2 Thousand 9, and composer B’days in twenty 10

Happy New Year!

For me, 2009 was enormously eventful.  Here are the most important events that went down in the last twelve months:

January-June — Semester abroad at the Liszt Academy in Budapest Hungary.  Those six months alone were worth years of memorable moments, from the first day to the last.

August — After months of intense preparation, kicking ass on the GRE.  Let’s hope it paid off, come mid-March!

September — Returning to campus for the first time in eight months, and beginning my last year at Montclair.

October — Playing on the big stage at Carnegie Hall!

November — Shattering doubts about switching gears from piano to musicology when I attended my first AMS Conference in Philadelphia.

December — Turning 21, and submitting my applications for grad school.

`

How was your 2 thousand 9?

`

2010 has plenty in store for scholars and musicians.  We will surely be hearing plenty of music from these composers, whose anniversaries many will be celebrating:

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-36), Wilhelm Friedmann Bach (1710-84), Fryderyk Chopin (1810-49), Robert Schumann (1810-56), Ferdinand David (1810-73), Mili Balakirev (1837-1910), and Samuel Barber (1910-81).  There will no doubt be performances of Monteverdi’s Vespers 1610, and in Hungary, people will surely be celebrating Ferenc Erkel (1810-93), composer of the national opera Bank Ban and the nation’s anthem.

Jack’s Graduate School Application Tips & Tricks – 3. A Few Words about Networking

According to Merriam-Webster Online, networking is “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business.”  In terms of graduate school admissions, networking is the creation of personal relationship between applicants and current professors, desired professors, admissions officers, and current graduate students.

Networking is NOT kissing ass, sucking up, brown-nosing, or being a “teacher’s pet.”  The most important difference between the attitude of a prospective undergraduate and a prospective graduate is the way that the student views his/her relationship with the teacher.  As children, we are all aware of the barrier between us and the “grown-ups.”  The attitude bleeds into the way a student views the teacher.  “Teachers don’t have lives outside the classroom,” my friends and I used to say, “if I saw Mr. ___ at the mall, I don’t know what I’d do!”  I’ve noticed in that in my university, students still view their professors with this prerequisite distance.  As young students, we often forget that teachers are students several years later.  Some of them are still students at institutions, but all study and learn on a daily basis like their students.  The closer we bridge the age gap between ourselves and our teachers, the closer we naturally come to understand that.  Nevertheless, students should not be put off by the concept of walking into a professor’s office “just to talk.”  Of course, buying a teacher gifts when one is failing his/her class clearly says something.  On the other hand, networking with a teacher basically says, “I want to talk with you because I am interested in what you have to say, and I value you as a person.  Also, you can help me accomplish something in my student career by recommending me to other professors or by giving me valuable advice.  In return, I hope to enlighten you with my own take on the process and perhaps make you proud by being a successful student of yours.”  By the time one is applying for an advanced degree, it’s time to put aside the idea that “My teacher is a dousche because he failed me,” and create a personal relationship that can be mutually fulfilling and beneficial.

Jack’s Graduate School Application Tips & Tricks – 2. The Personal Statement

I hope everyone’s having a restful holiday break.  So far, I got some much-needed sleep, which removed the bags from under my eyes.  I’ve eaten well, and have spent my time reading Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour (2001), a book that recounts chef Bourdain’s gastronomical adventures around the world in preparation for his first TV show by the same name.  I’m very excited for the season premiere of his current show No Reservations, which will air on January 11 on the Travel Channel.  He’s going to Panama where he’ll watch several tons of confiscated cocaine go up in flames in a big field.  Mmm, tasty.

`

As much as I can go on about Bourdain’s take on foie gras in France or on bacalao in Portugal, I’ve committed myself to writing about graduate school.  This next element is perhaps the most important, so try to keep up.

The statement of purpose is a piece of original writing, usually under 2 pages or 1000 words, that tells the admissions committee who you are with regards to your prospective major, how you are qualified, and the reasons for your application to their particular program.  Although each department has its own take on this short statement, one thing is constant:  it will be the most difficult two pages you’ll ever have to write.

From the nine drafts that I have had read and corrected by professors, I gathered that the personal statement must be at once concise and detailed.  It must be memorable yet clearly organized.  The idea is to present yourself as a well-qualified, determined candidate who is also a charming individual.

A good thing to keep in mind is to address your past, present, and future with regards to your degree track.  Talk about how you got involved with your field (a little anecdote puts some soul into your writing), discuss your current projects and interests, which professors you’d like to work with at your desired institution, and how you see yourself progressing as a ___ologist.

In order to pack all of this personal yet refined information into 2 typed pages, one must be a solid writer who is economical with word choice and sentence structure, but who is also able to show some personality.

If you’re not a great writer, or think that you can’t present yourself properly in two pages, don’t despair!  Here are a few things to remember:

1.  You’re not alone!  Each and every applicant must write a statement of some sort.

2.  You can have help, but you must seek it.  Let several experienced professors who in advance that you’d like them to read your statement.  Let them know of the exact wording of the statement’s question before they read your answer.  Also, let some of your more literate friends read your stuff.  You never know what little grammatical detail they might catch that the profs might have overlooked.

3.  Writing about yourself is both easy and hard as hell.  Naturally, you will feel a more personal connection with your subject (you) than you would with an outside topic.  At the same time, this is not a place to be writing your memoirs.  Write down as much as you can about yourself as if you were writing your autobiography, then pick and choose what is relevant enough to go into your personal statement.

`

As I said before with the GRE, don’t be afraid to scour the internet for advice.  No single piece of information is immaculate; read everything, then decide what works for you.  One website that helped me, especially regarding the beginning and closing paragraphs, is www.statementofpurpose.com.

`

Writing the personal statement for graduate school may be difficult, but it can also be a revelatory experience.  I myself know much more about myself as an aspiring musicologist than I did before.  There’s something about having to state in two sentences your research interests that really puts things into perspective.  Don’t be afraid of dead ends or seemingly endless revisions.  Have fun writing about you for a change; maybe one day people will do it for you!

Jack’s Graduate School Application Tips & Tricks – 1. The GRE

Last week, I triumphantly clicked “Submit” on six graduate applications.  It is such a relief to have that out of the way.  It’s been a long journey — extensive graduate program research, months of sacrificed time due to exhaustive GRE preparation, nine drafts of a Personal Statement, two research papers, twelve stamped, addressed recommendation envelopes, and a LOT of stress and agitation.

I put a lot of energy into my graduate school application process.  So much, that as of now, I don’t really give a shit about what happens next.  I feel that my application represents me as best as possible, and I now it’s time to let others decide my fate.  Since I put in a good deal of thinking, I figured I’d use this space to post some advice on various components of the graduate application process. I am not guaranteeing success, nor am I a guru of any kind, but having just gone through the process puts the ordeal fresh in my memory.  In the next weeks I will publish posts dedicated to my takes on the GRE, the Personal Statement, and on networking.

`

The GRE

Some say it’s easy.  To others, it’s the bane of their existence.  The GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is one of those silly Humanities requirements that one just has to satisfy.  The test is divided into three sections: Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical.  Since the Analytical (essay) portion is not counted towards the actual grade, I will discuss solely the first two parts, break them down, and share a few study tips.

`

Verbal

The Verbal section of the GRE is the “English” portion of the exam.  It essentially tests two things: breadth of vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.  Antonym questions give you a word, and you must find its closest opposite from four choices.  Analogies test word relationships, but word knowledge is essential for success.  It would be hard to figure out the analogy

SHEAF:WHEAT::

if you don’t know that “sheaf” means “bundle of wheat, rye, or papers.”

I had several methods of vocabulary prep.  For me, by far the most effective method was flashcard memorization.  I don’t mean buying the “Kaplan 500 Flashcards” set for $15.  I made my own flashcards, complete with the part of speech, alternative meanings, and a phrase that helps me remember the word.  The phrase may not make much sense, but recording your first impression of a word helps you remember it much better than a contrived, sophisticated sentence.  For example, my key phrase for “myopic” (lacking foresight) was “myopic optics.”  I remembered that “myopic” has something to do with optics, and even if I forgot the exact definition, I remembered the general idea.

Once I got the hang of flashcards, I was able to easily memorize 20-25 words daily.  But don’t forget to make every review cumulative until those words are engraved in your brain!

Reading skills are tested in two ways:  in Reading Comprehension, where a verbose passage of intellectual writing is followed by a few questions about the reading, and Sentence Completion, where the test taker needs to choose the missing words of a passage of one or two sentences.

I didn’t spend much time on the Sentence Completion, as I found them to be the easiest question type.  However, doing well on the Reading Comprehension took some practice.

The GRE asks the same type of questions on the Reading Comp.  For more information on what they are, look at any GRE Prep guide.  My most effective preparation technique was  reading the editorials of well-written newspapers, like the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, or the Los Angeles Times.  Make a list of various English-language newspapers from around the world.  Every day, select several different editorial articles, and read them as quickly as possible with comprehension.  Every four articles, open your word processor and try to summarize the articles in 3 or 4 sentences, without looking back on the articles.  Try to answer the following questions:

What was the purpose of the passage?

What was the author’s tone?

Was the article informative or persuasive?

Preparing for the Reading Comp this way is not only extremely effective but fun.  You get to peek at the everyday life of various English-language societies from around the world.

`

Math

Okay.  I hate math, and I never thought I was good at it.  Two pieces of advice:  PRACTICE FOR HOURS WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW.  I would spend 2 hours doing triangle questions.  Also, don’t constrict yourself to one method.  I took Kaplan before my shot at the GRE.  Certain things were not clear, and I didn’t do so well.  During my second preparation, I used what I learned from Kaplan as well as from Princeton Review, Barron’s and various internet websites.  Learn many techniques, and find out what works for you.  And do not underestimate the power of searching “GRE” on Youtube.  I have one word for you: Keshwani.  Youtube it.

Notes from Philadelphia or: My First AMS

Before I write about my first American Musicological Society (AMS) conference that I attended last week in Philadelphia, I need to share a hilarious anecdote about what happened yesterday.

`

I was in the library adding some last-minute citations to my paper.  I had just returned from the music reference section, the “ML” aisle, where I was looking up some terms.  Next, I needed to find a copy of the King James Bible to cite a passage from the “prodigal son” parable.   I asked the reference librarian, and after checking on his computer, he motioned for me to follow.  “All the bibles and philosophy books are together,” he said, “in the ‘BS’ section.”

`

Last week I attended my very first AMS conference.  The four-day scholarly extravaganza is the World Series of musicology.  Since this year’s location was nearby Philadelphia, I had to swing by, if only for two days.

I’ve been to Philly before as a travel-hungry high school sophomore who took a day trip with his friends.  This time around, the travel bug was still gnawing away after my semester in Europe.  I was thus as excited to go to Philly as I was almost six years ago.

As I was walking to the Sheraton in which the conference was taking place, I didn’t know what to expect.  I was a little apprehensive about how I would feel in a community of music scholars outside the context of a classroom.  Maybe my interest in the field was ephemeral; maybe, after meeting other historians, I would be immediately put off, like a blind date with someone who has an amorous phone voice but is physically repulsive?

Nope.  I felt really comfortable talking with professors and current graduate students.  I owe much of my positive experience to my music history professor, who despite having all kinds of personal engagements found time to spend with me.  Perhaps my favorite part of walking around the conference was looking at the name tags of the older profs only to find out that they wrote your textbook or the definitive book on Schoenberg or Stravinsky.

A typical conference day is divided into three paper sessions, with several panels of different topics occurring simultaneously.  I attended paper readings on Polish Jazz, late Haydn, 16th century “chanson lascive”, music at the fall of the Berlin Wall, and a pretty bad presentation on Prokofiev’s piano writing in America. In between were all kinds of events:  Renaissance sing-ins, receptions, book sales.  At any hour the main lobby and bar area were filled with participants.  I felt like an unsupervised kid in a Toys R Us, running joyfully from one aisle to the next.  Well, not exactly–I kept my composure–but I was nevertheless very enthusiastic.

Next year’s AMS is in Indianapolis.  I hope to go.  My name tag this year read “Montclair State University” as my academic affialation.  I wonder what it will say next year…