Finally! A post on Architecture!

But before that, a quick note:

This is now the second week of school. I have had one lesson, two studio classes (giving a total of 5 hours of instruction/week), meetings up the wazoo....but no classes. My SPS options were approved (of course, they didn't bother to tell us until last Thursday - four days after school started), and include a lecture recital, a paper on Performance Practice (don't ask me how I'm going to pull that one off!), and seminars to instruct giving presentations to children (of course, finishing with a presentation tailored by myself). Since almost all of the work is individual, I have virtually no classes (and I'm currently not in ensembles - with 18 euphoniums, it seems like that may be a rarity!).

Secondly, I must inform you of Frehser's week. It began two weeks ago, with traditional Scottish dancing, and continued each night until last night. There were movies, live bands, trips out to pubs, more live bands, et. al. all through Induction and the first week of classes (things seemed to tame down after classes started).

The grand culmination was the Fresher's Ball. We dressed to our nines, and headed to the University of Manchester. We were taken to a lovely room (I would guess a library due to the enormity of books), which served expensive drinks, and had live jazz. Although it was fun for awhile, I began to value the worth of the £5 endeavor. Suddenly we were instructed to move into the main hall.

It was here that we found a massive room, with ornate and detailed stained glass, and by far the most ridiculously large and ornate Pipe Organ. There were tables for sitting, more expensive drinks, and a dance floor. Then, for the next 4 hours, we were treated to 3 live bands playing some of the greatest music from the 80's (Theme from Ghostbusters, anyone?), as well as some old-school hip-hop; everything was primarily American, but it just took awhile to get over the ocean.

We closed up a little after one, and headed back out respective houses.
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The reason I mention the architecture is to draw the distinction from RNCM's building. When I first came here last November, I thought "how on Earth can they provide a full music school here?" Once you walk in the entrance, you are greeted by a modern, cavernous lobby. The publicly accessible area is to the right, where you'll find an even larger and more cavernous cafe/bar (with decorations "reminding one of 1972" to quote a fellow American). Continuing to the right, you'll find one of the two recital halls, and the two concert halls (nothing is as large as Eastman Theatre - in fact the concert halls are more on par with Kilbourn, but the fact that they can provide two in such a small space is remarkable). But NOWHERE will you find the offices/practice rooms.

In order to access the offices, you need to climb two flights of stairs, and CROSS A BRIDGE over the lobby. This also gives you the opportunity to visit the JCR (Junior Common Room - for the Student Union), the roof (I'm still trying to figure out why), and the Student Union's Beer Garden (this is by far the strangest school I've ever visited).

I know there is much more space in the school than I've just described (we do have a library), but they will be feature tomorrow: What I miss about Eastman. Until then, take care.

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