#conservatorium

[paulpingminho]

[thewriterkb]

Read, Write or Study. 30 Minutes.

Reading Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro. Conservatorium of Music. Shadows working as a Sundial from 0:20 to 29:20

“Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don’t go along with that. The memories I value most, I don’t ever see them fading.” - Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go.

[holleyhums]

Reflecting on Prac. (and other thoughts)

My time at my practicum high school has come to a bittersweet end. While I’m excited to be back at university (completing some really interesting looking music education subjects!) I’m sad to say goodbye to all the students that I taught, to my lovely supervising teachers, and to the school community itself.

In terms of things that I realised about myself after my experience, I believe I’ve grown into my “teaching persona”, and I really like who she’s become! She’s confident in front of students, can develop lessons that engage, and actually really enjoys bantering with the class alongside teaching them. I got plenty of experience in running a musical, sound and digital mixing, choral and orchestral band conducting and arranging, and giving advice to students when they needed encouragement and guidance.  In all honesty, I’m excited for my next prac! Even though it’s a whole year away, it’s now something to look forward to, instead of being nervous about. But until then, uni classes await me! I’m already planning my final jazz vocal recital for this year, as well as brainstorming ideas for the big negotiated tech project. Right now I’m thinking...Mini-Documentary - Australian Women in Jazz Education; Getting Young Women to Swing! (aforementioned title still pending haha)  Updates to come!

[asoftpsychnerd]

clarinet masterclass

professor: okay, so let's talk about embouchure.

cellist, proudly, from back row: oh! i think i've heard that word!

[buurmanenbuurvrouw]

Neighbor 66: Miguel

I’m on another cross-country train ride in the Netherlands when two dark eyes in the aisle look at me for confirmation. I’m focused on my email and wearing headphones, so I just nod as my neighbor sits down.

To an outsider, we must look like friends or siblings. We’re probably around the same age and both wearing black jeans, a grey sweater and those white headphones. It’s not until a girl from the catering service passes by that we both take them off, even though I’m the only one ordering a drink. I’m still blowing the steam of my cup, when a young mother and her son pass by. The boy stops when he sees my neighbor’s computer. He points at the sticker covering the iconic apple light. ‘What’s that, mom?’ His mother smiles, looks at my neighbor and recognizes the work by Jeroen Bosch. By that time, the boy had already ran off. Bosch wasn’t that interesting after all.

We’re both lost in our computer screens again. I’m working on a fund proposal, but can’t help looking at his screen every now and then. My neighbor is using Sibelius software to write sheet music. Closing his eyes, he now and then lifts his hands to conduct the music he’s hearing. At those moments, I peek right to decipher what he’s listening to. After three musical notes I give up and decide to just ask him.

Miguel is a Spanish percussion undergraduate studying at the Groninger conservatory. He moved to the Netherlands to study music from a specific teacher. ‘She used to teach in Rotterdam and Groningen. Obviously, I wanted to go to Rotterdam. However, she resigned there right before I applied so I decided to go Groningen. I had never heard of the city before.’

Now he’s in his third year and can’t wait to go back to Spain. ‘Groningen is, well, small. I lived in Madrid for twenty years before coming here.’ Now he’s on his way back, but just for the weekend. He’ll be joining an orchestra for a concert in the city and meet up with some friends. 

When we arrive at Schiphol Airport, he gets up to grab his suitcase. ‘I’ll definitely go back to Madrid for my masters. It’s the best city in the world.’

[street-photography-amsterdam]

The Amsterdam Central Public Library. Oosterdokskade 143, 1011 DL Amsterdam

The Amsterdam Academy of Music. Oosterdokskade 151, 1011 DL Amsterdam

All rights reserved, please only reblog if you leave all captions, information and credits intact, no reblog to NSFW blogs.

[asoftpsychnerd]

in the past twenty-four hours, i’ve managed to single-handedly and somewhat subconsciously convince myself that i’m not going to be emotionally able to handle the Bachelor of Music program that i’m scheduled to start in February. it’s crazy how much my mood has changed as a result. yesterday i was an anxious wreck constantly on the verge of tears, and today i’m feeling like a numb, lifeless blob. 

essentially, believing i’m going to be a tertiary music student equals anxiety, and believing i’m not equals depression. 

who the hell knows which is better? certainly not me. all i know is that it seems i’m going to be miserable either way. 

[asoftpsychnerd]

(my non-classical, however beautifully insightful, friend re: the poulenc clarinet sonata)