I decided to post something here since I haven't in a long time and for no explicable reason I have begun to feel guilty about this. Let's see, since November, I have:
-Gotten my new/old cello! My "e-bay special" made in approximately 1720 in Saxony was restored and I've been playing on it since January. It sounds great, has a big meaty tone, lovely dark varnish, a short neck I've been adjusting to slowly. I'm very happy with it but as of yet have not been inspired to name it.
-Taken a medieval notation class that is a lot of hard work but really fun (it's like solving puzzles!) and mostly enjoyable. I can now decipher really old music.
-Produced a concert by myself. It happened in March and was a whole bunch of beautiful German laments from the late 17th century. It was great fun, I learned a lot, I hope to do this again but maybe not for a while.
-Played in a masterclass for Wieland Kuijken. While I only had fifteen minutes with him due to poor planning, I played the first movement of the G-major Bach gamba sonata fairly well, got some interesting ideas and played it again much better. Nothing life-changing but a lot of people got to hear me play and I got to meet Wieland. Am looking forward to his concert tomorrow night.
On the table right now:
-Am still dating K. This isn't so much of an accomplishment, per se, but it kind of feels like one. It's been almost a year and we're still happy with each other. How cool is that?
-Am preparing for my lecture recital. My final requirement for my master's degree. The topic is the musical symbolism of the gamba. I will trace the gamba's allegorical meanings from the Italian intermedii through Bach's highly specialized usage in his cantatas and passions. There will also be pretty music. Tentatively, the date is May 12th at 3PM in Marsh Chapel at BU.
-Am preparing for the Concentus tour to Japan. Starting to learn St. Matthew bass lines as I will be the cello for orchestra one.
-Am also working on a longer term project of creating a Baroque cello excerpt book. This seems to have snowballed into a gigantic bit of work compiling everything hard for the Baroque cello, finding public domain sources and creating my own edition (possibly for publication!). A second volume of gamba excerpts may follow.
-I will be graduating from BU in mid-May with a Master of Music degree pending me turning in all the appropriate paperwork.
-Hence, I am looking for employment for next year. Also, housing. I'm staying in Boston since I've dug myself a nice little hole here full of friends and colleagues and occassional musical work.
Trying to put together a resume that includes skills other than music. Also, trying to figure out a way to make money that won't suck the living soul out of me. I am open to suggestions, offers, ideas, etc.
-My father is going to build a house on the land he just bought right outside of Ithaca and I'm hoping to spend some time there this summer helping him build and plant fruit trees and make a garden.
That's all I can think of at the moment. I have been terrible about keeping in touch with various people I love so maybe this post will count as something in a small way.
-Z
3 comments:
I normally suggest church music as a moneymaking possibility, even to non-organists, but I think you have a comparative disadvantage, being Jewish and all. Still, you could easily direct an amateur choral ensemble, church or otherwise. It's more about having your act together and being good with people than music.
The other possibility is to be a music teacher. The best option would be a private school - they tend to hire competent people, rather than people who have jumped through all the state's qualifying hoops. Like the New School in Cambridge.
I know these are not non-musical things, but that's where most of your skills lie.
Alternatively, you could try being a paralegal. The main skill required is literacy. A singer at my past church was doing that. Maura Smith did it, too. Lawyers often have trouble finding good people to do this work - those who graduated from the 2-year paralegal programs tend to be lower-class and often have expensive substance abuse problems that they fuel by stealing the lawyer's money. It's a common story.
The reason they can't find people is because half the profession is in solo practice, and don't have the resources to look. You have to contact them yourself.
Or you could pawn your gamba. It's better than pawning your wooden leg. You'll never be a pirate if you do that.
Welcome back! I would have no idea what was going on in your life without this blog!
-j
I just noticed that it has been 9 months since you blogged. If you had had sex instead of blogging, you could now have a baby.
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