16 December 2006
“Because I knew you, I have been changed for good…”
Normally, I am a big fan of change… unless it affects me. A couple of weeks before the semester ended, one of my best friends at Campbell told me that she was planning to transfer to UNCG. One of the reasons I love Campbell is because it is a small school where you can get to know (or at least recognize) most of the students. I have made many friends since I have been at Campbell, and as a junior I have seen people come and go, but it doesn’t make it any easier to see one of my closest friends leave. But it does make me more thankful for the time that I have with each of my friends. The following line from “Wicked: the Musical” reminds me of my friend: “because I knew you, I have been changed for good,” and I hope that people will be able to say that about me when I leave Campbell.
1 December 2006
Jury Day
It’s the day that all music majors prepare for each semester: Jury Day. While other students are studying for final exams, music majors are balancing studying with the preparation of jury pieces. As a piano major, I was responsible for preparing (and memorizing!) two pieces. I played “The March” by Hansi Alt and Numbers 11-13 of Schumann’s “Kinderszenen.” Jury day arrived, and I was so nervous my hands were shaking. But I knew that I had prepared for this day all semester and played my pieces in front of some of my friends, so I would be fine. After it was over, I was incredibly relieved, and encouraged when my piano teacher told me that that was the best she had ever heard me play! Over Christmas break, I am hoping to learn to play “The Park on Piano” from the movie “Finding Neverland” and possibly play it for my senior piano recital next fall. Now, back to studying for exams!
20 November 2006
Plethora of Performances
Most people would consider it torture to play in three different concerts in less than a week, but not me! My plethora of performances started on Tuesday, November 14th, when I played vibraphone, marimba and djembe in the percussion ensemble concert. My favorite piece was “Sunset Road,” which featured tenor saxophone player extraordinaire, Erik Smith. Thursday, November 16th was the wind ensemble concert, and I played bells, vibraphone, crash cymbals, wind chimes and suspended cymbal. The final concert of my week was the jazz ensemble concert on Monday, November 20th. This concert was probably the most fun for me, and I played vibraphone, congas, and sang. Our program included “It Could Happen to You,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “’S Wonderful,” “On Green Dolphin Street,” and “Heirs of New Orleans” (written by Campbell students Ryan Chriscoe and Erik Smith). I can’t wait to play in all three ensembles again next semester!
25.September.2006
All That Jazz
What a fantastic week this has been! Monday and Tuesday were extremely busy, with classes from 8am-5pm and Jazz Ensemble from 6pm-7pm on Monday night. Speaking of Jazz Ensemble, we played through four or five songs this week, and it is possible that I may play a vibraphone solo on “It Could Happen to You” and sing the solo on “S’Wonderful.” I had a Music History test on Wednesday morning at 8am, so my awesome roommate helped me study for it until about midnight on Tuesday night. She’s an English and Mass Comm. Major, so studying Gregorian Chant was a bit different than what she is used to studying. Pep Band rehearsal was a ton of fun on Wednesday night. We have a new auxiliary percussionist, and he and I had a blast playing the cow bell, triangle, tambourine, congas, flexatone, vibraslap and whip. Who doesn’t love banging on stuff and providing cool sound effects for classic songs like “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Hey, Baby”? After pep band rehearsal, I studied with a few of my Developmental Psychology classmates for our test the next morning. Thursday, I took the test (50-questions, multiple choice: can’t beat that!), then had an extra hour to just sit and chill in the music library/lounge. Yeah for free time! I even got in an afternoon nap – woohoo! Thursday night I went to the Oasis with some of my favorite people and enjoyed the all-time favorite grilled chicken wrap with pepper jack cheese AND spicy sauce. And Friday I went home for the first time this semester. It was SO great to see my family! Since I’ve been here at Campbell, I have become part of a different type of family: a family of students in my major, who share common interests, etc., but it is nice to see my family when I have the opportunity to go home.
18.September.2006
The Quintessential Week
Monday was my first day of preschool music practicum. There are 12-15 preschoolers that come to Campbell for one hour a week, and we teach them about music through movement, games, songs, and instruments.
Tuesday was the Mickey and Jan Rooney concert, and I was in charge of making sure everything went smoothly once they arrived on campus. There were about thirty music majors (and some of my non-music major friends, too) that helped with security, ushering, crowd control, etc., and I was SO thankful for their help! My family came to the concert, and they went with Ryan and me to the Oasis after the concert to get ice cream.
Wednesdays are my long days, because they start at 8am and end at 8pm. All of my Wednesday classes are music classes, so I leave the Fine Arts Building for meals only until I retire to my room at 8pm. But Wednesdays are fun for me, because I have a percussion lesson for an hour, I play for three hours in wind and percussion ensemble, then I play for another hour and a half in pep band. Five and a half hours of banging on things makes me extremely happy!
Thursdays are refreshing, because I only have two classes, so I can devote my afternoons to working, practicing piano or cleaning my room (which I have allowed to become messy the rest of the week).
This Friday night, I was able to relax and spend time with some of my closest friends after such a busy week.
Saturdays and Sundays are usually spent doing homework, laundry, practicing piano and percussion, Bible study and getting ready for another week here in the Creek!
