Pointless Classes

The undergraduates have "technicals" coming up next week. In their 20-minute jury, they'll be tested on Scales, Studies, Sight-reading (the 3 S's) and Excerpts. So for over a month, this has been the aim of studio and warm-up classes. I wouldn't mind so terribly if I didn't feel completely useless and unproductive. It would certainly be to my benefit to be able to stay home and practice (and that's not just my cold speaking. It's a 20 minute walk with a heavy horn in a hard case...not that I'm complaining)

On a brighter note, a less pointless class I had this morning was my composition lesson. I showed Larry some exercises he had assigned last term, as well as the beginnings of the projects that will eventually make up my portfolio. Unlike the first lesson, I was really pleased: we discussed the dichotomy between convention and experimentation, the need to sharpen my craft, and other ideas that will help me develop a "voice" (rather than a "style"). I'm expected to have more work done on my euphonium sonata, and the groundwork for the concerto. Personally I also want to invest some time in past uncompleted projects, including a piano piece and a setting of a poem by Hart Crane.

As I mentioned, the weekend (and continuing far into next week) will be a blast, but can only be written about in retrospect.

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