Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Miscellaneous

So I thought my planned bubble bath was ruined this morning, as our landlord has a guy coming to take out our the rotted ceiling where the rain and snow gathered all winter and re-plaster it after he patches it. (Actually, I think another guy is supposed to patch it. So it's like a three-step process, in case you were just dying to know.) But he's running late and won't be here until this afternoon, which is a really lucky break, since I'm feeling a little achy this morning. Feel like I always do at the start of a sinus infection, so water water water and a half hour on the treadmill. And veggies. Big salad.

No place to go today, and that's something I'm ecstatic about. Still have to finish up the stuff for the play and get a good start on my new orchestrations for class, as well as make the old ones more interesting ("too conservative," said the conductor). Which reminds me, I have to practice conducting and order my baton today. (Not looking forward to that part of the recording.) If all goes well, I'll be able to take most of Saturday and all of Sunday off to relax.

5 comments:

Bevie said...

Freddie, I may be out of line asking this of you, and if I am you can just dismiss me out of hand.

But you are into music, and quite good at it, from what I understand. You are also attending college for it?

This is what I'm getting at: My son plays tuba. According to his band instructors he's good at it. They keep telling us to have him audition for the state band. (We can't afford to bring him to that.) He is also teaching himself keyboards and drums. I think he is interested in a couple other instruments, too.

He's now asking about which college would be best for him if he wishes to pursue a career in music. Do you have any ideas on this? Right now, we live in Minnesota, but I'm thinking Chicago and New York have the best colleges for music. Am I right?

Thank you

Stacy said...

Oh, no problem, Bevie.

I am attending grad school at Columbia College in Chicago. Film scoring. It's a serious program for serious composers, I'm finding.

There are good schools all over the country. I myself went to Ball State in Indiana, and they have a strong music department there. Chicago has excellent schools: DePaul, Roosevelt, and Columbia are just a few.

It wouldn't be a bad idea for your son to figure out what he wants to do in music and choose a school based on that. Does he want to teach? Does he want to play? If so, what styles? (Classical, jazz, pop?) Columbia doesn't have an orchestral program - it's mainly jazz and pop based, but Roosevelt University and DePaul University do (I think). If he wants to teach, Ball State is a good school for that.

I'm not sure about New York. Never was interested in going there.

Robin B. said...

Wow, freddie. You're impressive. Do you know that? I bet you don't believe me, but it's true.

Bevie said...

Thanks, Freddie. Son is only twelve, so I'm impressed he is already thinking college.

My guess is he may be thinking about teaching, but he is so artistic in other areas it wouldn't surprise me if his ambitions involve even more.

He likes to experiment with combining sounds (even non-instrument sounds) to make a song.

Thanks for the advice.

Oh, and Robin is absolutely correct: you are impressive. In fact, you're awesome!

Stacy said...

I'm guessing he's a composer then, post-post-modernist. : )

Thanks, Robin and Bevie!!! Compliments are always appreciated. : )