8/31 - School.

So far, school is going well. I only have two real classes, Jazz History and Behavioral Analysis. I'll have to see what the psych class is really about, but I'm enjoying the jazz class so far. Both of them will be a lot of work, but that's fine with me.

My lessons count for twice as much credit now, which is wonderful; in my freshman and sophomore year, I would have to spend much more time on my theory and aural skills classes because they were worth more credit, even though I really came to school to get good at playing my instruments. This semester, and in the next semesters, my lessons are worth more, which makes me feel better about spending more time on them.

I'm studying marimba with Mark Ford this semester. I'm really excited, because he's one of the best people in the world at what he does, and he's one of the faculty that really draws attention to this university and music program. He's a really busy guy, and sometimes he confuses his students a little bit, but so far he seems like he's really into teaching and helping all of his students make the most of their semester. I'm working on Eric Sammut's "Cameleon," and looking for a couple other solos to play, along with the typical curriculum, which isn't really a big deal.

My other lessons are for drumset with Henry Okstel. I was originally taking lessons with Ed Soph this semester, but there are so many jazz students taking drumset this semester that he was fully booked. It was kind of a bummer, but I'll still work just as hard. The curriculum doesn't look very difficult and I'm planning on doing a bunch of transcriptions this semester, to slowly make progress and work towards my goal of making a lab band and being a decent drum set player.

Other than that, I'm playing in a percussion ensemble that's going to PASIC, possibly a concert band at some time in the day, possibly a Jazz Singers group, and playing drums in South Indian ensemble, which is always pretty mind-blowing and fun. My schedule doesn't look very full, but I'm hoping that I can work and teach a little more this semester and start trying to make a living for myself. And in my free time, I'll practice.

While I was gone this summer, I missed out on a lot of new music. One of my favorites I've found from this summer is the new Dirty Projectors album, "Swing Lo Magellan." It's great.



M