-In which our hero talks about Thursday....
The week is drawing to a close. This is the second to last volume of this series, my school week ending as it does on Friday.
My day began early, again. A light-less rising, when I bounded out of bed as my alarm screamed bloody murder at me. Early wake-ups are much harder when the sun isn't shining. Or maybe the sun was shining, but my eyes were sealed by sleepishness.
But I digress.
I scrambled about my morning preparation, trying to pull together the minutia of my day. I had a lot to bring with me, Repertoire books, paperwork for tutoring and such. I had to make coffee, prepare my lunch box (bag actually), and make sure that all of my books were in order. I also went about the important business getting properly caffeinated. I managed to drink a large cup of coffee to supplement my small travel mug.
When I arrived at school, I had only a little business to attend to. I practiced a wee bit of piano, mostly Blues patterns. I was waiting for the eight o'clock classes to end; for Dr. North's first Sight singing class to end. When it ended, I approached him and asked if he would mind filling out a recommendation form for a job tutoring the theory courses he teaches, which he taught when I attended them. He agreed, and told me he'd return them to me in an envelope.
At nine Dr. Bookout's Music Lit. class began, and I became more determined that I was going to love her class. We talked about Gregorian chant, the notation, the prayer offices and ordinaries, and the acoustics and spaces it was written for. Which translates to, listening to and reading chants and looking at pictures of Chartres. I was so happy when I realized I could name all the ordinaries and propers of the medieval Mass without prompting. Dr. Bookout is an excellent professor, and I look forward to hearing everything she has to say about her subject matter.
I then had French class, but that has not really changed much. It's still madness. There may be method, but that doesn't change the madness.
My next class was at one-thirty, and until that time I had to eat lunch and occupy the time. I learned that one of my classmates was performing out in the amphitheater outside of the Music Building, and I decided to check it out. There was also, as I had heard from fellow starving artists, food to be had for free. I couldn't say no to that.
When I got out to the amphitheater it was about fifteen minutes until my classmate was billed to perform. I had not realized it, but there were still canvas lawn chairs available, also for free. I grabbed a free lawn chair and my free grub and chatted with another music student until the music I was interested in hearing started. When she did perform, my classmate did a couple of original songs and a couple of covers. She has a much better voice than the original artists and the effect was quite pleasant.
I went inside and got my act together for Sight-singing with Dr. K. Once more, this class doesn't change much from day to day. However, this class is no madness at all. It's always strictly structured and rigorously taught. Which is important when you are teaching a bunch of young musicians how to fly by the seat of their pants.
Ah yes, Convocation; It was the first convocation of the semester and they had arranged a nice line-up of performances. But first the business, including recognizing Dean's list and Semester's Honors students.
-Interjection: My ego is slightly swollen, as I fall into both of those lists.
....After the recognition of the lists, the major music related student organizations gave presentations; the department chair made a short address, and, when the business was done, came the performances. On the docket was Jason and the head of the piano division, playing a Mozart piano duet; Drew, star tenor of our music program, singing an aria from Faust; and the Trombone ensemble, performing an impressive all brass setting of "Nearer My God to Thee." The music was excellent, a good way to show the Freshies what it's all about.
Opera was shortly after Convo. Opera was long today. We read dialogues, but my character has none, so I had nothing to do. I was more than eager to leave the building aboard the Peril chariot at the end of the day and to return to my home of hominess.
Tomorrow is the last day of the first week...
But that is for then.
Thanks for reading.
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