My Blog

Is it Monday already! And a slow one at that. I love showing up at 9am to teach and getting an email at 8:55 (when I was driving to work) saying the student had to go to a wake and couldn’t make it. Ugh! I could have slept in an extra hour or something! Oh well. Taught my 10am and now am on my 3 hour lunch break…then quintet if it happens. Then I teach 2 students and studio class.

Well, on the bright side - I’m out of here on Sunday for a week! Then back for 3 days, gone for 5, then here for about 3 solid weeks and then back to NYC for an extended weekend - I’m thinking I’ll just take off for 5 days. I can just stack up all my students in 2 or 3 days and then leave for a few. All my concerts will be done by then anyways.

I only have 2 months left here thankfully! After May 1 or 2, I’m gone!!! I can’t wait. I am so ready to leave this place and move on. I just want to know where to but I guess I have to wait that out. Well - I have to practice now since I don’t really have much blog-worthy info. Hope everyone has a nice week!

Well, I had my phone interview this evening and I’m really not sure how I did. My gut feeling is that I didn’t impress the committee but it is so hard to get a read on it when you can’t see anyone and you don’t get feedback at all after you complete your answers, just dead silence on the line. Granted, I talk fast when I get excited, and I definitely get excited when I talk about what I do. So maybe it came across as enthusiasm!? I hope!

For those who will have phone interviews in the future, I thought I would post the questions and my answers and things I think I should have added to my answers, we can always learn from these things! I am collecting a list of questions I’ve been asked in these interviews and it helps but you just never know what they will ask.

1 - What qualities and experience can you bring to the position here?

*I mainly talked about qualities and didn’t really touch on experience, but I figure they have that on my C.V. right in front of them however I wish I had highlighted what I have done and that it is everything on their job description*

I talked about my passion for teaching and that I come from a family of music educators. That I like to give my students skills that they can apply not only in the practice room but in the classroom as well.  I also mentioned that I took music education coursework following my performance degree at OU and felt that it gave me a really good understanding of what music ed majors go through everyday and that this has in turn helped me be a more sensitive teacher to their needs.

*I should have gone on and talked about how I am a constructive and positive teacher and always have in mind what is in the student’s best interest.*

2 - What methods would you use/course plan for your students freshman through senior?

I started off by talking about a firm warm up routine that the students do each day to find their center as a player, starting with long tones, slow chromatic warm ups, and then some various slow technical exercises that help build a smooth and relaxed technique. Then for freshman especially I thing scales are fundamental and I give them Baermann scales as well as Kroepsch studies to supplement the various keys they are working on. And if I can coordinate it, have them work on an etude that is in the same key as the scales, mostly the Rose 32 studies at this level. I then went onto talk about how I like to talk about theoretical and historical background in the repertoire/etudes students are working through and especially at the Freshman level, I have them sing their etudes in solfege, and determine why they phrase in certain places, based on cadences, appogiaturas etc. On the more advanced level I would take the students as far as Cavalinni Caprices, Rose 40 studies, Jean Jean 18 pending on their level and experience. As far as repertoire for freshman I mentioned I’ve had students play the Schumann fantasy pieces up through Weber concertos at the freshman level. Then upper classmen Brahms Sonatas, Debussy Rhapsody, Copland concerto, etc

*Felt pretty good about that one although it was pretty long winded*

3 -  We have a Bass Clarinet Major, and what is your experience and how would you approach teaching this student?

I talked about giving this student a good grounding in the same skills as students on B-flat , good tone, technique, warm up; I then would want the student to work on orchestral excerpts to really know that repertoire because of the need for good strong bass clarinets in orchestra. I mentioned 2 books by Drapkin but then also would want the student to work from orchestral parts. I have also had bass clarinet students work on the Bach Cello Suites and last year had a student who played a transcription of the Mozart Bassoon Concerto on Bass Clarinet.

4 - How would you go about recruiting and making the Crane School of Music Clarinet studio more appealing to students around the country?

I jumped in immediately kind of babbling at first when I should have stayed silent but I eventually answered that I would want to travel around the state and nationally giving recitals, master classes at various state conventions and connecting with high school directors of strong programs; and if there was interest at Potsdam for a clarinet ensemble, I would be interested in having them play at the International Clarinet Conference as well as state conventions to again give the school more visibility in the clarinet world and that would hopefully attract more students of high quality. I would also go and present at conferences about teaching and playing to music educators nation-wide

I then asked them some questions about studio size, percentage of majors in Performance, ed, other areas - 51 clarinet majors, 4 performance the rest are mostly Music Education and some music business but that the ed majors like to go for the same levels of performance standing as a performance major.

I asked about recruiting locations, scholarships available and in-state vs. out-of-state recruitment based on this. Then I asked about the summer music camp they host for high school students and if that brings in students each year.

For this whole interview I think I had 13 minutes because they called late. So it wasn’t a lot of time and perhaps that is why I feel a little uneasy about it. I think I answered questions ok, but for some reason don’t feel like I impressed anyone. Phone interviews are so odd because you can’t see the people or their reactions to your answers whether they agree, disagree or what.

Anyways - so that is the scoop - I’m not so confident right now and am incredibly bored. I have to teach 9-6 tomorrow and then have nothing until auditions on Sunday. I’m planning to go shopping in Indianapolis Saturday and try to find a recital dress (good luck in Indiana finding anything) so we’ll see.

Hope everyone has a good evening!!!

What a great city! Every time I go to New York I wonder why I don’t live there. It is nice to see how much life does exist on this earth because honestly out here, you begin to wonder! I would just move but alas, there are no jobs for me right now. But perhaps I can get something closer. Especially since I have so many wonderful friends there!!!! I already miss you guys!

It really put things in perspective by just getting out of Indiana. I’m counting the days until I can move. I’m so much more positive when I am not in this place. Its amazing how the negative vibe at an institution can really get under your skin, before you know it you aren’t the same anymore. But a few days out of here always clears me up. Now I’m not going to let some of these negative people get to me, I’m just going to brush off their negative jabs.

There are 2 weeks left until spring break which I will spend all of in Rochester. Then I will come back to teach here for 3 days - back to Rochester to give my recital there. The following week will be my BSU faculty recital. Then I will have a few concerts packed into 2 weeks. Finally April 13-16 I will head back to NY to rehearse for some of my conference stuff this summer! YAY! When I return from that trip - I will only have 2 weeks left. Thank god!

I’m trying to see if I can get out of my lease or sublet my place for June-July to save some $$. And if I am moving somewhere, can go on and get my stuff there and find a place to live. Unfortunately I have so much junk here, I hope I get a job that will pay my moving expenses. It was expensive last time and BSU didn’t help with any of it.

Well, off to lunch. I have a meeting at 1, rehearsal at 2, teach from 3-6 then home for the night. I then have to STUDY for my phone interview on Thursday. Think good thoughts for me! Back to the grind…

So in the fog of my post-un-valentines day drinking hangover this morning, I get an email saying the search committee at Oakland University in Michigan wanted to do a phone interview with me tonight at 8:30pm! That just kind of came out of the blue. So not only did I have to teach from 9-7, I also had to do internet research at any spare moment so I could have some competent questions. The interview in fact went very well, I think they asked great questions and I felt that I answered them well. Still, what a suprise. Good practice for Potsdam too - I just have to learn to talk slower!

I’m off to NYC tomorrow morning (YES!) and am so happy to be getting out of old Indiana. I’m really looking forward to seeing the City and not having much planned which is even better! I just have to be sure I have all the phone numbers I need since I changed phones recently and the stupid GSM chip didn’t work between phones since I had to change over to Cingular from AT&T. My number is the same - but the service is a little better now.

So 4am will come very soon, I must get to sleep. I will have many pictures from this weekend and will post them as soon as I return.

I don’t think I’ve ever updated this much - it shows I have either nothing to do or a lot of news…maybe a little of both. We’re definitely making up for the lack of snow in January now. It has been snowing for the last 3 days! Crazy!!! I’m just happy that I have nothing to do today. I decided to sit down and empty out all my CD jewel cases so this time when I move, I don’t have to carry 8 boxes of CDs up and down stairs. Instead I can just carry my 2 CD binders! I think that is all its going to take…I hope! Of course I’ve discovered that I am missing 2 CDs, I had the cases but there were no CDs in them. I guess that is what happens when you move 10 times and let people borrow CDs here and there. I think I can get them in the library here and burn new copies. But its irritating.

Sunday afternoon - nothing on TV, I’m plugged into Death Cab for Cutie and other various songs on my ipod. I love hitting random and seeing what happens. Some tunes come up that bring back old memories…really old ones. Its nice though. I think I’m going to get ready for dinner by chopping some veggies. I am going to make another batch of beef and eggplant chili - but first I have to go buy more ground beef, that means I have to get out in the snow…ugh! I think I will spend tonight thinking about my teaching philosophy and various things I can talk about in my phone interview…Feb 23!! THink good thoughts for me at 6:15 pm EST!!!

Last night we had the MSO concert of Sibelius 5 - maybe it was the conductor or maybe that piece just totally blows. It was so long and drawn out - one of my colleagues told me Sibelius actually died while that piece was being performed…so much can be said about that!!! He should have stopped after the 1st movement in my opinion. Its actually the best part of the piece. We also did Peer Gynt which was fine and then Bruch violin concerto with 17-year-old Rachel Lee - she played beautifully!

Well, off to be productive…I guess. Hope everyone is having a nice Sunday!

Ok - so after yesterday being so incredibly terrible - today I got a phone call from Potsdam to set up a phone interview! The magic day is February 23! I now have to spend all my free time memorizing their website and coming up with good answers to potential questions. My colleagues here offered to do a mock phone interview for me. I thought that was pretty awesome! They have been really genuinely excited for me about this job and telling me that I’d be smart to get the heck out of this place because I’m better than it! Whoa - that is a lot coming from some of them!

Besides, I can’t see myself staying in Muncie much longer! At least I can leave as soon as juries are over and know that I have my graduation at Eastman to look forward to! Then the Oklahoma clarinet conference and ICA Conference. In between I get to spend 4 stunning weeks in Muncie teaching at Aria…that will be the fun part. I think Ms. Adda and I will be in a drunken stupor outside the couple hours a day we are supposed to be coaching kiddos. I will be packing too. I already bought a 300+ CD binder so I can throw out all my jewel cases and just have the binders to move. I can’t even remember how many boxes we moved last August. I don’t want to do that again! I have too many books as it is!

It will definitely be an interesting summer - I think I’ll be collecting unemployment too! Ha! I think thats hilarious! Hopefully I will have a job on the horizon though! We’ll see.

Oh and I’m going to NYC next weekend!!! YAY!!! I can’t wait! If anyone else is going to be there let me know!! I’m flying in Thursday night and staying until Sunday night. I’m visiting my dear friend Sylvia!!! My former roommie from the Rochesterian days!

So I am sleeping in peacefully today since my first two students cancelled when at around 9:30 I get a call from my apartment manager saying that someone slid into my car!!!!! NOOOOOOO! Yes, and the bumper looks like the Frankenstein Monster! :*(  I got in it to drive it over to Honda and get an estimate on the bumper–it wouldn’t work! The car wouldn’t start. The steering wheel locked up when it was hit so I had to turn the wheel and then it started. Moment of panic though. Of course when I got to Honda, one of the guys tried to talk me into trading the car in for a spiffier 2005 with fancy rims and all the works. That car only had 8000 miles on it too. It was tempting but if I am moving this summer, nope…don’t wanna tangle with a newer car.

The guy that hit me was really nice and doesn’t want to get insurance involved which I understand - I got an estimate to fix the bumper $600! That isn’t too bad. So he’s bringing me the cash and I get the new bumper tomorrow. Of course I get to drive to school today with my lovely bashed in back end! Grrrrr! Why don’t they freaking sand the streets here! Now I’m so paranoid about where I park! I’m never parking in that spot again, that’s for sure!

In other news - nothing on the clarinet search here - nothing! They haven’t made a decision and I’m wondering if they will. They will probably offer me another 1-year - ugh! I don’t want to go through this again. What will they do - offer me 1-years until I turn 30 - the age they deem no longer a kid? Of course everyone keeps asking about Potsdam, they know as much as I do. Nothing new right now. But why keep asking? This is me being overanalytical. Then I find out one of my colleagues got blackballed for tenure, the School of Music approved him but the College of Fine Arts didn’t. BULLSHIT! I want out of this place if that is how the tenure process works - you invest 6-7 years of your life to get put on the street at the end of it! Arrrrgh! And moving people around to other positions by manipulating them. This place is cursed - never work here!

Well, I guess I need to get cleaned up, put on my happy face and go teach my wonderful students (that I do love) I teach 1-5, 6-7 then have Muncie Symphony - ugh, I don’t like Sibelius 5…at least not the way our strings muddle through it. Oooh I’m in a really bitter mood today - but then again, how would you be if your day started off seeing your poor car all mangled! Soon it will be fixed though. And I will continue to heart Muncie as much as I do now!!!

Ok - and on top of all this - I found out they hired someone else for my job. And of course they hired the person with NOOOO Teaching experience. What the hell!? My poor students! Its so ridiculous but they can lie in the bed they just made for themselves. Ok, enough soapbox. I’m going to get some sleep and hope for a better day tomorrow.

Well, here we go starting yet another week. As of faculty meeting last week, they haven’t made a decision about my position yet. I’m a little frustrated, I would rather they have chosen one of the candidates than remain undecided. This could mean they are considering me based on our quintet rehearsal tomorrow…I don’t know. It will be interesting. I’m in a way dreading it but hoping maybe things will be more relaxed. I think I was so new to this situation last semester and had so much hanging over me to finish the DMA that I put more pressure on myself than I needed to. I’ve got my part learned, just have to go in and play it.

As far as life here, this has been a relaxing weekend but one filled with boredom. At least I had some company for the super bowl (Thanks Adda for calling!!!) but otherwise it was a totally lonely Muncie weekend. I cleaned my apartment, cooked a lot of food, did yoga until I couldn’t walk and practiced until my lips hurt. Then I watched a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie twice since it was aired 2 times last night. I’ve seriously got to find more to do, this place is draining all the energy out of me. I don’t want to go out, literally would rather sit at home like a couch potato for the sheer fact that there is NOTHING else to do.

But maybe in the next few weeks I will know something about jobs so I can start making some plans. I’m going to probably have to move in July regardless, I’m just wondering where to. If I stay here, I want to move closer to Indianapolis where there is civilization and people my age who are not students. If its to another state, then I need to start figuring that out, or if I do my Paris thing, then I need to get on the grant applications yesterday.

Its liberating to be at this crossroads but at the same time frustrating, I’ve always known what was coming next, finished my Masters, onto the DMA, finish the DMA, onto a job, but where?! That is something I didn’t think too much about. I just figured something would work out…it did temporarily but I get the feeling they don’t want to keep me here, for what reason I have no idea, I’ve done more than my job. I’ve worked my butt off, and that isn’t enough evidently.

Oh well, live and learn. I just look forward to having that tenure track job where I can buy a house, and start my life. Right now, I feel very similar to being a student, I just don’t have all the studying to do. I’m enjoying reading a lot of fiction though! Currently reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I already read Da Vinci Code so I decided to go back to the first book. Outside reading and Knitting, I don’t do much aside from work and practicing. But I love my students and they make the job worthwhile.