with Adam for the 1/2 marathon which I didn't end up being able to participate in in the end - but the friendship that was built out of our daily runs and our weekend long runs (yay 9 miles!). The Saturday morning running squad with Arlyn, Adam and Brian that ended with breakfasts - and that will sadly be no more as Adam is running off and getting married and Aryln will be touring with Barrage. And of course, my girls - Bree, Karen, Ashley, and Michelle. What joy they bring to life everytime we get together (which is all the time). The favorite memories of Balderdash evenings, wine parties, Sunday evening Rome viewings, apple picking, birthday parties, watching Bree and Karen reading their romance novels to each other (I'll definately be killed for adding that one), St. Patrick's day and all the other absolutely spontaneous things that we do. C.S. Lewis said, "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... it has no survival value, rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." All of these people - including the support and love from friends and family at home and abroad have made these grad school days more than just about singing and refining my knowledge and skills as a musicican.
My final recital at Longy was on Monday and it went well. I was touched by the support of friends from church and work, Longy, and even a friend from way back in the day at Capital. LOL! I was also able to share the stage with some fabulous friends and musicians - people who made the night even more special with dedication to making some fine music. Of course - the post-party back at the house is always a blast and I'll leave that up to all your imaginations ;-)
Summer is coming and graduation is upon us and there will be lots of saying "goodbye" in the next few days - something that I haven't really had to deal with in my past 3 years at Longy. Bree has already left for the summer
What will I do after graduation?? I'm staying here in Boston - will work at Harvard during the summer months and then hopefully will have a job lined up for next year. Can't really dealve into the specifics of that yet (I know, I know... why mention it if I can't talk about it?? I hate people that do that too), but I assure you that you will all know when everything is said and done.
And even though I'm done, I'm not really "done". I'll be doing a portion of my recital at a concert series at St. John the Evangelist in Beacon Hill on 5/23, and my 20th and 21st Century American Art Song class will be giving a concert for the same concert series on 5/30. THEN I'm done! There's always something!
Well I warned you - I hope I wasn't too over-the-top sentimental and sappy.
My parents come this weekend - it will be really nice to see them!
Pictures to come very soon....
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