Weekend in Indianapolis, Part III

Despite all the good I've been spouting about my audition/visit at Butler, the best part of my weekend came on Saturday when I went buy an oboe from Carlos Cuelho http://www.carlosoboe.com . I had not realized until that day that my parents were willing to go all the way to $8k for me. I should qualify that; I've been saving money for this oboe for several years, but I still don't think I could have contributed much more than $3k. I'm not quite sure though, I don't know how much used to be in my bank account.

Anyway, that meant that I was able to buy a brand new Loree Royale. I tried six different oboes, and that's what I came home with. I'm still incredibly excited about this, I can't even say. The hard part is that I still need to break it in, so I can only play on it fifteen to twenty minutes at a time. When I switch back to the Fox (I've been playing a Renard 330 for about six years now) it feels almost like a toy. My band director just told me to bring the Fox back to school to give to another oboist, which worries me. We have some talking to do, because I really need to have an oboe I can play on for an extended period of time! But I hate to leave someone without an oboe. Anyway, I'll be keeping my hands on the Fox at least until I audition at Duquesne this Friday no matter what. Then we can maybe work something out. Oh well, I'll worry about that later. The point is, I have an amazing oboe now and I'm pretty much in love with it. His name is Bellamy, which is a French name (fitting, right?) that means "beautiful friend."

Weekend in Indianapolis, Part II

After the audition, I briefly met the other oboist auditioning and mostly relaxed for a couple hours. I met her again at the wind ensemble rehearsal that must have started around two, and we talked some. I wonder if we'll play together next year? That could be really cool.

At 4:00 or so, round two of the day began: I met Laura, a freshman oboist at Butler majoring in music education with whom I was to spend the night. She was really nice and friendly, and I felt really welcomed. I think it should be clear by now that I'm feeling quite positive about Butler in general. I don't know whether I'll go there yet, but it was nice to know that I could definitely be happy there. And Butler has already sent me a nice bundle of money in academic scholarships, so I could very easily end up there. Even so, I most certainly have not decided where I will be going to school yet. I have to complete the rest of my auditions, give all the schools a final one-over, and see what kind of aid I'll be getting. Until then, anything might happen. Still, Butler's in a good place after these past couple of days.

When I went up to Laura's dorm to drop off my sleeping bag, clothes, etc, I was introduced to her friend Yael and Yael's "hostee" (whose name now escapes me). I immediately noticed that Yael was wearing a magen david. When she realized that I'm Jewish, she immediately hugged me and exclaimed over me, because I guess Butler doesn't have much of a Jewish population. The girl she was hosting chimed in that she was Jewish as well, which was really cool. This reminded Yael that the Hillel organization (or whatever it is) was having a Shabbat dinner that night, so it was decided the three of us would go there for food. In the mean time, we picked up another Jewish girl, a bass player, being hosted by another friend of Laura and Yael. So we went together to a short service and some food. I enjoyed myself. I guess I wish I could go somewhere with more Jews on campus, but I at least they're there and have these dinners and stuff, so I won't lose my Jewish identity either. That's really what matters as far as that goes.

After dinner, we went to a faculty recital. It was super amazing and good. I had a great time, really and truly. Anyway, I could ramble on for a while, but the point is, the visit part of my Butler excursion was absolutely successful and I know I'll be happy there. I've said that already? Well I think that's the main point of this particular blog post. Tomorrow I'll talk about… OBOE SHOPPING!!!!! (stay tuned!)

Weekend in Indianapolis, Part I

This Thursday, I went up to Indianapolis and Butler University to have my first audition. Because I want to major in oboe performance, not only do I need to send applications to all the colleges I want to go to, but I have to go to each of the schools and perform an audition, which is pretty much the scariest thing ever. Basically, you're put in a room with a few people listening (at Butler the oboe professor and bassoon professor listened to me) and have to play scales, a prepared solo or etude (generally, you prepare something lyrical and something technical), and sight-read. This does not have to be horribly difficult, but the pressure is high. These twenty minutes decide whether or not I'm accepted into a school's music program.

Friday was an audition day at Butler, which meant that there were seventy other people there and planned activities for us to do besides audition. First we were given an audition schedule and herded into what was clearly a band room (I think the orchestras rehearse there too. But I call it a band room because it felt like home.) to be greeted by the head of music admissions and the president of the Jordan College of Fine Arts. Before they began speaking I was able to ascertain that mine was the first woodwind audition and would be held at 1:00. The only other oboist to audition that day would follow me at 1:20. In the mean time, I was to take a theory placement test at either 10:00 or 4:00 and otherwise could attend more or less any activity I wished.

So, after the greeting I proceeded across the hall to where the theory test was administered. The test was not very difficult, although I have a very solid grounding theory. Hopefully, if I chose to go to Butler, I'll be asked to take the next level of theory test. That one will be a bit more work.

After the theory test, I went to a freshman theory class. They were talking about cadences and phrases and how to analyze where the cadence points are that determine the ends of phrases and then breaking up phrases into smaller segments according to motive. I had almost entirely forgotten about this chapter of theory—when I took AP theory last year we used the same book—so I took a couple minutes to feel I really understood what was going on. But, I did understand what was going on which was really exciting.

I then ate lunch, which my mother brought me from the bowels of Aferton. (I should really check to see how that's actually spelled, right? Oh well) I then went to a practice room for my warm-up. I played some scales and long tones and then got out my music to look over the sections that still sort of worried me. Everything came out just fine. That's when I knew I was going to have a great audition. And that's how it has to be before a good performance. You have to just know you're going to play well. When you feel that, in the core and not just the surface, that it's going to go well, you know you're right about it. At least, you know you'll play your best. I guess I could have played my best and still not have been received well. But not this time.

So I went in and just played. Nothing went really wrong, there were a couple scrapes, and when I played a two-octave F scale the top note didn't come out very well. Even so, they were very positive about the audition, legitimately happy about how I'd played. I think I can tell these things pretty well. Generally people don't tell you, "ouch, that was horrid," in an audition, but you can still tell when they're pleased and when you've left them less than awed. I suppose I'm a good enough player that no one would (hopefully) have reason to tell me my playing is horrid—just not good enough. I've had less than perfect auditions before and letters sent to me with essentially those words. Now I'm auditioning for college and the pressure's somewhat higher. I really, really, want to be seen as good enough.

Excerpts from my Walkabout Proposal

To explain Walkabout and what I'm doing, here are some excerpts from the Walkabout Proposal I'm sending to the school board so that I can venture into the world. I'll be doing this kind of thing fairly often, only it will be parts and compilations of my dailly journals. Much of this isn't exactly my writing, as we were given a template to follow and edit as we wished and I didn't change anything I didn't need to. On account of that same laziness, I am still not bothering to do any extra writing but am dumping parts of that template into a blog post. Still, if you want to know what Walkabout is and what I'm doing, this should answer your questions.

Placement Summary

During the first eight-week Walkabout (January 28-March 27), I plan to work at ProMusica Chamber Orchestra here in Columbus. My mentor will be Julia Cline Hare, the director of operations and education for the organization. I will also continue to participate in Worthington Kilbourne's Wind Ensemble, attending rehearsal four days a week (every school day but Wednesday). On the days I attend band class, I will drive to Kilbourne to start class at 9:30 and after class ends I will drive to ProMusica and work until about 5:30. I will also attend the meetings of ProMusica's Student Advisory Board. I will mostly be working in operations.

Walkabout Background

The Linworth Walkabout Program, which derives its name from the Australian aboriginal rite of passage from adolescence to adulthood, marks a transition from youth and school to adulthood and community life. It is designed to develop the skills, attitudes and values of responsible adulthood. Central to the program is the belief that being tested in classroom setting doesn't prove the ability of the student to apply knowledge. The test of Walkabout, and of life, is not what a student can do under a teacher's direction, but what he or she can do as an individual.

Linworth students, who have met graduation requirements, use the second semester of their senior year to test their skills and abilities in the adult world of work. They engage with a mentor or group of mentors in two eight week long, thirty-hours-per-week, volunteer apprenticeships or internships between January and June. In these placements students may choose to examine career or academic goals, to offer community service, to hone practical or survival skills, or to participate in a research project or creative endeavor.

The thirty-year-old program represents a successful merger of the school and the community and the culmination of four years of experiential learning. It results in a school-community partnership offering students a chance to learn outside the classroom. It gives both students and mentors a fifty-fifty exchange of service for learning.

Rationale

Music is essential to my life and I currently intend to major in oboe performance. Last year, when the Columbus Symphony threatened to fold, I realized the importance of all the work that goes on behind the scenes of an arts organization. I also saw the disaster caused by misunderstandings between the musicians and those people who kept the organization running. I wanted to be sure that I understood the inner workings of a music organization and to see the kind of work that has to be done for the performances to go on. ProMusica is a healthy organization and will be a great place for me to learn how non-profits work.

Activities

I will be doing a variety of activities at ProMusica. Julia listed five categories of things I would probably be working on; concert operation and logistics, open rehearsal, urban outreach program, creative hybrids, and student advisory board. Operation and logistics refers to jobs like attending staff meetings, organizing and setting up itineraries for guest arts and taking care of hospitality needs, assisting with set up and tear down at events not held at the Southern Theatre, and various other duties. Open rehearsal jobs include revising program notes to fit into the open rehearsal program flyer, updating details in the program and printing enough quantity, and calling registered attendees to confirm the rehearsal date and time. To assist the urban outreach program, I will assist with scheduling and communication with social service agencies and possibly also assist with print materials and teacher packets. For Creative Hybrids, I will attend session as Hilliard Davidson and Walnut Ridge High Schools to work with music software and composition process and well as prepare any print documents needed for the project. I will help the Student Advisory Board to prepare for events and relay any items for which ProMusica's office staff is responsible.

I Send My Blessing

Things have been complicated here. I have a lot to think about, and therefore to write about I guess. Mostly though, I'm just waiting for things to happen, like I have my first college audition this Friday and Walkabout starts a week from today. But my life as I've had it for three and a half years is ending, my last exam finished, my last essay turned in. And something significant happened yesterday, something painful and shocking.

Yesterday my last exam was choir, and my director decided to just have a two hour rehearsal. I approached the class with focused nostalgia and ceremonial dedication: this is my last choir class, I told myself. I may never sing with these people again. And then, as I set myself through these careful, ritualized mental paces, my friend received a text message. She leaned over and made me read it:

"Larry had a seizure during the U.S. History exam."

Before I go on, I should explain a bit the nature of the school I go to. It's called the Linworth Alternative Program, and it's a small school of less than 200 students. We take some classes at Linworth and some classes—like band and choir—at the main high schools where the rest of the district goes. Linworth is unique in many, many subtle ways. The walls are covered in artwork, decisions are made at Town Meeting with the whole school instead of a student government—and everyone, even teachers, vote equally. Teachers are called by their first names. And senior year, we leave second semester on internships and independent studies, all over the world.

Larry has been teaching at Linworth longer than any other teacher, and even though he has threatened retirement, his not teaching seems almost impossible. He seems almost like a part of the school itself, so integral to the experience, a legend to incoming freshman. And he's a truly amazing teacher. This so the shock of that message seemed to make everything stop and turn unreal.

Yet the world doesn't stop turning for that. I have to be ready for my audition this Friday, and the next on Monday. I had to finish exam week even with that news, and Walkabout will go on as planned. Things go on just like always, except from time to time you remember that there's something really wrong.

What is “Obuábamos?”

Last year, I took a class conducted entirely on Blogger, and ever since I've rather wanted to go back to blogging. Unfortunately, I really haven't had the time to do so, nor any particularly interesting subject matter. But now, as I'm about to embark on Walkabout, I feel I may have something interesting or unique to say now and again. So I'm going to make an endeavor to keep a blog, updating it hopefully twice over the week and at least once over weekends. I will probably be recycling Walkabout journals—why not? And I plan to actually respond to other blogs that I read and increase my blog-reading. It'll be fun! But Miriam, you ask, that's all well and good but I wanted to know what you mean by "obuábamos."

Well I'll tell you. Long, long ago, my freshman year of high school, I a really great Spanish class. I don't mean that my teacher was any good or that I learned much about Spanish—I hardly did at all—but that the class itself, the people in it, was great. Freshman Spanish was made up of one of the most entertaining groups of people I've worked with to date. The story of the word "obuábamos" comes from that class.

It's really not all that remarkable a story. We were learning, that fateful day, how to conjugate the past imperfect tense that indicates past actions that took place over an unknown amount of time. For verbs ending in "ar," the conjugation is, "___aba, ___abas, ___aban, ___ábamos, ___aban." This makes for some truly fun to say words, especially in the nosotros form. The class meanwhile disintegrated into an excited clamor of, "hablábamos! bailábamos! trabajábamos!"

Meanwhile, I had discovered a French dictionary. For some reason this caused me to contemplate the French spelling of the word "oboe." You see, oboe is something of an obsession of mine, and such ponderings were hardly unusual on my part. My teacher had once told me both the French pronunciation of the "oboe" (O-bwah) and its spelling, but I had regretfully forgotten the latter. The presence of a French dictionary seemed a perfect opportunity to remedy the situation. And so I looked. The proper spelling of "oboe" in French, by the way, is "hautbois."

Well I wanted to share this new knowledge, but my class was somewhat preoccupied with theirs. And so, among the excited conjugating of verbs into the imperfect nosotros form, an entirely new word joined the ranks: obuábamos. "We used to oboe." Now why would I name my blog such a statement? Who is "we?" Why not anymore? Is "obuar" really a verb? No, no, no, you have it all wrong. I named my blog "obuábamos" because no one else is using the word. There are (were) no Google hits for it. In this way, "obuábamos" is the perfect name for my blog.