#<- which understand i say that in the same way that like my jazz prof does. the classical world doesnt have enough teeth nor enough | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

imichelle-l-rigby · 6 months

Text

Reflections: Cillian Murphy’s Limited Edition

Season 3, episode 7

✨ya girl is just trying to sorta keep up✨

———————————————————————

*I am a music prof (predominantly classical vocalist), and I LOVE listening to Cillian’s music choices! That being said, sometimes I won’t like a song simply because of a vocalist (it’s a professional hazard - sorry!) 👩‍🏫

** The following are my own observations/opinions. We may not agree, and that’s ok! That’s what makes music fun! 😊

*** I wouldn’t say I’m well-versed in Cillian’s music preferences, but I do enjoy them (for the most part). I always wind up adding to my own playlists after listening to Cillian’s recommendations.

———————————————————————

🎵“Play that funky music, white boy!” 🎵

🎵Set 1 (Manhattan - Shut the Door)

Manhattan: vocal harmonies are unique! Interesting how the piano chord progression never changes - you’d expect it to change for the chorus or something, but nah 😂

Pictures of You: ok but the way this would be perfect for a road trip! And it’s got a long intro for a pop song!

Everyday, I Don’t: I am looooving the guitar here!!! 😍😍😍😍 the bass line also has some fun contrapuntal/contrary motion with the guitar, and I like it a lot!!!

Shut the Door: at first I thought this sounded like the beginning of COPS (iykyk), but then things took a dramatic turn! 😂😅

🎤Talking Break:

“Tiresome, banal, humdrum, brilliantly tedious factoids”

“Thank you for putting me in the same sentence as Jimi Hendrix”

🎵Set 2 (No Name #3 - This Strange Effect)

No Name: this is quite chill. No thoughts, just floating. 👍

Run of the Mill: the way I love George demos! I am convinced he left his best stuff on the cutting room floor! His voice and acoustic guitar just work together. ❤️

This Strange Effect: 😍 dude I just love music from this era! And the awkward leap in the melody on the word “strange” - great word painting!

🎤Talking Break:

“Thought I’d play it for ye”

Covers! Yay!

🎵Set 3 (Sister Big Stuff - Skinhead Moonstomp)

Sister Big Stuff: ok but how fun is this??? and the cover twist is really cool! This works! 💃

Can I Change My Mind: I like this track a lot, I just have questions regarding production - why does the vocal line almost hide behind the instruments? 🤔

Skinhead Moonstomp: this is totally a “crank up the party” song! And the storyline is so cute! 😂

🎤Talking Break:

It took me a minute to understand the “pyramids” discussion

“Kinda ambient”

🎵Set 4 (Castlefields - Die Bunge)

Castlefields: the “sirens” on the strings remind me of a piece called “Threnody for Hiroshima,” although with a completely different intention! And against that, you have some slow, cool jazz. I really like this. ✨possibly my favorite of the episode✨

Die Bunge: the electronica… solid. 👍

🎤Talking Break:

Ask a reasonable question - ok but this was SO REASONABLE!!! Loved this question!

… I’m putting my money on Yoko for the 1971 “King Kong” debacle. 😬

And I’m totally with Cillian on the covers 👍

🎵Set 5 (Cab It Up - Mestre)

Cab It Up: instrumentally this is quite fun! The spoken vocal part reminds me of b 52.

Mestre Candeia’s Denim Hat: some fun electronica! The rhythms are unexpected and you know I love polyrhythms.

🎤Talking Break:

Irish music! Yay!

Cool explanation!

🎵Set 6 (They Recognized Him)

They Recognized Him: whoaaaa. I’m glad Cillian said this was partly inspired by ‘90s hip hop, because you can hear it once you’re in the know!

🎤Talking Break

An exclusive!

Ooooh a reading! And quite memorable - I would describe it as grotesque in its imagery.

🎵Set 7 (Seem Am I - Why Can’t I Come to You)

Seem Am I: like I’ve said before - I do have a complicated relationship with her voice, but I fully recognize that her timbre is completely intentional. Her lyrics are pretty sophisticated, which I appreciate.

Why Can’t I Come to You: oh how beautiful! Ok I need to listen to more Patty Waters. ❤️ ✨is this a tie for favorite???🤔✨

🎤Talking Break

New music! Woohoo!

🎵Set 8 (Free of the Stolen Boy - Bending Hectic)

Free of the Stolen Boy: I like this, but every time he says “I want to be free,” all I can think of is Queen 😅 his voice reminds me of Johnny Cash.

Bending Hectic: I LOVE THIS! What a great concept - the “bending” is heard with all the bent notes/microtones. And then it’s “hectic” because the style continuously changes, but the bent motif continues throughout - well done! ✨another favorite✨

🎤Talking Break

Yorkshire Man - Scottish music. Ok. This guy sure is interesting!

🎵Set 9 (Life in a Scottish Sittingroom 2 ep 11 - Mam Yinne Wa)

Life in a Scottish Sittingroom: well, at least he’s easy to understand! I was worried I wouldn’t know what he was saying! This is an interesting pick, especially since it’s hard to call this music. There’s music in the background, but I definitely call this a reading. Anyway, it’s quite pastoral.

Riot in Cell Block No 9: wow! That’s a transition, now isn’t it?! 😂 nice early rock

I Asked for Water: and now some blues!! I’m getting the sense that this set is all about “obviously from a specific country” vibes/sounds.

Mam Yinne Wa: well… it’s definitely from somewhere. I just don’t know where - I’ll have to do some research. That being said, this is COOL!! 💃 ✨ANOTHER song tying for favorite??? How many am I up to???✨

🎤Talking Break

I loved this “wedge” of music 😍

🎵Set 10 (The Lonely Sea - You Are Mine)

The Lonely Sea: 😍 I love this, and frankly, I need to listen to more of The Beach Boys! These boys bop, but can also bring some fantastic harmonies!

You Are Mine: 💃💃💃 I love this one, too!!! These vocals are 🔥, but so are the instruments! 💯

🎤Talking Break

That is a shame that we don’t know much about Jay Robinson!!!! 🙀🙀🙀

Beatles moment!!!! 😍😍😍

🎵Set 11 (Julia - This Town)

Julia: the way this song makes me CRY 😭❤️😭❤️ OMG HE LOVED HIS MOM 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 John may have been wacky, but my goodness could he write something heartbreakingly tender (*ahem Now and Then ahem*)

This Town: a solid song. What a groove! 😎

🎤Talking Break

Early 2000s - wow! Nice to know what songs he played on repeat!

“Mind yourselves, now”

🎵Set 12 (Tilth Dawn Rustles - Swell Does The Skull)

Tilth Dawn Rustles: oooh this is good! Atmospheric but also synth and electronic sounds. Although the bubble sounds in the background are a little distracting 😂

Swell Does The Skull: transition was cool, but I am digging this guitar line! A solid, melancholy ending.

———————————————————————

Phew! One more done!

Tag list:

@iammrsrogers @deliciousnutcomputer @mariamoonie @brownskinsugarplum76 @look-at-the-soul @kj-davis @neverroad @teapothollow @thepurplearmyposts @possessedmarshmallow

#cillian murphy #cillian murphy’s limited edition #bbc 6 music

7 notes · View notes

actualbird · 3 years

Note

18 for the writer ask meme! :D

hi soph!!!!! :DDD thank u for the ask!!!

18. What are you currently trying to improve on?

in terms of fanfiction, nothing really kJBJBSKG. my motto with fancontent in general is that i do it for fun and also in the most self indulgent ways possible. like, yes, i do enjoy improving on writing fanfic, but i dont go in with that intention omg. i go on to write my silly little stories about my silly little faves UwU

in terms of original writing (both fiction and nonfiction), uhhh, EVERYTHING LOL SKJFBD but i do have specifics kjbdf

for my fiction im still on the same damn thing i wanted to do years ago: i want to use fantastical worlds to explore and understand the experiences of our real one. like fantasy and sci-fi and magical realism not as a jaunt into the unknown for the sake of jaunting into the unknown (which is great! not saying it isnt, jus saying thats not what i wanna do) but as a way to like...delve into real experiences that feel almost too much to be real. grief, guilt, hatred, love, all that jazz. i only have three (3) posted original fiction works (which you can read here!!!) but when i do get back into it, i will be working on this concept and how to get better at it.

for nonfiction, hooooo boy. i'll tell ya, im at a Point, in my nonfiction (and i have a bunch of these posted, u can read them here!!) writing journey where i am just like. so confused kJBKJDSF. like. i dont know what im doing with my nonfic anymore. and i dont know what i want to be doing with it moving on. this is part of why ive fallen into such a slump with it because im very very lost right now lmao....this is gonna come off as pretentious, but if i dont have a core purpose for doing something, actually Doing It becomes nigh impossible for me //puts my face into my hands. id honestly love to have a chat with some of my former nonfiction profs and ask them, hey, help, what, huh, ack, thoughts? but alas, im terrified of all of them KJBKJDFS

send me writing asks ^w^

#asks #TheReferencer #ask meme

3 notes · View notes

unproduciblesmackdown · 4 years

Note

40, 47, 59, 62, 76

lmao hell yeah thanks for All this support i love it!! quastions

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

really idk i feel like even our schools’s Antics were pretty par for the course and i was just sitting in the corner reading the whole time basically......trying to think if anything wild happened in college but even then it was p similar. well you know what, whatever donors covered the majority of the cost of the school’s black box theater being renovated apparently Stipulated that every other year a rodgers and hammerstein production be put on. absolute freaks. my roommate/friend and their then-boyfriend, the one mormon i have Knowingly Known in my life, were in pirates of penzance (sic?) together. hilarious

47. favorite type of cheese?

i like cheddar and like, parmesan, smoked gouda.....let’s get that shit Sharp!!! and hard lmao

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

idk i’d be like an npc just doing their weird thing on their own. i’ve never played pokemons unless you count pokemons Go but i think about the famed “i like shorts they’re comfy and easy to wear” npc kid. like, yeah. i feel the same. and would say similar bullshit nobody asked about

62. seven characters you relate to?

oh god.........recognizing the self through the relatable characters :|

well let’s just talk about the wrol roles right off b/c the characters that Most occupy my gay thoughts (which is to say: my general thoughts) will inevitably get priority when it comes to Remembering things

1) whom among us doesn’t relate to jared kleinman........will roland emerging from relative obscurity and coming for our entire fucking lives like the goddamn legend he is. it’s tough b/c it’s like, oh well alana is relatable too, so is evan unfortunately sorry evan, and in ways i might ~usually act~ like one of those two more than jared but. no. it is Jared who wins the relatability contest, and we all get to be beautifully haunted by it forever

2) leaning hard into winston even with the few glimpses of him b/c somehow will Cannot play an allistic cishet. and this is even More of a case where maybe i don’t much have winston’s demeanor.......even without winston being a beacon of confidence, he has more confidence lmao. and he has that ability to just Be Himself in a situation which, i wish i had that moxie lmao. i am a lot more [usually trying to be accommodating wayyyy harder than i should], booo......even though he’s clearly not great at conflict considering how it doesn’t take Too much to put him out, it’d be pretty impossible for me to be all “called them hacks and lame” or carry out a very irritated monologue in front of four people in the first place lmao. but who knows. and it’s more in the details of like, oh no winston’s the odd one out even though he hasn’t really Done Anything, but we all ~understand~ why he Deserves it.........his expectation / treating it basically as Fact that he will disappoint people.......the [weird] [offputting] behaviors and his way of speaking in What he Says and How He Says It seeming wrong to people.......like it’s only 15-ish min of content that we have here and we don’t have the least info about will’s own thoughts on the character but it’s like. how is this such an iconic Gay Autistic Quant b/c these vibes are so rare. and i appreciate that he can be ~difficult~ lmao. same with jared though i didn’t mention it. i can be difficult!! love it for us...

3) briony atkins from murder of bindy mackenzie as a character who Does act more like how i Usually Act Like lmao.....god we’re only on three i forgot there was seven of these. and yet i know there’s probably at least 2 dozen characters who could make this list and i just won’t think of most of them unless directly reminded......but anyways yeah i mean in person i mostly do Not want attention unless i feel comfortable enough / in my element or whatever. especially if it’d be some situation like “sitting in a group of randos” lol. i mean it depends b/c i also can sometimes be ~on~ in terms of Masking and trying to be like Haha I’m Social I’m Regular and i def engage in Nervous Chatter sometimes, but like, very often it’s like god don’t talk to me and i don’t want to talk either.....and then yeah people Will be surprised that like, idk, i’m opinionated as shit and idk that i Enjoy Things / Have Thoughts And Feelings coz the assumption i guess is that you must simply have nothing to say. so the dismissal of this person who seemingly has nothing to contribute and must be Boring rings true lmfao.....but then of course it’s also important that her personality Under that is the one getting mistaken for emily’s lol cuz yeah At Heart i am sure of that dramatic / intense / excitable type Sometimes. but it takes some excavation before i am like “oh i can engage in my actual self” and like weeks and months to get comfortable w/ people and i’m always suspicious that anyone actually would enjoy it and i’m not too much......i am a motormouth actually and have something to say about any and everything and like to Have Fun Here but like. idk i come off as boring and can be Notably Quiet lmao

4) oscar martinez from the office is weirdly [Haha Same] sometimes lmfao. sort of keeps to himself but also has to pipe up with Opinions and Pedantry and the kind of Drama of a restrained theatre gay. some deleted scene from an episode where during an interview clip of Jimothy in a theater lobby and you have oscar call from across the group in that [wearied Ugh God] way of ‘jim, they’re remaking ___’ while jim just kind of gives a cursory “wow gosh” or whatever and like, i sure don’t have lots of Theatre Opinions but that “oh jeez i have a Take on this and have to share it with someone” vibe is like hahaha yeah.....it’s funny in the “the gang goes to the ice rink for a third of the ep” bit where you just catch oscar doing [ice skating turn] with some solemn intensity.......the “here’s a question nobody’s asking: is this worth it” quote.........way at the end where there’s a whole deal with one of the indoor plants and he’s like “why is it a He” @ the collective gendering of the houseplant lmfao.......i love the one thing where he and pam and uhh toby right? have the Finer Things book club or whatever and jim wants to join just like ~ironically~ and pam has to tell him that oscar doesn’t want him to join b/c he’s not going to take it seriously and use it as a Jokes Vehicle. and then you get the scene at the end where jim Is basically doing that and they’re just like taking it out of him and oscar’s all very seriously like “did you get it all out of your system” lmfao like yeah, earnest members only lmao.....the thing where he gets mad at angela’s like Jazz Musician Posed Babies posters all “it’s kitsch it Destroys art” lmaoooo and in a totally different season all “this is the problem with debate” over the completely inconsequential “is [whichever actress, i forget] Hot” “”””debate””””.......the whole tendency to get involved and always have a take to get across.....opinionated-sometimes-to-the-point-of-petty central. also that he’s the canon gay, are there even any others? anyways and as the us office’s spiritual successor i’ll add on to this by uh what’s the name of billy eichner’s character on parks and rec? it’s craig right. that Self-Powered Intensity is very #me as well.

5) augh god........im like lmfao shit who represents my Hater Club side. hmmm. oh no wait you know what. totally different but i love Prof Beatrice Hotchkiss in the trt nancy drew pc game. she’s holed up in her room writing all the time and just is weird when you try to talk to her all like no i won’t open the door, bring me food, do this Research, bring me my Ski Boots i guess......and then when you do meet her it’s all at like post-midnight in the lounge and she’s all like, encouraging you as a Night Owl and your investigative curiosity and all and i’m like oh word yeah being up in the dead of night is the shit. she’s just weird and passionate and this is another character i might not Act hardly at all like but who i vibe with lmfao. hotchkiss was the supportive adult in my life

6) remembering how hotchkiss is a historian made me think of academia which made me think of like, once again with “these vibes are So So Rare” i really ought to put the wrol role of Nato on the list cuz like. that essential representation of “gets gr8 grades but isn’t really ~academic~ / doesn’t care about that and really just cares about Hanging W Friends and [real specific interests]” is like wow damn that’s the Mood. coz like to an extent i can always Relate to the ~overachiever~ types a la the [nerd character gets all-A’s and other nerd shit] deal, but there’s eventually the issue of like.....those characters like bindy mackenzies and alana becks Care about their achievements (not exclusively as some ppl would have it 9_9) and are Studious whereas i always hated school and was a godawful student in terms of Habits and always got good grades b/c the devil was with me or something and like people will think i must have tried real hard and dedicated myself to Academics and stuff and it’s like.........no................not at all hardly, sure i did my hw every night but at like 11:29 pm or studied for a midterm at lunch right before the class lol or flipped through a lil bit of the sat study guide the night prior.........the “low-effort dumbass who Academically Excels Anyhow” representation is so crucial like!! i run into a wall when it’s the Good Grades nerd character who is real studious and focused and stuff like. couldn’t be me. meanwhile the “naturally weird + probably some ‘deliberate’ weirdness” and “likes animals” and “most likely to just wanna Roll With It” and “shitty focus lol” and “non sequiturs” and “without [activity] i do nothing” is all like....ahahahohoho..........nato rly got to make this list. and honorable mention for Wrol Jeremy. again: whom doesn’t relate!!!!!!!!

7) damnit i know there’s So many answers to [characters i relate to] and whom cover like, more particular Facets here but i’m struggling lmao. Uh. like i’m like, who’s the Hot Mess / continually evolving disaster characters i vibe with......who’s the peak despresso detached Haters rep......who embodies the solo production lifestyle........dammit you know what lol i tend to Feel for like, the background ~nobodies~ who might just get like totally destroyed in some movie with life or death stakes just to like, show how much danger our heroes / Important Complex Protags are. same w/ jeremy not feeling like the Hero / the one who the story’s about / the cool guy / player 1 / etc etc etc i’m like oo i’d be the npc who doesn’t really do anything, i’d be the rando getting blown away in the background of someone else’s story. on a totally different note another shoutout / honorable mention to wybie from the coraline lmfao one of the best characters invented from thin air for an adaptation......tangentially relevant b/c he’s entirely here to support the protag / not his story at all, just here to help and prompt interactions / exposition really.......but love that [weird loner kid who’s best friend is a cat and annoys the other kid and doesn’t Get it and has specific interests and entertains himself and just is doing weird shit around here tf dude lmao killing it] like, #mood. #lifestyle. less dismal to relate to than the bg person who dies......his counterpart who totally dies is somewhat fleshed out / given Investment so it doesnt Really count as [background Nobody who’s really just fodder for “defining the stakes / threat level”] Character Concept

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

latkes maybe......Yummy

#i expect to now just think of like ten dozen Other Characters who would've been great to mention #c'est la vie!!! c'est comme ca!!!! speaking of. thinking of the hc that winston jsut. drops french phrases into his speech sometimes #building on the moi....tbt ur benston fic w quelle horreur.....#nothingunrealistic1

1 note · View note

booknerdphd · 5 years

Text

PhD Admissions- Business Edition

Hey guys!

So I haven’t found any gradblrs from people doing their masters or PhD in business (if you know anyone, please let me know). Most people seem to be from the area of arts or STEM. Given that my own inputs about my admission process could help people out, I thought I would give some information on how I came to where I am.

Hope this helps someone out there! It should have something for everyone, though some aspects may be different.

1) The first thing I did was discuss my plans with my professors from my MBA. While I do live in India, a lot of them had done their own PhDs in the US, so I knew they could give me some guidance. Discuss with your professors what your plans are- they may not have studied in the same field as you, which was the case with me, but they will know enough to send you in the right direction.

2) Work out which professors can write your LoRs. This is tricky because they need to know you well and be likely to write something good about you. You would have a feel of this from your time with them, so make sure you start cozying up to them in advance- ask them doubts when they teach you, utilize cabin hours. Even if you end up not asking them, you never know when they can help you out in the future. So stay in contact!

3) Once you have your LoRs planned and have some idea of the type of colleges you want, start your research. The way I did this was I started off with colleges I knew were good for their MBA- if they can teach an MBA well, there would be a chance they would have a good PhD program as well. This may not be the case everywhere, but it is a good starting point. Once I went through the ones I knew, I started going through the faculty CVs- I checked which colleges they were from and what they did, and accordingly checked those colleges out. By doing this, you start creating a network in your mind of what places work out for you.

4) Once you have the large list of universities outlined, start looking at how their funding works. The exchange rate is ridiculous for me, and education is the US is also a costly matter so a lot of “good schools” (as per their fame and all that jazz) were automatically removed from my list based on this. You are going to this school to learn, but you will also be working for the university, and if it is possible for you to get a funded program, put those on priority. There is nothing wrong with non-funded programs, but base your consideration on whether or not you can afford to study there- with a loan or with your savings, if not the funding.

Additionally, make sure that the city is one you can see yourself living in- what is the cost of living there in comparison to the stipend they (possibly) mention on the website? Does it have a large number of people from your community (depends on you if this is important, but it is always nice to have people from your country to look out for as a comfort zone)? Do you have friends or family there to bank on if there are any issues? You will know what you need- make sure you understand this in detail, by researching yourself or discussing it with current students in the program.

During one of my “interviews”, the professor went into this tangent where he was giving me advice about selecting schools, and he emphasized how important it was for me to understand what I needed in a city and to check if the city works for me, because I’m going to be there for 5 or more years, so I better be sure I will like it.

5) Also check the kind of research the faculty does. You would need to look at this for your SOP as well, but make sure that you can see yourself working with the professors there. This was something I actually had a discussion about with a professor in the school I will join in September during my interview. One of the universities that had waitlisted me (let’s call this University X) had professors that leaned very heavily towards a specific domain in business research- every single one of them. My own interests had nothing to do with that, but in my anxiety, I applied because a friend of mine was studying in the school (to be honest, not my proudest moment, but I was ridiculously anxious about getting in anywhere). The Prof at my university spoke to me about this, telling me that I should keep this in mind before waiting for them- not because he wanted me in his program, which he did, but because he understood that feeling of anxiety about getting in somewhere, anywhere, and didn’t want me to make a mistake. SO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK IF YOUR INTERESTS ARE IN ANY WAY ALIGNED WITH THE PROFESSORS.

6) Keep in mind that, in the field of business at least, and in the US specifically (I noticed this was different in the UK), not all Universities want you to know your thesis topic in advance- they don’t need a complete outline of your thesis, chapter by chapter. They want to know that you understand what you’re signing up for, that you love what you’re going to be doing, and that you have the right mindset to do it. The thesis topic could be A at the beginning of the program and end up becoming Z at the end of the program, with no overt relation between the two. Make sure you understand what you want to focus on, and communicate that interest, because I’ve noticed that a lot of students in these programs do not necessarily get in because they have their thesis planned- they get in because the school sees them as a “good fit”.

7) That brings me to a very important concept- “Good Fit”. You may think you are a good fit to a school, but that may not be the case. Do not be upset (as in, obviously you will be, but this too shall pass) when you do not get in, because they are not rejecting you as a person or insulting your worth- all they are doing is saying that you are not a “good fit” which literally changes on any given day. One professor told me that if an academic tried to research and make an outline on how to get students into these schools, that man would go insane, because there is no method, only madness. Once you are in that room, you will realize that there is no rhyme or reason for the rejections- some students with exemplary grades and an amazing SOP could be rejected and someone you never thought would get in might get in. So don’t take it personally- if they thought you would not be a “good fit”, maybe you wouldn’t have been and might have been miserable in the program.

Once you submit your application and the wait begins (ugh I freaking hated waiting), and the rejections start coming in, remember to hold on to hope. I had every single school reject me but one. I got at least 5 rejections in Jan before I got a mail from the coordinator for my program asking me for an interview. And then I had 4 rounds of interviews, which baffled every single professor I spoke to, as well as my only PhD friend in the US, because apparently NONE OF THEM HAD INTERVIEWS. But- if they follow up with you on anything, that is usually a good thing- it means they are interested and by the second interview, I was informed they were down to the last two candidates (me and one other person), and I was told upfront that the professor liked me, as had the coordinator. By the third round (which was one and a half hours long), at 12:30 am in the night, I was finally told that “TBH, It will be reallllyyy hard for you to fuck up now, you’re basically in, so don’t worry”. And then I was thrown at the head of my department and yeah. I was convinced he hated me, but I got the letter a day after that and I was in!

All during this, I was getting rejection after rejection after rejection, but hold on to hope and that belief that the Universe will send someone your way, because you deserve this and you have worked for it.

GOOD LUCK AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!

#gradblr #phd #bujo #graduate student #studyblr #phdblr #studying #academia #the grad life #grad school #life #bookblr #bullet journal #undergrad #imposter syndrome #helpful #my posts

22 notes · View notes

pennyfynotes · 7 years

Photo

8.17.17 // 4:00pm // guide to freshman year of college

so... you've finally finished high school and you feel like you're on top of the world. then you realize you're going to college, where you'll be a super small fish in a very large pond. which is totally ok. here are some tips to make your transition to college easier. good luck! xoxo, m

ps. i also have a post about making friends here.

1. contact+coordinate with your roommate. your roommate will likely be one of the first people you meet at college and your are going to have to live with them for at least a year (unless something goes terribly wrong). take the time to reach out to them and figure out a little bit about them. from a more practical standpoint, you might want to find out what time they're planning on moving in and also figure out how you're going to split the cost+share the larger items.

>>>when are they moving in? there are a couple ways to approach this. you can try and move in at the same time so you can have equal input as to how to organize the room and who gets which bed/desk etc. you can also move in at different times to minimize the amount of people and mess in the room at once. if one of you really doesn't care about their bed being next to the window or stuff like that, this might be a good option. if you've gotten really close with your roommate after talking to them, maybe have them call you and take a picture so you can hash it out. that is if they get there first. you could also reverse the roles.

>>>who's bringing what? there are items that you both don't need to purchase. these might include: a full length mirror, microwave, fridge, coffeemaker/electric kettle and other things of that nature. try to figure out how to evenly split this. if one person gets the fridge (probably ~$100), then maybe the other person can get a couple of the smaller, cheaper items. there is also the option to just "split the bill" but (my mom brought up an excellent point last year) then there is the hassle of determining ownership at the year's end, especially if you don't plan to continue rooming together.

2. read as much as you can about move-in day. it's always going to be chaotic, that's a given. however, try to figure out where you need to go and how you're going to get there. and don't just look at a map and say "so my dorm is here, we can just unload in this random parking lot". chances are the university will have a system set up and it's a pain if you try to go to the wrong place. be as knowledgeable as you can to minimize frustration and chaos. if there isn't a lot of information available, pay super close attention to any signs around campus. now is not the time to be watching netflix on your phone.

3. get the important stuff done first. unpack your stuff, get your ID and all that jazz. it's important to be friendly and get to know people, but don't get too sidetracked and wind up with no way to get into your building because you didn't get your student ID. a way to combine making friends and getting things done is to go as a group to get important papers.

4. savor time with your family. if you're lucky enough that your family has come with you, don't blow them off. say proper goodbyes and the like bc you probably won't see them for a while (unless you like super close to your college).

5. get to know your roommate in person (+ maybe set some ground rules). your roommate doesn't have to be your best friend. but at least try to get to know them, they are putting up with you for 2 semesters after all. if there are things you know that will annoy you, try to address them and put down some rules. you might have to make so accommodations, but they will probably have to too. the way i see it, rooming together isn't about friendship (though it can be), it's about peaceful coexistence.

6. figure out how things work. common things that are a little tricky are: where are things/facilities/buildings, how does the bus system work + how does the meal plan work. you will likely have some sort of upperclassman advisor/counselor person, so get these questions answered before class starts. you don't want to realize you went to the wrong building or are on the wrong bus 5 minutes before class begins. it's not a big deal (profs are pretty understanding), but don't give extra stress the opportunity to arise.

7. get your textbooks. this is so important. some teachers will start using the textbooks right away and it's always easier if you've gotten them in advance. however, be smart about getting textbooks bc those things are damn expensive.

>>> rent from amazon. this is so amazing. a lot of the time you'll be able to save a fair amount of money by renting rather than buying. there's always the option to buy at the end of the rental period. if you find out you don't need the book you can return within the first 30 days with a prepaid shipping label for a full refund.

>>> buy older editions. chances are, you'll be able to get away with using the older edition of a textbook. some profs might be really picky or assign hw out of them without providing an edition conversion chart (tho you may be able to find one online), but you can probably do it. exhibit a: there was no option to rent y orgo textbook and the newest (recommended) edition was $100. i got the second most recent edition for about $6.

>>> google for pdf versions. sometimes you get super lucky and find pdfs of textbooks online for free. some people prefer paper copies of books, but saving the money and the weight in my bag is good enough for me

8. find a study buddy. admittedly i did not do this, though it probably would have been helpful. find a friend or buddy in each class you take that can give you notes if you're sick or that you can study with/ask questions to. you will also be able to suffer together. there is strength in numbers.

9. join clubs/extracurriculars. you might become really good friend with your hallmates or you might not. sometimes it's easier to find friends in clubs because you have similar interests. they're also a great way to meet upperclassmen and make those connections. upperclassmen are always helpful.

10. reinvent yourself. not saying you have to give yourself a total makeover, but if there are things that defined you in hs that you don't identify with anymore, you can change that. it's hard to change yourself and other people's assumptions of you when you've known them since 1st grade. you have a clean slate now. if there's something you want to leave behind, go for it.

11. don't lose yourself. this may seem rather contradictory to the previous statement, but don't give up everything you are. college can sometimes be overwhelming and you'll find yourself letting go of things you love like certain hobbies or interests. if you still love it, dont let it go. make time for it. you might not be able to keep up with it to the same extent you did in hs (which makes me sad and is quite unfortunate), but don't let it die.

>>> same goes for personality/values. it's so tempting to change yourself to fit in. remember you don't have to

12. if you need to go to class, go. as i mentioned earlier, i'm not as much of a proponent you should never skip class mantra. if the lecturer is good and you get good information from lecture, then you should go. if the lecturer is terrible and you have other better resources to get your information from, you might be okay just not going.

13. try not to fall behind. it will take you forever to catch up. sometimes you have to sacrifice being prepared for one class to study for another, but try to avoid this as much as possible. once you do that, it takes forever to get back up to speed in that other class. chances are, once you hit your first midterm in your first class, they're never going to end. you might be used to having 3 weeks in between tests, but oftentimes in college they're spaced in such a way that you don't get much of a break. like i said, falling behind is a nightmare.

14. take care of your mental health. your health is still the most important. you won't perform well if your mental health has gone out the window, so do make time for that. more on that here and here.

best of luck as you enter college and (as i always say) i'm always here if you have more questions or need more advice :) xoxo, m

245 notes · View notes

c4nindia-blog · 6 years

Photo

Shantanu Patel, a pianist and former student of A. R. Rahman, Dr Adam Grieg and Prof Fali Pavri, shares his life story

Shantanu Patel is an aspiring pianist, based in Ahmedabad. The music came into his life when he was just 7-year-old. First, he learned Harmonium in Hindustani Classical Music. At the age of 17, he was introduced to Piano and then, there was no looking back. Like any other teenager, Shantanu had a day when he was supposed to make a choice; in which direction he wanted his life to head. He had the options: ISRO or Music. And like we can anticipate here, he decided to pursue his career in music.

Shantanu is the former student of the Oscar Winning Music Composer, Dr A. R. Rahman and Dr Adam Grieg. After finishing his school, Shantanu had joined KM College of Music and Technology in Chennai, founded by Dr A. R. Rahman. He completed his 3 years of BA (Hons) Music specializing in Piano performance under his Guru, Dr Adam Grieg.

This musician’s journey is no ordinary. Let’s hear it from him:

Tell us something about yourself and earlier life:

I am Shantanu Patel and I am a professional concert pianist and a conductor. Well, talking about earlier life, I was a science student and a “wanna-be” astronomer. Being raised in Ahmedabad, of course, I have all the traits of an Ahmedabadi and am the biggest foodie!

What is Music to you?

Music to me is, of course, my bread and butter, my profession, my passion! But more than that, it is a kind of meditation, worship and food for my soul.

How did you start your journey with music?

Well, to begin with, I was forced into this field by my mother. I basically started off with Indian Classical music, learning harmonium under a private tutor, and gradually shifting to Western Classical Music theory and keyboards. I was still forced (hahaha!). Well, to be honest, I was forced until my 10th standard.

Tell us something about your earlier training:

My earlier training was quite weak. I am opening up here because right now it’s of utmost importance to get proper basic training in music such as proper musicianship, sight reading, and ear training along with performing and theory of course. During my time it was just believed that practical knowledge is everything and hence even now, I sometimes face a bit of difficulty in things which do not involve playing/theory but just listening and scanning music through ears or just by looking at the score. Hence it is very important to have training in all aspects of music and not just playing your instrument.

Do you remember the day when you realized that music is the ultimate goal?

Yes, it was right after 12th standard when I had to choose between opting for ISRO and Music career. Though my parents never forced me to choose one or the other, it was my elder brother’s role that kind of persuaded my parents to let me go for a music career. It was decided right after my boards that I will be opting for what I love and what I consider as food for my soul.

Tell us something about being the student of the legend, Mr A. R. Rahman:

It is always a moment of pride to recall studying at KM College of Music and Technology. Those unplanned and surprise visits from Dr Rahman, those inside talks about industry, music business, etc, impromptu Biryani sessions with him made my experience quite enjoyable. But more than that, I finally found my “Guru” there. Dr Adam Grieg from Scotland who not only taught me how to play the piano but also taught the tiniest details in the music, how music is expressed, perceived, thought and passed on. He changed me completely as a human being also. Getting him as my teacher was the best thing KM and my life offered.

Do you remember your first interaction with Mr Rahman?

Of course, that magical moment! Well, the first interaction wasn’t a long one as he appeared out of nowhere in our college and I was printing my assignments. But after few days, we were joined by him during our award ceremony for the first year and it was the best feeling to receive “The Best Performer of the Year” award from his hands which luckily continued for all the 3 years of my study there.

Please share your most memorable experience with your Guru, Mr Rahman:

Well, I do consider him as my teacher, but guru would be Dr Adam Grieg. The best experience with Dr Rahman was receiving awards for all 3 years from his hands and with my guru, Dr Grieg, was when he gave the closing speech at my graduation for me. Adam said, “I can remember this guy, belting and punching the piano as hard as he can without any musical note coming off, but in these 3 years, he has put me in a dilemma of what to teach him more. I guess I have given whatever I can and now it can be the other way around where he teaches me something. Well, every teacher learns from his students but teaching Shantanu shaped me here in India.”

Tell us something about your favourite instrument:

Of course, Piano! Piano! Piano!

Do you remember the first time you performed on the stage? How was it?

Yes, I started learning piano quite late at the age of 17, though I used to play keyboard and harmonium. My first appearance on stage was on harmonium at the age of 4 for a charity concert at Blind Association of Ahmedabad. As a pianist, I played my first concert in front of Dr Rahman at KM annual day 2011.

Tell us about your achievements:

Haha! I kind of feel shy or feel “not to boast” about my achievements. But here it goes! The true journey began at KM and the first achievement was to actually be able to play the piano at an international standard followed by best performer’s awards for all 3 years from the Hands of Dr Rahman. I went on to pursue my BA Music final year in London, and found out to be the best pianist in my batch and was offered to perform my debut concert with The London Firebird Symphony Orchestra, for which I performed Mozart’s Concerto in D minor with my own cadenzas (incorporating Indian classical music as well). This didn’t stop, I went on to audition myself for Masters degree in music at world’s top 4th Music Conservatoire i.e the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Of course, didn’t think I would get through but to my surprise, I did and that too with a scholarship which was more than anything for me. Again found my second guru; this time, an Indian in Scotland. He was Professor Fali Pavri who, like Adam, changed me completely. I got many performing opportunities in the UK and participated in many piano festivals which are limited to few pianists only. And now, I am touring this country, performing throughout, and giving master classes. This is more than an achievement for me. Still, many things await. In a couple of years, I will be back at RCS for my PhD in performance.

Tell us something about yourself as a teacher: Your journey from a student to a teacher:

This is a very enjoyable job, with great responsibility, of course. As the movie, Spiderman says, ‘With great power (knowledge) comes a great responsibility’, I strive to be a teacher like Dr Adam Grieg; understanding each student’s mindset, strength, weakness and tackling it according to individuals. I also strive to teach whatever I missed learning in my basic training. Hence, it’s a nice balance between the mandatory things as well as student’s interest. It’s a job of great difficulty as well as you have to yield future generations of musicians in the most correct and fruitful appropriate way.

Which part do you enjoy the most: learning music or teaching one?

I enjoy both equally. First of all, musicians are learners for their whole lives. As Horowitz (legendary classical pianist) said, ‘I love to be a musician as I get to be a student for a lifetime.’ He said this at his last concert at the age of 89. So yes, teaching also teaches me, so perhaps I’ll say I may enjoy learning more.

An artist needs to be inspired and motivated. Which is the element in your life that keeps you going? What inspires you the most?

First of all, competing with me helps me in a healthy way. That keeps me going, no matter how well I did in the past concert, I always raise my bar in the next. Also, watching stories of other pianists and musicians help. Especially my own teacher Fali Pavri, Norman Beedie (conducting teacher) and one of my seniors, Petrica Ciobanu (International Concert Pianist). Also, listening to music helps, connecting with the inner emotion and connecting that with your own incidents in life.

Tell us about the challenges you have faced to reach where you are today: what is your strength?

There were a lot of challenges, rectifying things, learnt here in Ahmedabad, learning basics when your fellow students are learning advanced stuff at your level itself. When I went to Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, though I was in masters, I was rectifying my very basics which put me off sometimes. But again, knowing that will kick your level to a higher standard kept me going. In KM as well, starting piano at the age of 17 is considered very late; usually, people at my level at that time would start playing the piano at the age of 4-7. And that was the biggest challenge; to develop technical side, to gain that many years of experience, etc, was not an easy task. I literally had and still have to practice 6-8 hours a day depending on my timetable. So being a musician is not an easy task. It requires the same, in fact, more amount of work than engineering, or any other field.

How do you see the impact of music, particularly in India, in today’s time? Is there anything you would like to change or improve in today’s music?

Yes, a lot! A huge change is needed especially in Gujarat and further North. Classical forms are dying. Bollywood music is ruling currently. It’s good, no doubt, but just sticking to Arijit Singh and Pritam and not exploring other genres like Jazz, Classical (Indian and Western) electronic music, metal, rock, or any form of instrumental music is sad. Also teaching is of utmost importance. I have seen people in Ahmedabad opening up their academies just after completing, say, 5-6 grades of music examination, which in turn proves bad for their students. Grades are like school, you don’t start teaching engineering or medical science right after the school and thus the same thing goes with music. This needs to be changed, people need to know the correct teaching methods. All the teachers need to update themselves regularly and see what the standards they are competing with. Yes, for the western music, it was a start by trial and error method as western classical is relatively new, but now in Gujarat and mostly all over India, this has become a sort of business, playing with people’s future.

The advice you would like to convey to the next generation of the learners:

Find a good teacher.

Have patience, practice regularly, boredom is bound to come get over it, manage your time.

Explore all forms of genres of art. Being a musician I love to explore sculpture, paintings, acting and I find inspiration from that as well.

Never underestimate yourself or let anyone do that. Always see the positive side. And learn to tackle the negative as well but in a positive way.

Don’t get satisfied with anything (knowledge wise). There should always be a thirst for learning.

Tell us about your future plans and upcoming concerts:

Well, currently I am performing across the country, raising and aiding the standards of live western classical music and providing master classes at different schools of music. After a couple of years, I wish to go back to Scotland for my PhD in performance. I also conduct choirs and small ensembles here.

There are a couple of upcoming concerts; one in Bangalore (21st April at Bangalore School of Music) with two singers: Jonas Olsson (Baritone) and Ankna Arockiam (Mezzo Soprano). Ankna will also join me in Ahmedabad concert which is on 23rd April (Monday) at Ouroboros theatre hub at 8 pm sharp. We will be performing Operatic works and musical works with some contemporary music. Ankna is also providing a vocal master-class on the 22nd evening at 5:30 pm (venue to be confirmed- see my facebook posts for that). Ankna was my colleague studying at the same college in Scotland and now, she is doing her PhD in Music there. Later this year I will also be participating in international piano competitions in Thailand and New Zealand and also the Con Brio national piano competition in Mumbai.

[Keep yourself updated at]

C4N India’s Facebook Page

www.c4n.in

[You can also share your story on]

[email protected]

Share Your Story

#india #C4N India #stories #people #music #piano #pianist #art #ar rahman #KM music #KM college of music and technology #achiever #inspiring #life #journey #teacher

0 notes