Applying to College, Music-style

Applying to College, Music-style

“There is a practical reason for music education: it teaches people to think, to solve problems, to take risks, to think independently, to be an entrepreneur and innovator. The virtues of music education are the virtues of free enterprise in general and of a high tech, knowledge based society in particular: flexibility, adaptability, inventiveness, even playfulness."                                         ~ William E. LaMothe, C.E.O., Xerox Company



My eldest son is a senior in high-school, currently applying for college and planning on majoring in music, jazz and/or classical.  Many people have asked me what that is like and I have to admit, though I only know the about the parts that require my help (money & rides), I can say that it in no way resembles my experience of applying for college within the University of California system in the 1980s.  I ended up at UC San Diego, my first choice, studying Applied Mathematics & Scientific Programming and minoring in Classical Studies (Greek & Roman Studies) and Music Theory & Performance.  I am very happy I was able to study music throughout college, an absolute blessing of experience, including technical application.  Though I share his passion for the subject, it does not help with the application process.  His father studied Political Science at Michigan State University, so again, no help there.  He is blazing a fresh trail, all his own, my [admittedly weak] hopes for a legacy dashed.

As he made his way through the process, I became interested in understanding the specific content and being able to answer my friends' questions more thoroughly.  After the December 1 due date, when I realized its extent, I decided to write about the process.  Though I say 'application,' the reality is, when you apply to study music at a college, university or conservatory, you are actually producing two packages submitted to two different places.  You must complete the classic application (including the usual essays, transcripts, and SAT scores, though until recently most conservatories did not ask for SAT scores or take GPA into much consideration) and what's called a 'Pre-Screen Video Application,' a request for audition, a live audition.  The Pre-Screen package is lengthy: for most schools, it includes a resume, repertoire, and sets of videos you must produce.  The resume is an artistic, educational and professional list of accomplishments; some music students have been playing professionally, for pay, for years.  The repertoire is the list of compositions you have mastered.  Different colleges ask for different recordings but for the sake of simplicity, I'd like to reference the material from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC) as it is especially well-prepared and is an example that is similar to approximately 95% of colleges with music programs.  Slightly different, Berklee College of Music in Boston, eschews the essay portion for a lengthy telephone interview, prior to the audition.  The one school that stands out as unique, not surprisingly, is The Juilliard School.  In addition to a lengthy and very specific list of required tunes, Juilliard demands proficiency in English; in fact, one of the letters of recommendation must come from a Language Arts-type teacher.  Though many schools now offer the option of re-using the video you submitted for your Pre-Screen, in lieu of a live audition, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, is now offering the option to create a new video for that purpose.  Pre-screen applications are due at USC on December 1 and if you are invited to audition, you must appear on campus in Los Angeles at a specified time and place, in January.   Juilliard does classical auditions in New York City in March; at the time of this writing (1.15.14), no date was available for Jazz Studies candidates.  None of the schools are coordinated in terms of audition times and places and students can expect to miss some school.  We have heard of students flying all over the country for as many as 17 auditions!  While this is excellent experience, it is well worth any family's time to visit campuses, take tours and most importantly, request a private lesson with faculty prior to the application process.  Most schools will happily accomodate a 30-60 minute lesson, during which you may ask questions and get important feedback on your current level and goals.  I was told multiple times to start looking at schools early and I was glad we did.  Logan took his first lesson at USC as a high-school sophomore and it was an intensely good experience; in addition to the private meeting, he was invited to sit in with one of the big bands and attend courses in theory.  USC generously allows prospective students to shadow a current student during their school day, including a trip to the cafeteria (their food service card includes a certain amount of 'host' dollars).   All of this truly helped Logan zero in on his wants and needs in a future college. 

We have been fortunate in the San Francisco Bay Area to attend College Information Nights at our extra-curricular music education venues, like the home of the SFJAZZ All-Stars, the new SFJAZZ Center and the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra housed at Davies Symphony Hall (see, THE PARENT PART).  These presentations are typcially headed by the Directors of Admission, and sometimes include master classes taught by faculty and/or performances by student groups.  Again, USC leads the pack with their willingness to communicate and their superior marketing materials (they have created an impressive  poster-sized diagram matching scores of music-based careers with the associated education path, recommending classes and options for cross-study).  At the most recent meeting at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, one interesting comment made by USC Thornton School of Music Director of Admission, P.J. Woolston, was about creating the videos.  Assuming reasonable audio quality, USC recommends keeping it simple.  They do not want students to feel pressured to put a lot of money into this process.  They need to see your technique and hear you play, but recognize it is recorded and that they will hear you live at the subsequent audition.  I was glad to hear it, because video recording with a need for fine audio is a learning process all its own.  It also requires specialized equipment: a computer with video editing software and broadband internet, a video camera and microphone, and a sound-proofed room, and musicians (minimum rhythm section: string bass, drums, piano).   

There is no doubt that students may require some assistance in video recording.  Families choose to attack this in several different ways; I will describe the three main paths that I have seen.  First, there are those who choose to invest.  They buy the finest equipment, rent time in a music studio with a professional recording engineer and hire professional musicians (generally, for a good half-day, about 6 hours, assuming the initial cuts were successful and do not require re-recording).  Professional musicians in the Bay Area typically ask for a minimum of $100/hour + meals for this type of service, but pricing varies.  Similarly, studio space rates vary greatly as do producer rates.  These students also tend to have 'professional grade' instruments ($$$$$).  Often these parents are also full participants in the student's recording and application.  Second, the middle ground is the most common: students organize groups and studio time so they can share resources.  For example, the piano player and the bass player each play on the drummer's audition and then (s)he plays on theirs.  These can be long days that are challenging to put together, but they make the most of available resources.  Some schools (like the Jazzschool in Berkeley) offer free studio space to students; some studios offer reduced rates on certain days and times.  The students usually do their own recording in this case using a video camera or computer and do the video-editing at home.  The third option is for the student to play with pre-recorded accompaniment, but this is not viewed as optimal.  There are many applicants for these major schools, therefore it is very competitive and people see video production quite differently, as evidenced by the wealth of varying online video auditions out there (one student, taking his advice to 'keep it simple' to heart, asked the USC Director of Admission if he could video his performance wearing pajamas).  We've seen bedrooms with blankets as makeshift soundproofing, kids playing in swank recording studios and baby-faced musicians leading professional, aged bands.  Beyond the cost issues, it's difficult to decide which is the preferred method.  Taking the advice to keep it simple is enticing, but with so many 'professionally-enhanced' sessions out there to compete with, each family must consider carefully.  My son is independent, the decisions all his with literally no help from me, except as noted above (money & rides).  He elected to go the middle route, sharing resources and organizing everything with his friends.  My opinion is that these student-staffed bands produce the most authentic recordings, the most clear reflection of their sound and their ability to work with peers.  

So much of this has to do with parenting styles.  There are many ways to do something right, so as I describe my experiences, please understand that I am not judging one method as more correct.  As parenting styles differ, so do children.  Much of what transpires is based on need, and no one knows need like a parent.  A virtuoso pianist may have mad stage-fright or an accomplished soloist may be challenged by working with different bands and their associated personalities.  Some musicians feel more comfortable within the backing of a large-scale Big Band (20 or so musicians) while some revel in the solo feature aspect of a smaller Combo.  I have heard of parents in the music industry writing cadenzas for their child to use in place of a solo (which by definition in Jazz, should be unique and 'in the moment' for every performance of a tune) as well as parents writing portions of their student's applications.  I have also heard educators express distaste for the situation wherein students "have it too easy" in terms of what is perceived as excessive parental support (this is quite interesting, given the recent publication, Guitar Zero, in which neurologist & author, Gary Marcus, identifies parental support as the most important indicator for musical success, after practice.  See: practice makes perfect, but if no one's perfect, why practice?).  Indeed, we have heard more than a few times of students who were able to record multiple times, until they achieved their best work, won the audition, but then showed up playing at a level obviously lower than their video would suggest.  That is a stressful situation for anyone.  Considering all of this, my feeling is that some well-meant effort could be a disservice to the student, who will have to stand on their own at the end of the day.  Though I meant that last metaphorically, I can't think of a closer comparison than an evening performance onstage.  Playing devil's advocate, in the context of a talented student beginning to solo with a band, a pre-written solo could bolster their confidence and experience of successful soloing, leading them to independence in that regard.  Educator extrordinaire, Dann Zinn's step-by-step method to learning improvisation is all about mastering different patterns, like the classic 2-5-1, and arranging them in real time, within the context of the tune and the bandmates' interpretations so it feels comfortable and becomes somewhat automatic (see, The SINGULAR Dann Zinn).  It's intensely difficult, even on your best day.  It's all about the child, and the parent, and exquisite balance...so, back to the application.

For the purposes of comparison, the information regarding application for the Bachelor of Arts major entitled "Jazz Studies" at The Thornton School of Music at USC, prints out in one full page.  The corresponding major, "Jazz Studies" at The Juilliard School of Music is twice as long, offers much less personal choice, and is known to be one of the most challenging audition processes currently in play (no pun intended...perhaps in a later post, I'll include some of the great audition stories we've heard).  There are specific selections called out for each instrument or voice.  Those interested in reading about requirements for different instruments or voice will find them at the college websites; the sites referenced in this article are listed in the subsequent bibliography.   Listed below is a summarized list of requirements at USC and Juilliard for the Application, the Pre-Screen Video Audition and the Live Audition.  I have edited out any previously explained information and all technical submission information and will cover only String Bass for brevity and straight comparison. Bear in mind, most students produce several of these types of applications, 5 - 10 on average.

USC Thornton School of Music 
Application & Pre-screen Recording Requirements:
<> Standard Application with academic transcripts & SAT scores
<> Resume ~ includes musical, professional & academic experience
<> Repertoire List ~ includes works studied and performed; etudes, scale studies, arias, art songs, chamber music and solo pieces are all examples of what could be included in this list
<> Statement of Purpose ~  statement of professional goals & purpose for application to specific program
<> 1 - 3 Letters of Recommendation 

<> 3 - 5 selections of contrasting styles (Blues, Swing, Be Bop...) from the standard jazz  repertoire, including "Au Privave" and "All the Things You Are"

<> String Bassists should play the head, a walking bass line, and a solo for each of the three to  five selections  

<> Four 2-octave major scales: two arco, two pizzicato

<> Four 2-octave minor scales: two arco, two pizzicato

USC Thornton School of Music
Live Audition Requirements:

<> Accompaniment will be provided, bring lead sheets for all prepared tunes

<> Be prepared to demonstrate skills in jazz improvisation & sight-reading (this is music you have not seen before, which you must play on first sight at tempo)

<> Theory Test, 60 minute limit


Juilliard School of Music 
Application & Pre-screen Requirements:
<> Application & Essay (1 - 2 pages, double-spaced, and in a 12 point font)

• Describe the most challenging obstacle you have had to overcome; discuss its impact, and tell us what you have learned from the experience.
• Dr. Joseph Polisi, Juilliard’s president, has stated: “. . . [talented young people are] responsible for more than getting the notes right or the words right or the steps right. They have to be missionaries for the arts."  Write about how, as an artist, you intend to advocate for the relevancy of the arts in the twenty-first century.

<> Letter of Recommendation, Artistic 

(addressing the applicant’s talent and accomplishment, the letter should also discuss the following individual characteristics which indicate potential for success in the field:         
1. Perseverance; 2. Dedication; 3. Collegiality; and 4. Leadership)

<> Letter of Recommendation, Academic 

(a letter from a high school academic teacher, preferably in English, history, or other language arts course work, addresses the applicant’s speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension abilities)

<>Applicants must choose one selection from each category in addition to the requirements for their specific instrument

<> Rhythm section instruments (Bass, Drums, should demonstrate the ability to accompany a soloist on one of these selections)

Juilliard  School of Music
Live Audition Requirements:

Procedures:

1. All compositions must be performed from memory.
2. The repertoire for the live audition is the same as the pre-screening repertoire.
3. First round auditions will be approximately 15-20 minutes. Applicants should be prepared to play the audition repertoire from the pre-screening recording. A rhythm section will be provided for the audition where needed.
4. Callbacks will be scheduled on the same day as the first round. The callback will include:
   
   1. performing again for the faculty.
   2. a demonstration of applicants’ knowledge of ear training through playing and an aural exam.
   3. a brief personal interview with a member of the Jazz Studies staff.
5. Applicants should be prepared to stay at The Juilliard School until 10 p.m. on the day of the scheduled audition, in the event that they are called back. Applicants who are not called back may reasonably conclude that they are not under consideration for admission.

Bass
Bass applicants are required to perform the melodies of each selection chosen, perform a solo and play bass line accompaniments that are appropriate for these selections (i.e., walking bass line, two feel, groove, etc.).  Accompanists should include piano or guitar, and drums.

Categories:

1. Up-Tempo Swing
   1. Moose The Mooche — Charlie Parker (B-flat Major)
   2. Minority — Gigi Gryce (F minor)
2. Blues
   
   1. Mr. P.C. — John Coltrane (C minor)
   2. Straight No Chaser — Thelonious Monk (B-flat Major)
3. Ballad
   
   1. What’s New — Bob Haggard (C Major)
   2. Soul Eyes — Mal Wadron (E-flat Major)
4. Selection in 3/4 Time
   
   1. Simone — Frank Foster (D minor)
   2. A Child Is Born — Thad Jones (B-flat Major)
5. Grooves
   
   1. Sack O' Woe — Cannonball Adderley (F Major)
   2. Ceora — Lee Morgan (A-flat Major)
6. Medium Swing
   
   1. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To — Cole Porter (C Major)
   2. Dear Old Stockholm — Swedish Folk Song (D minor)

One word: intense.  Just contemplating learning all of it gives me anxiety.  I am in awe of all who try, truly.  It is a very difficult path to choose: a challenging road, requiring all your skill and full attention.  A room with a view and a beautiful soundtrack: your goal, to exit that room and create another, all yours, with a better view and yet more beautiful sound.   

A note on acceptances and scholarships: as spring draws near and the offers come rolling in, parents and students alike need to be aware of the subjective process involved in student selection.  Each year, college programs evolve and change.  One college may offer only one true 'full ride' (4 years of tuition and room & board expenses covered) and if that was awarded to a pianist one year, it may be that they seek to offer it to a different type of instrumentalist the following year.  It may be that the four full rides previously available are now down to two, perhaps one of which must be awarded in-state.  There are also elite bands that evolve as students age and move through the program; they may be looking for alto saxophone one year and a bass trombone the next.  They may be accepting students into the big band your student desires every other year, and as luck would have it (or not have it), it's not your year.  Some colleges form different types of bands each year that rotate with the students' college lifespan, every four years or so.  If this year a new Brass Quartet is being formed and you're a crack lead trumpet, you could be in luck.  It can be tempting to compare one student's outcome to another and that is dangerous business.  There are simply no guarantees.  The best outlook may well be, Que Sera Sera.

"Bachelor of Music (BM) or Bachelor of Arts (BA): Jazz Studies and Jazz Voice."  University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music.  December 17, 2013.<http://music.usc.edu/admission/appreqs/jazz/>.

"Bachelor of Music and Diploma Audition Dates, Pre-Screening and Live Audition Repertoire for Fall 2014: Jazz Studies."  The Juilliard School of Music.  December 17, 2013. <http://www.juilliard.edu/apply-audition/application-audition-requirements/bachelor-music-and-diploma/bachelor-music-and#essay>.

"Why Music Matters: Quotes." Mason City Community School District.  January 10, 2014. <http://www.iowachoral.org/rs/jhms/kit/quotes.pdf>.

KICKING & DREAMING

The Wilson Sisters ~ Kicking & Dreaming


I recently finished a book I didn't think I'd love, but the story of the Wilson sisters' rise to musical fame, is endearing and definitely historic.  They tell the unprobable story of creating and driving the female-led rock band HEART, the soundtrack of my adolescence, to success.  A recent listen to their 1978 album, Dog & Butterfly, put me right back in my junior high-school bedroom, snugged up close to the speakers, relishing every word, every note...Ann's voice still transports me & I loved that they were sisters (I am the eldest of 5 girls).

KICKING & DREAMING: A Story of HEART, Soul, and Rock & Roll, by Ann & Nancy Wilson is pure coming-of-age story, mixed with the sounds of the 1970's 'hard rock or disco' era.  You were apparently one or the other.  They describe in detail the feeling of experiencing The Beatles and Elvis on variety-show TV for the first time, how powerful and formative that experience was.  After forming their rock band Heart, they describe the surprise surge of success and the constant change in the male-dominated music industry, as it worked to organize the many groups that rushed to play in their wake.

I'm including this review in The Lead Sheet because of the following quote by Ann Wilson, where she discusses her early musical learning experience and parent support:  "In my junior and senior years in school, choir became a huge part of my life.  I was a second alto.  The hundred-member choir was filled with cliques like the rest of school, but our instructor, Allen Lund, changed my life and was the best teacher I ever had.  He taught me how to breathe while singing.  He said to imagine my body as an empty pitcher, with my breath being water going into the vessel, and to breathe from the part of the pitcher where the water hit first.  Once I learned that, my voice soared.  But the most exciting part of choir came senior year, when we traveled to Europe for a series of performances.  Our mother organized fundraising for the journey and signed on to be a chaperone, and consequently fourteen-year-old Nancy got to tag along. We went to Norway, Sweden, Holland, and Germany and sang in cathedrals and opera houses."  When someone says, "changed my life," in regards to education, I listen up.

The Wilsons were a military family, and consequently moved many times as duty called, but eventually the family ended up in the Pacific Northwest.  Ann Wilson, the eldest, describes her introduction to school music in seventh grade and explains the process of a sectional 'challenge', something I remember well.  "That year (1962) I started to play the flute and joined the school band.  Bellevue [Washington] schools were very supportive of the arts, and my band teacher was first rate.  For each instrument there was a chair ranking, and to move up a notch you had to challenge the person ahead of you to a playoff.  I started as seventh chair, but after two successful playoffs, I moved to fourth chair, where I held steady.  Anything above third chair was nearly impossible to obtain, and would have been held by girls who got straight A's, and were super committed, which I was not.  Still, being good at the flute was one of the few areas in my life where I felt I was on solid ground."  I can identify with this statement so much.  Short of good test scores, it's not always easy to showcase your skills or show your personality in academic classes, nor is it easy to mix with students outside your year.  Music classes actually make both of these challenges non-issues.  Wheras educators may take vastly different paths to teaching and testing a student's understanding, music performance classes basically run the same way.  Simplified, it begins with sightreading, moves on to practice & perfecting, ultimately culminating in an exciting performance.  It must be comforting to a student who moves constantly.  More than any others, I remember my junior high and high school band and orchestra teachers the most.  Add to that, some of my very best friends were found in those Los Angeles Unified School District classes (including saxophonist, Ravi Coltrane, son of John Coltrane, who sat next to me in junior high school and high school marching band. :0 Bringing his quartet to our hometown theater, I was so happy to reminisce and proud to introduce him to my jazz-loving boys).

Purely because it is interesting and news to me, I include the last quote from Nancy Wilson:  "When I was growing up, Mama once told me something about scientific research on music: That when you die, the last thing to go is your memory of music.  When all else is gone, there is still music in your brain.  Mama couldn't talk anymore, but she was lying there in bed tapping her toe to the music we were playing."  This brings to mind the amazing music-therapy work Oliver Sacks describes in his book, Musicophilia: Tales of Music & the Brain.  When brain-damaged patients were so injured, they seemed completely cut off from reality, often music was the only way to reach them.  Music Therapy is real and happening.

A postscript: I often tell my boys how different shopping for music was when Dog & Butterfly was all the rage.  I babysat every weekend and usually made $10.  The next day saw me at the Topanga Mall selecting my next album.  Holding the large vinyl cover, many of them works of art, ripping off the cellophane to see what awaits inside.  Hoping for lyrics, and many more pictures, and laying that beautiful pristine black disc on the turntable for the first time was all part of the magic.  The switch to CDs, while audibly superior, just doesn't meet the vinyl experience, and a download?  Not even close.  And don't get me started on buying songs instead of albums!  We, born of the late 1960s, are from the era of the Rock Opera.  Bands took seriously the idea of creating a related collection of songs.  I can't imagine breaking that up.  Yet, kids do it every day now.  It's the norm, though my boys and their friends relish my substantial collection.  (For anyone interested in reading about the changes in the music industry from vinyl to audio-tape to CD to video to download from an industry insider, you can't do better than Tommy Motola's new autobiography called Hitmaker: The Man & His Music.)

Motola, Tommy.  Hitmaker: The Man & His Music.  New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2013.

Sacks, Oliver.  Musicophilia: Tales of Music & the Brain.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007.

Wilson, Ann & Nancy.  Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of HEART, Soul, and Rock & Roll.  New York: Harper Collins, 2012.

Interview with Ryan Ayres ~ Music Brainiac

I had the privilege of carpooling to SFJAZZ rehearsals with Ryan Ayres, so I can speak to knowing his mind a little bit.  He is a fan of the same geeky, high-brow humor as I,* and he is drastically well-informed on...well, everything.  I learned a few things on those rides, listening to him and my son talk and laugh.  I can also tell you that along with his eloquence, he is as school-smart as he is music-wise: many AP classes were on his transcript, along with several extra-curricular bands and talent awards (by the time you get to the list of annotations at the end of his interview, you'll understand not only what he wishes to convey, but that he is eloquent, meticulous and multi-talented).  He appears to be thriving at college with his choice of major, Music Composition.  Listen up, people!  Remember his name, you'll be hearing it again.   

RYAN STATS:

Primary Instruments: Baritone saxophone, bassoon, composition

Secondary Instruments: Clarinet, bass clarinet, alto and soprano saxes, flute, piano... it's complicated!

Music I play: Minimalism, classical, jazz

Music I listen to: Minimalism, orchestral, band, and chamber classical, renaissance, jazz big band, rock, electronica- a whole bunch of stuff!

Private lessons: 5 years jazz saxophone (alto/bari), currently 2 years deep in bassoon and composition lessons

Graduated HS: 2012

College: University of North Texas ~ Denton, Texas

5 Q's for Ryan

1.

1. How do you approach improvisation?

​As a composer, I tend to see improvisation as composition in the moment. When I compose, it takes countless hours to consider all of the factors that go into making a great piece - melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, and so on. In an improvisatory setting, these decisions are made much faster, and are inevitably crafted with (at the very least) less foresight and planning. Each note I choose to play next is chosen in the context of what just happened before it and in what general direction I want to take the phrase as a whole. I might start with a very rough idea of what I want to play based on what tune I'm playing or what I've been listening to recently that I want to emulate (or even steal!), but that rough idea changes as I being to play and interact with the other musicians I'm playing with.  Whereas composing is a very calculated, distant, logical process, improvising is the exact opposite - a fully spontaneous, interactive, emotional experience. It won't always go exactly the way you intend, but the beautiful thing about it is that it's in the moment - you adapt as time passes.

2.

2. What makes you play the way you play? (Influences? Where do you find your inspiration? Group vs. Solo?)

​For most of my musical career, I've been influenced by the two very distinct worlds of classical music and jazz. As I've learned how to play both, my knowledge of one genre has blended with the way I play the other, and I consider this a strength. I'm as much influenced by Steve Reich1 and Stravinskii2** in my jazz playing as I am by Maria Schneider3 and Pat Metheny4 in my classical studies. It's all music - you can always learn something useful on whatever instrument you're playing. My other influences range from Charlie Parker5 to Frank6 Zappa7 (did you know that he released a classical album? Great stuff!), Josquin de Près8 to John Coltrane9, Bill Evans10 to Aaron Copland.11

​As far as style preference goes, I've always appreciated simplicity and structure. I can listen to Philip Glass12 for hours without getting bored; my attention never fades in Coltrane's Africa Brass13; Count Basie14 manages to keep me on the edge of my seat with his piano playing and compositions despite them being very simple and sparse. For me, the simplest way to play or write something is the most musically gratifying. You'd think my preference for simplicity would mean that I like solo playing15 more than group16 performance17, which tends to be more involved and complicated. Despite that, I still prefer playing in larger groups- I love the feeling that comes from cooperating with a group to produce something larger than ourselves. Nothing else comes close!

3. When you're frustrated and want to quit, what makes you come back to your instrument?

​Especially now that I've been at the University of North Texas for over a year, the prospect of being able to play with incredibly talented musicians on a daily basis keeps me motivated. Whether it's saxophone in a jazz big band or a bassoon duet with piano, the thought of working together to create awesome music always brings me back, no matter how frustrated I become. It works the same way with composition, too. If I'm ever frustrated with the way I write, I can always listen to the great music of those I admire and become motivated to rise to that level - not to mention the fact that creating new music for performers and audience members to enjoy is the most gratifying part of my musical life.

  

           

4. How does pressure ('good' or 'bad') affect your performance?

​I'm always working to be the best possible composer and performer I can be. If I feel the negative pressure getting to me, I remind myself that all I can do is present the best possible version of my musical self to an audience. As long as I am trying my hardest to present a good, polished performance for my audience there's nothing else I can ask of myself. I don't beat myself up over mistakes before they happen; it does no good to let any kind of criticism (worst of all, self-criticism) get in the way of playing well. In my book, play as well as you can, and let the dice fall where they may. If you make a mistake, so what? That's just another thing to improve in the future!

5.

5. Parent support directly affects musical achievement. How does parent support look in your family?

​

         I'm extremely lucky to have parents that didn't gulp nervously and recommend I go to medical school when I said I wanted to compose and perform for a living, and that I had no backup plan. They've always encouraged me to develop my talents and do what makes me happy - and if I can manage to make money doing what I love the most, they've always wanted to be there in any way they can to make that possible. I would not be where I am today without my parents' support!

Annotations:

1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXJWO2FQ16c

2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGFRwKQqbk4

3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8BC-LH-IMg

4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEmL6tIaYWU

5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QCBoMu78Iw

6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-LArv-sEQU

7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr3y2MUdq7U

8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj8GPdKttGw

9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr1r9_9VxQA

10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VopGbXJ0tc

11 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXZVI2_8GJ4

12 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qAAPRbRSc0

13 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptdybmhd4R4

14 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlBQIb-sODA

15 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC4kvW4S6mk

16 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUcazplAc58

17 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_f6hgQ085s

Shameless self-promotion:

http://www.youtube.com/user/raibcmusic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 *   An original joke, simultaneously co-written by Ryan & Shamera ~

      Q: What do you call a person obsessed with math homework? 

            (or someone who willingly chooses to study Applied Mathematics in college? :)) 

      A:  A 'Mathochist'

**  Ryan informs me that Igor Stravinsky's birthname was originally spelled with the 'ii' ending.