Re: I'm back for a little while
- From: "Steve Latham" <llatham@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 01:11:52 GMT
"David Sherman" <possible20@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:BFCBA7C3.5CF%possible20@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Bloody hard! They contacted me two weeks before the semester started, and
> informed me that I would be teaching a year long course in history of
> western music.
You got 2 weeks!
I used to get 1 day's notice (and one semester it was a day after classes
began!)
75 students in a lecture hall twice a week.
That's a lot of students (and a lot of papers to grade). I feel for you.
>
> So I couldn't get away with asking for any questions about the reading and
> then plopping a score down on the desk, telling everyone to gather
> around,
> and play lots of music. I had to prepare lectures twice a week.
>
> As I'm sure you know - it's one thing to know the material. It's another
> to
> have to lecture about it intelligently for an hour or so.
Oh yes - and to present it in any kind of logical manner. Chin up though - I
found after the first two years that I had enough material prepared and had
worked out enough bugs that it's become far easier now. I don't have to do
as much prep weekly and am largely in the "tweaking" process.
>
> So I prepared like a "mo fo". Have been going through Donald Grout's A
> History of Western Music for the third time in my life! And also became
> the
> prince of Power Point because they didn't like how I wrote on the
> blackboard
> (too small, too big, the chalk squeaks, etc.)
You know what I tell them - "F"!
So a laptop with a projector
> made my life easier - and a little harder. All my outlines that I
> lectured
> from had to be turned into slides with bullet points.
I've really, really thought about that, but I'm not ready to make that jump
yet. I've found that I have a habit of just re-reading the points back to
them and become very dry and, well, academic (we have another professor who
does this this way and they hate her - very high nod off ratio). I feel like
I'm personally more engaging when I can talk to them without constantly
referencing the text.
>
> But it all worked out.
>
> My composition students were a joy this semester. One of my students has
> embarked on his first string quartet, and by golly, he's writing some very
> good music. It's fun to watch him catch fire.
Always rewarding.
>
> Another of my studio composition students is starting to put together a
> video reel of commercials he's scored for me that I'm certain will bring
> him
> work over the next year or so. He's a very talented cat. And while I'm
> proud of the work he's done, I have actually produced a composer I'm going
> to have to compete with down the road.
Well, I think that's a good kind of competition - keeps everyone on their
toes - no resting on laurels.
>>
>>>
>>> In addition, I'm still writing commercial and TV tracks - the latest are
>>> spots for Staples, Trix Yogurt, and music for the silly TV shows Psychic
>>> Detectives and Body of Evidence.
>>
>> I'll keep an ear out for them.
>
> Oh lord, don't bother. I would recommend anyone watch either of those TV
> shows.
I watch some pretty lame shows sometimes, so, I wouldn't be surprised if I
do find them. Let's hope the music is "less silly" than the shows :-)
If you have kids, let them tell you about the Trix commercial -
> although it's pretty cool. I had to score it like a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
> I
> have the Carl Stalling style down pat, so when people are talking Warner
> Bro's style cartoon scoring, my phone usually rings!
I love Carl Stalling. I wish I had those kind of chops - working on it.
[snip]
>>> of Ear Training
>>
>> Sucker :-)
>>
>>> and Theory.
>>
>> Fool! (jk :-)
>
> No, no. It's going to be a gas! I love that stuff. Especially ear
> training. I still do my solfege exercises almost every day! (Whoo,
> they're
> going to hate me, aren't they?)
Yes, they'll hate you :-)
For me, the challenge is just trying to get them to see that A: this stuff
can actually be useful to you, and B: It is all part of an integrated
package that is mutually reinforcing (i.e. being able to hear an interval
when you see it on paper is beneficial).
Relaxing after finals,
Steve
.
- References:
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- From: David Sherman
- Re: I'm back for a little while
- From: Steve Latham
- Re: I'm back for a little while
- From: David Sherman
- I'm back for a little while
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