 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-08-30 11:08
I'm a community college. And they just screwed me over. My plans were to go to school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Monday night was going to be the Wind ensemble at school and Wednesday night would've been my local (almost) community band. I had set up the schedule on purpose to get those times off, as well as thursday night off so I can go out with my girlfriend (it's her day off from work). I get a call saying the offering that I chose for my class is canceled. And I need that ONE class to graduate this semester. So I was switched into the class (you guessed it) on Monday's and Wednesday nights. Now I can't be in the monday night ensemble due to a scheduling conflict, which means I lose the credit and now I'm not a fulltime student. If I'm not a fulltime student, I can't get insurance through my parents and would have to either pay for my own (which I can't afford to do), or risk getting an injury.
So I have to sign up for another music class (one credit course) to make it back to fulltime. The only one available? Thursday night. Of course. So now that's gone.
I'm finally realizing what a pain in the ____ college can be. Not to mention my schedule now runs a one hour class on monday morning at 8, 8 hours off, then a class at 6 PM. And I can't go home and come back again. That takes too much time. So I have 8 free hours every monday.
Now that I'm booted out of the classes/community band, here's my clarinet related question (after some much needed venting). What do I do? Now I don't have music to sightread and practice, except for the music I'll get on Thursday (which probably won't be too challenging judging by last semester's music). The only thing I can think of is to take advantage of this time and REALLY work on the Baermann III that I just bought and my Rose Studies. Is it going to hurt me not sightreading dificult music for these 5 months?
Alexi
PS - forgot to add that the only challenging thing I'll be doing is rehearsing Weber's Concertino for my lessons evaluation at the end of the semester. But at this point, it's not "sight reading" anymore.
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2003-08-30 11:09)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: glin
Date: 2003-08-30 12:10
Sfalexi,
See you can still play in the wind ensemble and community band. Even though you can't attend the rehearsals, I suspect they should be understanding of you schedule conflicts. For instance, you may be able to "borrow" the music for the scheduled concerts and keep in touch with the director or stand partner for any specific tempo or musical edits.
This way you could still practice on your own time. Maybe you could see if someone could record the practices for you-that way you could get an idea of the sound and music.
As far as your free time, I'd use it for schoowork since you are stuck at school. If you can get access to a practice room , I'd also schedule in some time for individual practicing (Baermann Book III, Rose, long tones,etc. Leave the wind ensemble and community band last for the end of practice)
Take advantage of your time on campus and make the most of it. Get to know your professors and spend some time with them during office hours-they can be a big help down the road.
Hang in there. Life is like that, some times.
George Lin
Fairfax, VA
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-08-30 13:03
I appreciate the advice. As for knowing the professors, I have made my contacts being a math tutor and musician in the bands there. Good ideas about the wind ensemble and community band. I'll definitely pose the question. Like they say, "It doesn't hurt to ask". I didn't think about just attending the concerts since I'll be back next semester (provided this doesn't happen again). Thanks for the comfort and well said advice.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-08-30 13:45
Hi,
A lot of times, you will have a great deal of leverage with the department chairman if you are graduating in the current term which you said was true. Instead of taking the one hour class, see if you can do a one hour independent study instead.
All colleges and universities have a course such as independent study which students can take to pursue specific projects or do specialized research. You would have to convince a faculty member to supervise your work though.
Quite often, such an experience can be a vaulable way to get credit and to provide you with an opportunity to look into something of interest. This does not help you with the Monday and Wednesday conflcit though.
If you need some specific information, send me an email.
HRL
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-08-30 23:21
College scheduling becomes a huge issue as you get closer to graduation. It's like freshmen and sophomore year you have to take classes that are literally offered every hour of every day, so you can virtual build the schedule exactly the way you want it. As your class requirements for graduation narrows and those classes become offered less frequently (because less people require them for their major) you have to do some real magic to work out a schedule that even remotely makes sense... I guess that doesn't really help much, but at least your situation isn't all that unusual.
I would definitely take the time during school for homework, practicing, reading, hanging out with friends. There are lots of options, especially if you go to a large college with lots of on campus activities.
Lastly, you asked about not sightreading. The only thing you need to sightread is a clarinet and a piece of music you've never seen before, so I don't see why you'd have to stop just because you're not in a wind ensemble.
I'm a sociology/psychology major (who takes clarinet lessons)... I sight-read almost every day, and I'm not in any ensembles (good sightreading material, other than solos, are the "Artistic Studies" books edited by David Hite... Book 1 is French (Rose), Book 2 is German (Baermann), and Book 3 is Italian (Cavallini)). The books contain works by others as well, but that gives you an idea. I personally don't like playing in band (which you obviously do). For my "musical" outlet, I do a recital at the school where I take clarinet each year (or semester if I can get my act together). This may not help you if you prefer ensemble playing, but it works for me! Just some ideas
Don Hite - theclarinetist@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-09-01 15:59
Community colleges often (at least in NY) easily take credits from nearby four year institutions. Are there any other schools in your area where you could take classes offered at a more congenial time?
My school has a computer system for registration but thinks it's a charming tradition to make freshmen register in person all at once in the burning hot dining hall. By planning my route in advance, I got all my classes but a guy on my hall had a nasty incident at the Chem table.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
