Thursday, May 11, 2006
Graduation
This time two years ago, I was facing a monumental moment: Graduation from College. It was a little scary, but I had a plan, so I wasn't too worried. I was going to grad school at Shenandoah Conservatory, and I was going to become a better clarinetist. Since I am now approaching another monumental moment: Graduation from Grad School, it is fitting that I reflect on my last two years.
Winchester is a very small town. The surrounding country-side is beautiful, and the drive to and from is quite nice. There isn't a whole lot to do in Winchester. There's IHOP, and Bdubs, and the bowling alley. Oh, and Walmart...we have two. Aside from that, well, you are sort of on your own. Still, Winchester is growing by leaps and bounds every day. We just got a Red Lobster, A Borders, Old Navy, Olive Garden, and my personal favorite (besides Borders), Coldstone Creamery. Sarah and I go once a week (usually after a disastrous orchestra rehearsal.) This is perhaps not the greatest idea for our waist-lines, but some nights, only ice cream will do.
Winchester's great claim to fame is the Apple Blossom Festival. There are parades, fireworks, princesses, deep-fried foods, bands, a craft show, and more alcohol than should legally be consumed at one time. It's like nothing you've ever seen, and I am not even going to attempt to describe it. Winchester is a very nice town, and I know a lot of people who love it. I, however, do not. But, that's just me.
I am glad to be leaving Shenandoah. It has never felt much like home to me. I have made some terrific friends, like my Platonic Soulmate, but overall, I feel like I've mostly just made acquaintances. I have been struck by how immature many of the undergraduate students are. So many of them seem to have no interest in learning or improving themselves. I thought that when I got here it would be like Interlochen was. I assumed that it would be full of people who were passionate about the arts and who would share my love for music. And, I assumed that since they would be passionate about their art, they would work hard at it. This was a serious miscalculation on my part. I have never understood the slacker mentality. I have always felt that if you aren't giving something your all, well, you might as well not do it at all. I have been continually frustrated by the lack of dedication, both in my ensembles and in my classes.
At UVA, if you don't study, you fail. And if you fail, well, it's your own fault. No one holds your hand. You are expected to do your part, and you get what you put in. Here, this is not the case. I have been amazed by how many people ask for extra credit, and receive it. There is a lot of coddling and babying. This doesn't happen in every class, and certainly not everyone is guilty of this, but it does exist in some frequency. It is hard to fail a class here. The majority of my classes have been fairly easy. Perhaps not everyone would agree with me on this. In comparison to UVA, the course load is light. There are of course exceptions, but this has been my experience.
Lest you think that my two years have been all bad, let me say that there is one thing that I have been extremely satisfied with. My clarinet lessons have been everything that I hoped they would be. I have grown so much as a player, and I know that my confidence level has increased quite a bit. Dr. Johnston and I get along well, and his personality has been just what needed after four years with Mrs. G. Don't get me wrong, I respect Mrs. G. and admire her skill as a clarinetist. I like her, and I did learn from her, but her teaching style was not what I needed. Here, I have felt like I have improved a lot. I still have confidence issues, but I am working on them. It helps that I was forced to play principal in orchestra all year. I mastered some tough music (can we say Scheherazade?), and that alone has forced me to realize that I am better than I have been giving myself credit for. I have loved being in an environment where people truly believe in me and know that I can succeed. Musically, I cannot ask for a better experience, and as that is why I came to Shenandoah, I can say that graduate school was a success.
So, Saturday I will don my black robe, pink tassel and pink hood and receive my diploma. Thus ends one chapter in my life and begins another. This summer I will remain in Winchester, living on campus, playing in the pit orchestras, and working at the farm. I do not know exactly what life holds for me after that, but I know it will be good. Hopefully, I will get a steady job with benefits and can move into an apartment in Fairfax County with Lesley. I have an audition for the President's Own Marine Band in June. We shall see what happens. In the meantime, I have hours of reading to catch up on. Chronicles of Narnia: here I come!
Winchester is a very small town. The surrounding country-side is beautiful, and the drive to and from is quite nice. There isn't a whole lot to do in Winchester. There's IHOP, and Bdubs, and the bowling alley. Oh, and Walmart...we have two. Aside from that, well, you are sort of on your own. Still, Winchester is growing by leaps and bounds every day. We just got a Red Lobster, A Borders, Old Navy, Olive Garden, and my personal favorite (besides Borders), Coldstone Creamery. Sarah and I go once a week (usually after a disastrous orchestra rehearsal.) This is perhaps not the greatest idea for our waist-lines, but some nights, only ice cream will do.
Winchester's great claim to fame is the Apple Blossom Festival. There are parades, fireworks, princesses, deep-fried foods, bands, a craft show, and more alcohol than should legally be consumed at one time. It's like nothing you've ever seen, and I am not even going to attempt to describe it. Winchester is a very nice town, and I know a lot of people who love it. I, however, do not. But, that's just me.
I am glad to be leaving Shenandoah. It has never felt much like home to me. I have made some terrific friends, like my Platonic Soulmate, but overall, I feel like I've mostly just made acquaintances. I have been struck by how immature many of the undergraduate students are. So many of them seem to have no interest in learning or improving themselves. I thought that when I got here it would be like Interlochen was. I assumed that it would be full of people who were passionate about the arts and who would share my love for music. And, I assumed that since they would be passionate about their art, they would work hard at it. This was a serious miscalculation on my part. I have never understood the slacker mentality. I have always felt that if you aren't giving something your all, well, you might as well not do it at all. I have been continually frustrated by the lack of dedication, both in my ensembles and in my classes.
At UVA, if you don't study, you fail. And if you fail, well, it's your own fault. No one holds your hand. You are expected to do your part, and you get what you put in. Here, this is not the case. I have been amazed by how many people ask for extra credit, and receive it. There is a lot of coddling and babying. This doesn't happen in every class, and certainly not everyone is guilty of this, but it does exist in some frequency. It is hard to fail a class here. The majority of my classes have been fairly easy. Perhaps not everyone would agree with me on this. In comparison to UVA, the course load is light. There are of course exceptions, but this has been my experience.
Lest you think that my two years have been all bad, let me say that there is one thing that I have been extremely satisfied with. My clarinet lessons have been everything that I hoped they would be. I have grown so much as a player, and I know that my confidence level has increased quite a bit. Dr. Johnston and I get along well, and his personality has been just what needed after four years with Mrs. G. Don't get me wrong, I respect Mrs. G. and admire her skill as a clarinetist. I like her, and I did learn from her, but her teaching style was not what I needed. Here, I have felt like I have improved a lot. I still have confidence issues, but I am working on them. It helps that I was forced to play principal in orchestra all year. I mastered some tough music (can we say Scheherazade?), and that alone has forced me to realize that I am better than I have been giving myself credit for. I have loved being in an environment where people truly believe in me and know that I can succeed. Musically, I cannot ask for a better experience, and as that is why I came to Shenandoah, I can say that graduate school was a success.
So, Saturday I will don my black robe, pink tassel and pink hood and receive my diploma. Thus ends one chapter in my life and begins another. This summer I will remain in Winchester, living on campus, playing in the pit orchestras, and working at the farm. I do not know exactly what life holds for me after that, but I know it will be good. Hopefully, I will get a steady job with benefits and can move into an apartment in Fairfax County with Lesley. I have an audition for the President's Own Marine Band in June. We shall see what happens. In the meantime, I have hours of reading to catch up on. Chronicles of Narnia: here I come!
