Grad School Audition has been taking all of my time.....

For the past 5 months I have been feverishly studying and practicing for my grad school audition. I was an adult learner going into undergrad music, a fretless bass player in a rock band that decided to “learn a real instrument ” and start classical music training. It took 3 auditions to make it in, and I started theory before I could even read music (borrowed a friend‘s theory book all summer and studied things I didn’t understand enough to clep out of remedial theory.....). Through tremendous amounts of work I managed to get my music ed degree, and headed to teaching in an attempt to give today’s students something I missed out on. When I started teaching I ended up pouring myself into my work for 16 years for long, long hours. I stopped playing my bass legitimately about then.

So after not practicing a very difficult instrument for 15 years, and never having a fabulous grasp of theory, I set out to try and get my chops back and study up on theory I haven’t engaged with I almost 20 years. I learned a lot, and feel much better in command of theory.

I won’t know about the results of my audition for a while, but I feel like I did ok (though I couldn’t identify Ives in the drop the needle and messed up a few 7th chords). I’m glad this part is over. It took sooo much time in addition to the two grad courses I’m taking this semester and my overwhelming job. Now onward and upward!