Throughout my life I remember hearing phrases along the lines of "college will change the way you see everything." I never really believed that - I didn't think something as simple as moving away from home and studying a specific topic could truly change the way one sees the world.
But good Lord... I was very wrong.
If you told me a year ago that in college I would be be auditioning for an Opera, pledging a fraternity (yes, a fraternity!), considering a double major in Music Therapy and Vocal Performance, or that one of my best friends would be a 32 year old tenor, I probably would have laughed in your face. Strangely enough, all of this has happened.
It's crazy for me to think that in just over a week, I'll be completely done with my Freshman year of college! This year has gone by insanely fast - I feel like move in day was just a month or two ago. As the end of this school year is nearing, I thought I would finish off the semester with a second post about what I've learned as a music major, which will most likely include some revisions on first semester's post.
But good Lord... I was very wrong.
If you told me a year ago that in college I would be be auditioning for an Opera, pledging a fraternity (yes, a fraternity!), considering a double major in Music Therapy and Vocal Performance, or that one of my best friends would be a 32 year old tenor, I probably would have laughed in your face. Strangely enough, all of this has happened.
It's crazy for me to think that in just over a week, I'll be completely done with my Freshman year of college! This year has gone by insanely fast - I feel like move in day was just a month or two ago. As the end of this school year is nearing, I thought I would finish off the semester with a second post about what I've learned as a music major, which will most likely include some revisions on first semester's post.
1. Performing (a solo) is/can be fun!
My opinion on performing has changed drastically since last semester. Last semester I had a nervous breakdown before my first solo performance and decided I was going to become a respiratory therapist... I called my parents freaking out and telling them I couldn't be a music major... that I wasn't capable of doing this whole performing thing..
I look back on that week and laugh, because I am now considering a doing something with Vocal Performance in the future. I'm still not very confident in my voice, and it's taken some massive encouragement from some amazing and extremely wise friends, but I'm starting to enjoy performing solos a lot more, and I can't wait to see where this road takes me!
2. Opera is absolutely wonderful.
I've caught the opera bug. Like, big time. Before coming to IPFW, I was never truly interested in opera. I took a Music Theory class in High School and, while we looked at some vocal/operatic work briefly, I didn't find it too appealing. When I got to IPFW, though, I went to see the fall production of The Merry Widow to support a friend... and I loved it. No, it's not a super popular or famous opera, but it sparked my interest.
A few weeks later, my vocal studio went to a local movie theatre and watched a simulcast from The Met of the opera Tosca. I was hooked. Since then, I've been totally in love with watching operas on YouTube late at night, and listening to soprano arias in my free time. I even auditioned for IPFW's Fall 2014 Opera Ensemble, so I'm completely stoked about that!! Never in a million years did I think I would have the desire to be an opera singer, but now (thanks to IPFW!) It's one of my biggest hopes and dreams.
3. I have the BEST studio voice teacher in the world.
I am beyond blessed to have the voice teacher I have. She is an absolute genius when it comes to singing, and I can't imagine studying under anyone else. I look forward to my lessons, and dread the days I don't have time with my instructor.
When I think back to where I was (vocally) a year ago, I am amazed by the difference. My voice teacher is one of the most phenomenal people I've ever met. The way she goes about teaching and training the voice is like none other. She has some crazy analogies at times, but they work wonders for the voice.
In a way, she's become like a therapist to me. My voice teacher is there for me no matter what, and I know I can always go to her for words of encouragement. She tells me when I'm wrong, she builds my confidence, and she's helping me grow into the best musician I can be. I will always be grateful for the lessons I have learned this year, and can't wait to see what the next few years of lessons bring.
4. Frustration won't get you anywhere.
Frustration is an easy emotion. It's very easy to beat yourself up when you're not meeting your own expectations... I do this a lot.
It's something I definitely need to work on. I've gotten much better at combating the frustration, but it still creeps in at times. It's ridiculously easy to allow yourself to be frustrated in a practice room or even in a lesson. Sometimes, I'll try and try and try to produce a certain tone that came out in my voice lessons to no avail. And it's frustrating.
I'm a very linear person - I just want to keep everything in place and make sure I keep progressing. So, when I have days where I don't sound the way I'd prefer, I tend to beat up on myself a bit. I've come to realize that allowing this frustration only dampers my progress further. When I start getting annoyed at myself, I'll leave the practice room for a walk. If I can't relax, I force myself to quit practicing for the time being.
It's definitely easier to get frustrated and beat yourself down, but I now know that in the long run it only hurts you more. As a wise friend told me - even professionals have off days!
5. Women's Music Fraternities are da bomb.
I never ever imagined myself going Greek in college. When I got to school in the fall, a few friends and I heard about a women's fraternity called Sigma Alpha Iota. (SAI)
A few of us went to some of the recruitment week events and really enjoyed it! However, we had to wait until spring semester to actually pledge. A few other girls and I have spent the majority of this semester learning the history of the fraternity with the best pledge teacher ever!! We will finally be initiated as sisters tonight, May 1, 2014!!!
I'm really excited to be joining this fraternity - the girls in this group are absolutely wonderful, and spending time with them is a blast!! I can't wait to finally be able to call them my sisters. :)
6. Accompanists are angels.
I have been blessed with the most amazing accompanist in the world. She knows exactly what to do, and is a mastermind when it comes to piano. She helps calm my nerves before performances, and gives me just enough of a confidence boost to feel relaxed and ready.
If you're an IPFW student, you'll know exactly who I'm talking about. She accompanies a majority of the vocal students here, and everyone absolutely adores her. She's insanely busy, and I don't know how she does it, but she somehow makes it all work. She's always putting everyone else in front of herself, and I know we all appreciate and love her more than she'll ever know!
My accompanist is truly a phenomenal lady and musician, and I'm not sure what I would do without her in my life!
7. I have no idea what I really want to do with my life.
In high school, I thought I had everything figured out. I knew about halfway through my junior year that I wanted to attend IPFW and study Music Therapy. The idea of helping someone through music was extremely appealing, and I felt like it was my calling.
I remember my first visit to this campus like it was yesterday. I came with my mom, one of my best friends, and her mom. Not knowing much of the university, I was expecting a dinky little run down campus, but was pleasantly surprised. I instantly fell in love with the atmosphere of the campus. It's a big school (in population), but has that small school feeling. After touring the campus/housing and meeting with one of the Music Therapy advisors, I knew that this was without a doubt the school and major for me.
I still feel this way about the school, but find myself with subtle doubts about the major. Don't get me wrong - I still love Music Therapy, but I'm struggling with whether or not I can truly see myself in this profession. I've had so many thoughts about what my major should be, and often find myself considering making a switch out of music into something more reliable and concrete. I've had ideas ranging from respiratory therapist, back to music therapist, then to opera singer, or to setting sail to a desert island to never return. All of those sound appealing in some way, shape, or form. Okay, what I'm truly deciding between is Vocal Performance and Music Therapy, but the desert island sounds wonderful right about now.
In the fall, I'll be doing my first Music Therapy practicum. In this course, I'll go around town and observe different music therapists working with clients. It will truly help me see what the profession is like outside of the walls of IPFW. I was cast as two different characters in the fall opera we're doing - The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart. Hopefully, this will show me more of what opera is really about, and will also help me decide what I want to do with my life!!
The fact that these thoughts are even crossing my mind is okay. I'm 19 and a half years old. A year ago I was still in high school being told what to do all of the time - I'm not going to have it figured out yet. For now, I've just got to take each day in stride and see where my heart truly wants to go.
8. Majoring in music is far from easy.
I find it really interesting that the general public seems to think that majoring in music is anywhere near easy... because they are 100% wrong.
First, there's the whole credit hours thing. A majority of music courses are worth only 1 credit. I even have a zero credit course I'm required to take. This semester I'm (thankfully) only taking 15 credit hours, but as most of those are 1 credit, that equates to ten different courses. That's a lot.
I'm in two ensembles this semester, each counting for 1 credit. However, one of the ensembles meets 4 hours a week, not including time necessary to devote to practicing and concerts. The other ensemble meets for roughly 2.5 hours a week. Between these two ensembles, guitar class, piano class, therapy classes, voice lessons, and more... life is insanely busy.
Also - theory and sight singing are kind of awful at times. Do you want to sit and analyze a bass part, determine what chords fit and write the rest of the excerpt? How about listening to a recording play you a rhythm or melody so you can dictate it onto paper? Yeah. Didn't think so. It's not easy. Sure, it gets better with time, and it's what we're here to learn... But it's still insanely difficult to manage.
Music school isn't all fun and games. Sure, I have I a ton of fun at Rhinehart Music Center every day, but being a music student takes a lot of hard work and dedication, too. Luckily, music is very therapeutic and rewarding, so I don't always mind the stress it imposes.
9. Life isn't fair.
We all know that life isn't fair, but it still sucks when life goes awry. I never expect life to be perfect - it just won't be. However, I am a person that likes to be organized and in control. I have a very specific weekly schedule for myself that I like to abide by. Of course I know that plans change, but some sort of notice is typically given and all works out well. Today, May 1, was different.
A professor moved up an exam with absolutely no notification of the change. Long story short, everyone had a freak out, a few people got so stressed they felt physically ill, and several people refused to take the exam. As a class, we discussed what happened with an administrative figure, so it will, thank God, all work out. We have the opportunity to take (or retake) the exam as it was scheduled during finals next week.
No, this isn't a huge deal in the long run, and my grade will turn out fine, but the stress this caused was a great reminder that I need to relax. Life isn't fair, but everything will work out in the end. If it doesn't... it's not the end.
10. Music school is like one big dysfunctional family.
I. Love. This. School. The majority of people are über friendly and helpful. The professors genuinely care and want to see you succeed. In my experience, they're all extremely understand and helpful - especially when it comes down to difficult pain days.
The students are also absolutely amazing. We all spend so much time in the music building that, generally speaking, everyone knows everyone in some way. No, we're not all buddy-buddy, but there's always someone to talk to. I personally find the upperclassmen to be particularly helpful.
I've been lucky enough to get to know and become close with a few of the upperclassmen performance majors. These two people have been there for me in so many ways, and are always there to offer advice, encouragement, and a good hug when I need it. I look forward to seeing these two people and know I can count on them no matter what. One of them graduates this semester, and the other in December... and I don't know how I'll survive without them. They've both given me a lot of advice on how to be a better performer and self. I really look up to both of them both as people and performers, and hope that I can one day be to a freshmen what they have been to me.
I wouldn't trade anything for the family I have here at IPFW. There are fights, there is stress, there is dysfunction, but in the end everyone has each others' backs.
11. Becoming a Music Major was the best decision I've ever made.
Yes, it's stressful. Yes, it's hard. Yes, it makes me want to cry sometimes... but being a music major is the best thing in my life right now. At the end of the day, I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I look forward to going to Rhinehart Music Center everyday. (I just won't admit that to you before 8am sight singing.)
I can't begin to think of where I would be if I hadn't come to IPFW. The people I've met and the experiences I've had compare to nothing else. College is nothing I expected it to be - in the best way possible. Everything I had heard about music school was that everyone is catty and cares for no one but themselves, which is completely false. Sure, there are people like that, but as a whole, people genuinely care and want to see each other succeed.
Maybe all music schools are like this one, or maybe IPFW is particularly special. I don't know the answer to that. What I do know is that IPFW is the best place for me to grow as a musician and person, and I cannot wait to see what the next three years at this school holds for me.
My opinion on performing has changed drastically since last semester. Last semester I had a nervous breakdown before my first solo performance and decided I was going to become a respiratory therapist... I called my parents freaking out and telling them I couldn't be a music major... that I wasn't capable of doing this whole performing thing..
I look back on that week and laugh, because I am now considering a doing something with Vocal Performance in the future. I'm still not very confident in my voice, and it's taken some massive encouragement from some amazing and extremely wise friends, but I'm starting to enjoy performing solos a lot more, and I can't wait to see where this road takes me!
2. Opera is absolutely wonderful.
I've caught the opera bug. Like, big time. Before coming to IPFW, I was never truly interested in opera. I took a Music Theory class in High School and, while we looked at some vocal/operatic work briefly, I didn't find it too appealing. When I got to IPFW, though, I went to see the fall production of The Merry Widow to support a friend... and I loved it. No, it's not a super popular or famous opera, but it sparked my interest.
A few weeks later, my vocal studio went to a local movie theatre and watched a simulcast from The Met of the opera Tosca. I was hooked. Since then, I've been totally in love with watching operas on YouTube late at night, and listening to soprano arias in my free time. I even auditioned for IPFW's Fall 2014 Opera Ensemble, so I'm completely stoked about that!! Never in a million years did I think I would have the desire to be an opera singer, but now (thanks to IPFW!) It's one of my biggest hopes and dreams.
3. I have the BEST studio voice teacher in the world.
I am beyond blessed to have the voice teacher I have. She is an absolute genius when it comes to singing, and I can't imagine studying under anyone else. I look forward to my lessons, and dread the days I don't have time with my instructor.
When I think back to where I was (vocally) a year ago, I am amazed by the difference. My voice teacher is one of the most phenomenal people I've ever met. The way she goes about teaching and training the voice is like none other. She has some crazy analogies at times, but they work wonders for the voice.
In a way, she's become like a therapist to me. My voice teacher is there for me no matter what, and I know I can always go to her for words of encouragement. She tells me when I'm wrong, she builds my confidence, and she's helping me grow into the best musician I can be. I will always be grateful for the lessons I have learned this year, and can't wait to see what the next few years of lessons bring.
4. Frustration won't get you anywhere.
Frustration is an easy emotion. It's very easy to beat yourself up when you're not meeting your own expectations... I do this a lot.
It's something I definitely need to work on. I've gotten much better at combating the frustration, but it still creeps in at times. It's ridiculously easy to allow yourself to be frustrated in a practice room or even in a lesson. Sometimes, I'll try and try and try to produce a certain tone that came out in my voice lessons to no avail. And it's frustrating.
I'm a very linear person - I just want to keep everything in place and make sure I keep progressing. So, when I have days where I don't sound the way I'd prefer, I tend to beat up on myself a bit. I've come to realize that allowing this frustration only dampers my progress further. When I start getting annoyed at myself, I'll leave the practice room for a walk. If I can't relax, I force myself to quit practicing for the time being.
It's definitely easier to get frustrated and beat yourself down, but I now know that in the long run it only hurts you more. As a wise friend told me - even professionals have off days!
5. Women's Music Fraternities are da bomb.
I never ever imagined myself going Greek in college. When I got to school in the fall, a few friends and I heard about a women's fraternity called Sigma Alpha Iota. (SAI)
A few of us went to some of the recruitment week events and really enjoyed it! However, we had to wait until spring semester to actually pledge. A few other girls and I have spent the majority of this semester learning the history of the fraternity with the best pledge teacher ever!! We will finally be initiated as sisters tonight, May 1, 2014!!!
I'm really excited to be joining this fraternity - the girls in this group are absolutely wonderful, and spending time with them is a blast!! I can't wait to finally be able to call them my sisters. :)
6. Accompanists are angels.
I have been blessed with the most amazing accompanist in the world. She knows exactly what to do, and is a mastermind when it comes to piano. She helps calm my nerves before performances, and gives me just enough of a confidence boost to feel relaxed and ready.
If you're an IPFW student, you'll know exactly who I'm talking about. She accompanies a majority of the vocal students here, and everyone absolutely adores her. She's insanely busy, and I don't know how she does it, but she somehow makes it all work. She's always putting everyone else in front of herself, and I know we all appreciate and love her more than she'll ever know!
My accompanist is truly a phenomenal lady and musician, and I'm not sure what I would do without her in my life!
7. I have no idea what I really want to do with my life.
In high school, I thought I had everything figured out. I knew about halfway through my junior year that I wanted to attend IPFW and study Music Therapy. The idea of helping someone through music was extremely appealing, and I felt like it was my calling.
I remember my first visit to this campus like it was yesterday. I came with my mom, one of my best friends, and her mom. Not knowing much of the university, I was expecting a dinky little run down campus, but was pleasantly surprised. I instantly fell in love with the atmosphere of the campus. It's a big school (in population), but has that small school feeling. After touring the campus/housing and meeting with one of the Music Therapy advisors, I knew that this was without a doubt the school and major for me.
I still feel this way about the school, but find myself with subtle doubts about the major. Don't get me wrong - I still love Music Therapy, but I'm struggling with whether or not I can truly see myself in this profession. I've had so many thoughts about what my major should be, and often find myself considering making a switch out of music into something more reliable and concrete. I've had ideas ranging from respiratory therapist, back to music therapist, then to opera singer, or to setting sail to a desert island to never return. All of those sound appealing in some way, shape, or form. Okay, what I'm truly deciding between is Vocal Performance and Music Therapy, but the desert island sounds wonderful right about now.
In the fall, I'll be doing my first Music Therapy practicum. In this course, I'll go around town and observe different music therapists working with clients. It will truly help me see what the profession is like outside of the walls of IPFW. I was cast as two different characters in the fall opera we're doing - The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart. Hopefully, this will show me more of what opera is really about, and will also help me decide what I want to do with my life!!
The fact that these thoughts are even crossing my mind is okay. I'm 19 and a half years old. A year ago I was still in high school being told what to do all of the time - I'm not going to have it figured out yet. For now, I've just got to take each day in stride and see where my heart truly wants to go.
8. Majoring in music is far from easy.
I find it really interesting that the general public seems to think that majoring in music is anywhere near easy... because they are 100% wrong.
First, there's the whole credit hours thing. A majority of music courses are worth only 1 credit. I even have a zero credit course I'm required to take. This semester I'm (thankfully) only taking 15 credit hours, but as most of those are 1 credit, that equates to ten different courses. That's a lot.
I'm in two ensembles this semester, each counting for 1 credit. However, one of the ensembles meets 4 hours a week, not including time necessary to devote to practicing and concerts. The other ensemble meets for roughly 2.5 hours a week. Between these two ensembles, guitar class, piano class, therapy classes, voice lessons, and more... life is insanely busy.
Also - theory and sight singing are kind of awful at times. Do you want to sit and analyze a bass part, determine what chords fit and write the rest of the excerpt? How about listening to a recording play you a rhythm or melody so you can dictate it onto paper? Yeah. Didn't think so. It's not easy. Sure, it gets better with time, and it's what we're here to learn... But it's still insanely difficult to manage.
Music school isn't all fun and games. Sure, I have I a ton of fun at Rhinehart Music Center every day, but being a music student takes a lot of hard work and dedication, too. Luckily, music is very therapeutic and rewarding, so I don't always mind the stress it imposes.
9. Life isn't fair.
We all know that life isn't fair, but it still sucks when life goes awry. I never expect life to be perfect - it just won't be. However, I am a person that likes to be organized and in control. I have a very specific weekly schedule for myself that I like to abide by. Of course I know that plans change, but some sort of notice is typically given and all works out well. Today, May 1, was different.
A professor moved up an exam with absolutely no notification of the change. Long story short, everyone had a freak out, a few people got so stressed they felt physically ill, and several people refused to take the exam. As a class, we discussed what happened with an administrative figure, so it will, thank God, all work out. We have the opportunity to take (or retake) the exam as it was scheduled during finals next week.
No, this isn't a huge deal in the long run, and my grade will turn out fine, but the stress this caused was a great reminder that I need to relax. Life isn't fair, but everything will work out in the end. If it doesn't... it's not the end.
10. Music school is like one big dysfunctional family.
I. Love. This. School. The majority of people are über friendly and helpful. The professors genuinely care and want to see you succeed. In my experience, they're all extremely understand and helpful - especially when it comes down to difficult pain days.
The students are also absolutely amazing. We all spend so much time in the music building that, generally speaking, everyone knows everyone in some way. No, we're not all buddy-buddy, but there's always someone to talk to. I personally find the upperclassmen to be particularly helpful.
I've been lucky enough to get to know and become close with a few of the upperclassmen performance majors. These two people have been there for me in so many ways, and are always there to offer advice, encouragement, and a good hug when I need it. I look forward to seeing these two people and know I can count on them no matter what. One of them graduates this semester, and the other in December... and I don't know how I'll survive without them. They've both given me a lot of advice on how to be a better performer and self. I really look up to both of them both as people and performers, and hope that I can one day be to a freshmen what they have been to me.
I wouldn't trade anything for the family I have here at IPFW. There are fights, there is stress, there is dysfunction, but in the end everyone has each others' backs.
11. Becoming a Music Major was the best decision I've ever made.
Yes, it's stressful. Yes, it's hard. Yes, it makes me want to cry sometimes... but being a music major is the best thing in my life right now. At the end of the day, I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I look forward to going to Rhinehart Music Center everyday. (I just won't admit that to you before 8am sight singing.)
I can't begin to think of where I would be if I hadn't come to IPFW. The people I've met and the experiences I've had compare to nothing else. College is nothing I expected it to be - in the best way possible. Everything I had heard about music school was that everyone is catty and cares for no one but themselves, which is completely false. Sure, there are people like that, but as a whole, people genuinely care and want to see each other succeed.
Maybe all music schools are like this one, or maybe IPFW is particularly special. I don't know the answer to that. What I do know is that IPFW is the best place for me to grow as a musician and person, and I cannot wait to see what the next three years at this school holds for me.
Final Thoughts.
All in all, this has been an absolutely amazing year. I could not be happier with where I am in life right now... I definitely had my doubts about moving away in the beginning, but coming to IPFW was the best decision I ever made.
Going to college was terrifying... I moved roughly 3 hours away from home, and knew absolutely no one in the Fort Wayne area. I thought I wouldn't make friends, that I wouldn't succeed as a music major, and I just didn't believe in myself and my voice.
Over the year, most of that changed. I made some of the best friends I could ever ask for. I'm constantly surrounded by people that speak my language (music), and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The fall 2014 semester can't come soon enough. Though I still have a week and two days before moving back to Indy, I know that I will miss Fort Wayne immensely. I am eternally grateful for the friendships I've made at IPFW this year - from my colleagues, to my professors, to everyone in between. I can't wait to grow these relationships over the next few years, and see where life takes me next.
I'll try to remember to blog more often this summer. I'm having surgery on May 12th, so I will have quite a bit of free time for several weeks after that!! I hope everyone has a fantastic finals week and summer. See you in the fall!! :)
Going to college was terrifying... I moved roughly 3 hours away from home, and knew absolutely no one in the Fort Wayne area. I thought I wouldn't make friends, that I wouldn't succeed as a music major, and I just didn't believe in myself and my voice.
Over the year, most of that changed. I made some of the best friends I could ever ask for. I'm constantly surrounded by people that speak my language (music), and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The fall 2014 semester can't come soon enough. Though I still have a week and two days before moving back to Indy, I know that I will miss Fort Wayne immensely. I am eternally grateful for the friendships I've made at IPFW this year - from my colleagues, to my professors, to everyone in between. I can't wait to grow these relationships over the next few years, and see where life takes me next.
I'll try to remember to blog more often this summer. I'm having surgery on May 12th, so I will have quite a bit of free time for several weeks after that!! I hope everyone has a fantastic finals week and summer. See you in the fall!! :)