Tale as Old as Time

It has been a week of theory exams, musicals, concert hall rehearsals and fun surprises of which I hope all has helped on my pursuit to a career in music.

With last weeks expenses knocking up to just under £300 I really had to cut back on leisure activities and so sadly had to spend more time using my eyes and ears taking a step back from the practical side of gigging and recording. With my associated theory exam this week I really had to bustle down and prepare so as not to let the £26 fee go to waste.

When it came to the day all went well and I have a feeling that my revision has paid off. For my aspirations as a session musicians this qualifications not only shows to an employer my knowledge of theory but also shows that I am dedicated and determined to succeed.

First of all college this week has been hectic with new deadlines of essays, portfolio checks and end of term gigs drawing close. Yet again I am finding that organising my tasks is the best remedy to getting them done efficiently, hopefully with time I will be able to use this to my advantage when session work comes my way.

Our Led Zeppelin band is now at the stage of polishing up the set for the Glasgow gig. Over the last two weeks there has been a great deal of conflict, with time wasted on resolving these situations. The fact some members were coming in late to practice meant we were loosing valuable time and so they had to be warned about the extent that they would be participating with the band for a crummy performance from one member would mean a lower grade. Arranging of songs has been another issue for there are sections that do not click well with the band and almost feel cheesy. In the end though the conflict was resolved thanks to discipline and compromise. These encounters are something I will have to deal with in the “real world” and so I feel that the experience will benefit me greatly for the future.

My drum lesson this week went well and my four assessment pieces are coming along nicely. My tutor has really helped me find the feel for each of the four styles and although he can’t read a note of the music, notation is not an area I need to focus on. Over the next few weeks I aim to have three ready, well…if time is on my side.

Composition class this week was remarkable as we discovered the art of writing for cartoon and the many techniques needed to do so. After being put into groups we were given the task of writing for a two minute long Tom and Jerry sketch. This will be a challenge for it seems instrumentation will be very large and varied and so each member will be playing for more than one instrument and possibly not even their own. The fact we only have two weeks till the performance or should I say two rehearsals means next week will be full on and fast paced. For a session musician complex tasks in a small period are frequent and so hopefully this eye opener will help my abilities to cope with short deadlines.

In graded unit this week I had prepared for my mock interview to be acted in front of the class. I felt the interview went well and the feedback I got back was both positive and constructive in criticism. Areas improvement consist of fidgeting, pace of speech and growing a beard! Well I don’t about the beard but I will work on the rest for the interview.

My academic writing an understanding of text has been pushed with music history as I start to write my essay on genre. I think my main flaw is referencing and structure and so this time hopefully with help from other students and lecturers I will grasp a strong foundation for the assignment.

Sadly I did not attend my last two classes as it overlapped with my Grade 5 theory but I have used my initiative and found what is due for next week.

On Friday we had articulation class, which is slowly becoming one of my favourite classes. Not only am I learning musical concepts and harmony but every week we get to listen to and discuss fantastic music that I never knew existed. For an aspiring session musician I feel a broad knowledge of genre will benefit and help me in communicating generally with other musicians and hopefully in my networking skills.

There was also a nice surprise brought to the class when each of us was given a hand out on what was acquired of us for our “degree interview” This consists of two grade 8 pieces one of which is chosen by the college, sight reading and theory tests and the interview itself…no one is safe! Well although this was a shock I am quite happy that they are challenging the class to a competitive nature for a place on the degree. I have not chosen my piece yet but really want to do something completely out of my league and different. I have a few ideas but whether I will be able to pull them off is another question.

So that was college this week but there has been a great deal going on outside as well. Earlier in my blog entries I mentioned that my trombone and I were participating in a charity gig at the concert hall accompanying a function band and Felix the Sax Cat on saxophone. This week saw us rehearsing the songs in Clearwater studio and later in the week at the concert hall. I gained a lot of experience doing both rehearsals and it was the first time I had played in the concert hall. This has been a great opportunity for me to network and work on my communication skills, as the band and all the staff were complete strangers to me. The tracks themselves range in complexity however learning the parts will not been as challenging as playing in tune and in time with all the rest of the band. I looked forward the gig a week on Saturday and hopefully will have videos and pictures to add and put towards my graded unit.

Sunday was exceptional good day as me and a few other students travelled to Kilmarnock to see the Centrestage’s production of Beauty and the Beast. I was completely blowing away by the performance with the incredible choreography, preparation, props and singers and actors. For any aspiring musician seeing the professionals in action and how dedicated every one was to the show was a real eye opener and helped me to find motivation and inspiration I thought I’d lost. Last year I was lucky enough to play drums for two of the shows and the experience I took away was priceless. After the show I was lucky enough to bump into Musical Director Fiona Mckenzie who talked of performing “Songs For a New World” again this year and that she would be in touch with me when the time drew near. I look forward to returning to the pit and becoming a part of the musical magic again and hopefully now with a little more experience to my belt will play my part to a more accurate and higher standard

So with inspiration restored I look forward to the up and coming weeks and preparing for my degree year. Now though…its back to writing this darn essay!