think carrie, think!

The orchestra roster is separated so that we’re only playing a certain number of songs each. No wonder we’re going to get through so much.

It’s all a bit confusing, but it looks like I’ve been assigned to play first flute on Handel’s Watermusic as my first piece.

On Monday, I’ll be getting my music for orchestra. As I looked through the repertoire we’ll be going through this year, I am wondering how it will be possible to get through what our conductor has planned. Here’s what he has lined up:

Handel’s Fireworks Suite
Handel’s Water Music
Bach’s Orchestral Suites (yes, all of them)
Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos
Haydn’s London Symphonies
Mozart’s Last Symphonies
some of Mozart’s instrumental concertos
ALL NINE of Beethoven’s symphonies
all of Beethoven’s Overtures
some of Beethoven’s concertos

That’s insane. Then again, I’ve never actually played in an orchestra before. My ensemble experience seems to have included everything BUT orchestras. Concert bands, jazz bands, jazz combos, pit orchestras, chamber trios/quartets/quintets, solo gigs … but never a full orchestra. I’m excited.

Also, for those of you who are familiar, you’ll have noticed that we’re going through all of the late Baroque to early Classical periods. A good mix for me (I’m thinking of my piano diploma certification now), as all my music talents are known to lie in the Baroque and Romantic eras, where my take of Classical period music is considerably weaker. And don’t even talk to me about Contemporary music.

Sometimes I wonder how I’ll ever be able to focus this year. I’m sure I’ll find a way. And have fun doing it.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m taking a grad typography class this term. I figured I needed a lot more training on my visual design skills and grad type seemed to be the perfect way to do that. And it’s fun, even if it’s frustrating a bit at times. It’s one of those things where you’re just using your eye a lot rather than your brain. I’m never satisfied with my work, so it seems like I’m always re-working my assignments.

The first assignment we were given is to make a three book covers for a series of book by John Cage. Each had to have the title of the book, “lectures and writings by john cage”, the volume number, the publishing company, the ISBN number, and the bar code. In addition, we are to choose only one type system, and use only three type sizes for all three book covers. Each week we do one book cover, and we’ve done two so far.

After some studies of a couple of type systems, I chose to use Univers. I’ll be forever attracted to sans-serifs, and Helvetica was too heavy for my liking.

The first book cover focused on the use of the standard grid, and was exploring simply how type size, weight, letter spacing, word spacing, leading, and alignment affect the legibility and readability of the form. Here’s my cover for this (Book was entitled A Year From Monday)–click to enlarge:

For our second assignment, we were asked to bring in an image of something from nature that had some sort of system. I chose an image of a snail:

From these images, we created some grid structures (mine could’ve either been a radial or dilatational structure), and from that made book cover layouts, all the while thinking about the words contained in the book cover, both in terms of their meanings and their forms. Here’s my book cover for this (Book was entitled Empty Words)–click to enlarge:

I’ve still got lots to learn. But I think I’m making some progress into stepping away from the familiar and trying to push towards exploring forms that are outside my comfort zone.

September 12 addition: Slim, a fellow student, has started a blog for our class where students can post work in progress… feel free to browse and comment!

This past weekend I attended Emergence, CMU School of Design’s second annual student-run conference. The theme this year was Exploring the Boundaries of Service Design. Dan Boyarski, Head of our School of Design, discussed the theme by asking how service design relates to disciplines such as systems, strategy, information, infrastructure, information, interaction, and product design. We spent most of the last conference trying to define and introduce service design as a discipline, and this year sought to work at the definition a bit more by looking at different fields.

That being said, here’s a quick glimpse of what I got from the conference. I attended one workshop, nine lectures, and two panel discussions. Here goes nothing.

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This entire morning, I’ve been seriously contemplating getting my piano performance diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (yes, it’s Canadian). Because I just have so much time on my hands. Ha.

For piano, the RCM offers 11 practical examinations. Grades 1 through 10, and then a choice of ARCT (Associate of the Royal Conservatory) diploma examination: either as a performer, or a teacher. Both of these last certifications are recognized worldwide. Additionally, starting at the grade 5 level, each practical examination must be supplemented by a series of music theory examinations in order for a passing grade.

I finished my grade 10 piano exam nine years ago. The only thing that has stopped me from doing the ARCT performance diploma is that sneaky music theory prerequisite. For the ARCT, three theory exams need to be written. Music history, analysis, and counterpoint exams need to be written, all within five years of the practical exam. And, because I never had time to study for the written exams, I never ended up finishing the diploma.

I figure it will take me at least two years to get back to the shape that I want to be in. Both physically and stylistically. So as long as I can get back into Canada sometime in the next five to seven years to do the practical and written exams, this goal of mine doesn’t seem too hard to accomplish. Except this whole time-finding business. Grad school is pretty good at stealing time away from me.

Playing and performing used to be my main channel for expression, stress relief, concentration, and just mental exercise in general. And sure, I could find other ways of doing that now. But I was a really good pianist. And it’s always a shame to stop something you’re really good at.