Thursday, July 03, 2008

Home is a Sweet Thing

Today was the first day of classes at the Ecole. Tom and I took the metro over to the school earlier than we had the day before and got to experience "rush hour." It's basically riding the metro with everyone else. Again, no air conditioning and people are crowded together. To be honest, I think it beats California traffic by far. It's more cramped, sure, but I don't think it's as stressful. I like being with all the other people and sort of the communal way of travel. I don't have to worry about getting hit by another car. Just about being robbed. Lots more walking though, which isn't bad. My legs are protesting, but only because they haven't quite healed from the beating I took bodyboarding a few weeks back. Old wounds die hard.

Tom and I made it w/ a few minutes to spare and were the first in our class room for score reading. Before we got to the school, EAMA sent out an e-mail warning us that we would need to be proficient in soprano and tenor clefs. I know how they work but didn't have too much experience. They also said the first day would be placements and I figured if I didn't do that great, I'd move. I just didn't know how the first day was going to go.

The rest of our class ultimately came into the room and Tom and I were selected to read through the score first. Tom sat at one piano and I sat at the other. We were then asked to sight read on teh piano. The only problem is that Soprano was in soprano clef, alto in alto clef, tenor in tenor clef, and bass in bass clef. My brain was doing somersaults trying to get it all figured out fast enough. I didn't do so hot.

The rest of the class time consisted of others being subjected to the same scrutiny. Some had to play lines and sing others in fixed do. We had to read the rhythm on a cello line that alternated between triplets and quintuplets. Any time Shapiro asked us to sing, he wouldn't let us play the note on the piano for a reference pitch. We had to figure it out based on something that came before. Even if it was a few minutes before. He said "We don't play the notes... we reason our way to the note!" He's a nice man though. Won't let us say sorry. And is extremely patient. All in all a great class. I'm gonna be way better after it. Or way broken. Probably a bit of both. Consolation is that the next class will be me with the other "slow" kids.

After that we went into the Musical analysis class. Lasser (the head of the program) taught the course. It's basically a fusion of Schenkerian analysis and Lasser's own concepts. Basically he says that 1) Music consists of lines in contrapuntal movement and 2) notes can only move by step, and never (with a few exceptions) by a leap. As a result melodies and pieces become the fusion and intermingling of lines. We analyzed some basic tunes, but it's gonna keep getting more advanced. Not too hard.

Chorale was alright today. Not that it's a bad class. It just happens at 3 here and that is 6:00 CA time. For whatever reason I ALWAYS have a hard time getting up a 6 am and I usually get a little sleepy around 3 or 4. Today was a double whammy. I'm still tired and lugging my bag through the metro has caused my shoulders to decide to revolt. They decided to stage their revolution during choir. It was that feeling where no matter what happens you just get fidgety. I wanted to lay down and not move again for a while. The pieces we are singing are pretty cool. Stravinsky, Bach, and others. No holds barred though, Shapiro (same guy from earlier class) asked us to sing text right away (Latin, German). He did go easy and had one of the guys that spoke Russian give us a single run through of the text in Russian. So kind.

I have a comp lesson tomorrow. Had a conversation with my comp professor today and I really like him. Hopefully I say that after the lesson. I think that he and I have similar ideas and I think he has a lot to offer.

Oh yeah, and I made it to one of the upper level Keyboard Harmony classes, number 3 to be exact. I'm grateful. I get to study with the guy that gave me my exam the other day and he was a great teacher.

Enough nerd stuff for now. Other things that happened today.

I revisted the Celiac Headquarters. They gave me a gluten free book which happens to be in French, but at least I can start trying to familiarize myself with brands. Which is great. I can start to learn some French food words.

I saw a pretty cool building down the Rue (that's French for road) and kept walking. ended up outside a really cool church, Saint Vincent de Paul. I caught the metro back to the school for afternoon classes. It was a nice break.

Oh yeah, and I promised pictures of our kitchen so here is how the other side lives:



And opened:



And a bonus shot of the view from our dorm window:



More classes and stuff tomorrow. Happy 4th to all of you. I hope that you have a great one! I'll let you know if anything cool happens. I thought about singing "The Star Spangled Banner" on the metro. But I don't know...

P.S. Thanks for commenting. Not saying that so that you feel obliged to comment. But it's nice to know that you are reading this. It lets me feel like I get to share this and I'm glad.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm thankful with your blog it is very useful to me.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you have had a busy few days. 2 questions: How are you taking pictures without a camera, and when so you find time to blog between all the classes and sight-seeing, and oh shoot, my quesadilla is burning! ok, one side a little black, but still good, smells worse then it is. Anyway, sounds like you are having an amazing experience already, very cool. Now to figure out how to post this....

Josh Auer said...

1) Music consists of lines in contrapuntal movement and 2) notes can only move by step, and never (with a few exceptions) by a leap. As a result melodies and pieces become the fusion and intermingling of lines.


my thoughts exacly.

Amanda Auer said...

We are there with you in spirit, Brandon!! Glad classes are going well. Glad that you're learning to be gluten-free in France! Glad all around. :)

Brandon said...

I've been getting pictures from my room mate, Tom. And I've been blogging at night when I make dinner. It's kind of a fun way to process the day.

Anonymous said...

Brandon...so happy to see you doing something fantastic with your life, and taking advantage of what is offered to you! reading with anticipation for the next days adventures, thanks for blogging and keeping us in touch! oh, and by the way, it is educational for us who know nothing of what you are talking about...I am learning lots!
you are being held up in prayer..Sue in CA..

Roxanna Grimes said...

My piano misses you. But it is smiling as it awaits all that you bring back to it. You know, the "fusion and intermingling of lines" playing. proud of all that you are taking in. Love the polly pocket kitchen. Incidently, I found your gluten free brownies in the cupboard today when I pulled out the red cups. Now there was some interesting fusion!Love ya! Rox

Brandon said...

Hey Rox! So sorry I forgot about the brownies. Out of sight out of mind I guess. Too bad, cause those were great. I'm looking forward to those when I get back! Check snail mail in about a week and a half!

Anonymous said...

Hi dude! I’ve just stopped by to thank you for this cool blog! Keep going that way.

Anonymous said...

Your website is really great. Many thanks for that.