Academic Freedom!!

School started again!  And 21st grade is looking like it's going to be a tricky one!

Since I have been at the University of Utah, I have been in the wonderful Graduate String Quartet, which has been such a blessing, because it has paid for half of my tuition, and the other half of tuition, I have gotten as a stipend every two weeks.  I made some of my best friends and networking contacts through the quartet, and have gotten the opportunity to play music in some seriously cool places- Eutin, Germany, anyone?  But this spring, a sad thing happened.  Three of the four of us, me excluded, graduated- leaving me as the sole remaining member of the quartet to pass the torch.

Here are the drawbacks of being in the graduate string quartet.  As a scholarship recipient in the school of music, it is required to be in orchestra, chamber music, and private lessons.  But to graduate with a DMA in performance, it is only required to do those three classes for 2 of your 3 years in school.  So the last year of a DMA doesn't need to be filled with orchestra and chamber music, which each require at least 12 extra hours of class time a week, not to mention practice time to be prepared for class and performances.

And those extra unneeded classes would take me three more semesters to finish school, instead of just two.

And I didn't want to start over with a brand new group of quartet members for only one year- the first year is always so stressful.

And I am super sick of orchestra at the U.  It's super lame.

And I want to focus my practicing on playing solo cello stuff.  For once in my life.

And I wanted more free time to teach and pick up new students.

And I am sick of being in school.  Seriously, I'm ready to be done.

So I made a hard decision and declined my scholarship.  I doubled the amount of students I am teaching this year, and I plan to finish my coursework this semester...

Take my qualifying exams in December...

Write my dissertation in the spring...

Give my lecture recital and dissertation defense at the end of spring semester...

And GRADUATE in May!!

So for the first time since 7th grade, I am not in an orchestra.  And for the first time since my Freshman year at USU, I am not in a chamber music group.  And as strange as it feels, I'm actually kind of loving it!  I get more excited to listen to symphonies when they come up on the radio.  I get more excited for String Quartet gigs that come my way.  I am actually more excited to practice the cello.  Which is a wonderful thing.

The decision was hard, I made several people mad by doing it, and I have to be honest, I miss the SOCIAL aspect of quartet and orchestra.  But I am happy with the decision I made, and I am happy with the way this semester is going.  I am excited to learn about the Philosophy of Music Education, the Pedagogy behind Music Theory, and the basics of Musical Learning and Cognition.  I am excited to give a recital soon to make up for the one I should have given last spring.  And I am excited that so so soon, I will finally be done done done with school!!