Nothing like celebrating Cinco De Mayo with a little Irish folk jazz… yeah…
First things first… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Okay… now that we’ve got *that* out of the way.
The last month and a half have been a whirlwind for me.
All of March was spent performing with the Irish group Tallymoore, and what a blast that was! I can’t believe that we played at least one gig every weekend for over a month straight. We learned a lot about performing and about ourselves, and I believe that we’re all better for it. TALLY-HO!
I also wrote music for a modern dance piece that my dear friend Jordan has choreographed and will be performing on several different occasions in the coming months. I’ll keep everyone updated about that.
In the midst of all this, I started a new group for myself that combines my two musical loves, jazz and Irish folk music, and just today, we finished recording the new EP. As soon as I’m done mixing it and have the album art in hand, it will be up on my website. Don’t worry, EVERYone will know when that happens. I also have my debut gig on May 5th with this new group at Orchestra Hall Recording Studio right here in Logan Square in Chicago.
If this all wasn’t exciting enough for me, I got sent over the edge today by receiving just one measly little email.
Last year, I read a book called “The Savvy Musician”, and it changed my life. In short, the book details the many paths and options available for a 21st century musician to earn a respectable middle class income and several different ways to achieve the desired outcome. In the author’s most recent newsletter, he indicated that he was writing a new book about the future of the arts in our society and that he needed research assistants. Upon reviewing the “high quality and quantity of applications received”, they narrowed the field to just ten finalists. WHO HAS TWO THUMBS AND IS ONE OF THOSE TEN FINALISTS?! THIS GUY!!!
Now, I have the distinct pleasure of proving that I am just as awesome as I stated in my application, and once I do that, I’ll be a part of a team of researchers that works in close contact with the author of one of my favorite books of all time. Ridiculous.
Well, folks… when it rains, it pours. And I’m singing in the rain. Just singing in the rain.
This is what happens when I get bored at work and people annoy me with this prioritization shit.
For those of you outside of the Columbia College Chicago universe, the school has recently proposed a recommended prioritization for departments and programs. Most of the programs are going to be restructured and combined with others, and two programs are going to be cut: the Chicago Jazz Ensemble and the Center for Black Music Research. Because of this, outraged students have protested the prioritization and have demanded a tuition freeze.
What if the school abandoned the prioritization in favor of keeping every student at the school happy? The school would continue to spend money it doesn’t have and would be forced to shut down. What if the school froze tuition while inflation still goes on? The same result would be found.
If it’s a private arts college that the students want, they will not find a cheaper option than Columbia, as it is the least expensive private arts college in the nation. If cheaper is still wanted, a state school could be a better option.
Which brings me to my next point. Many students are saying that they have a right to voice their opinions, and they couldn’t be more right. I would also like to add that the school has a right to ignore them. As a consumer, choice is your most powerful weapon. If you like it, keep buying it: if you don’t, stop.
I went to Columbia, and there are things that I hated and didn’t understand about the school. However, I was overall quite satisfied with my experience. I don’t know how many times I asked myself:Is this school providing me with the overall educational experience I want/need?Despite its shortcomings, the answer was almost always “yes”; so, I stayed. Not everything about any school is perfect for everyone all the time.
Now onto the two proposed cuts that the Chicago Tribune was so kind to give their flaccid commentary on. As a Jazz Studies student, I couldn’t have been in a better position to receive the services of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble and the Center for Black Music Research. These two institutions, however, greatly let me down. I had no involvement with the Center for Black Music Research, didn’t know any students who did, and only learned of its existence in the last year of my study because my private lesson teacher received a grant from them. I had much contact with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble only because I endlessly sought out those opportunities. Had I not been such a zealot about it, I would’ve had almost no interaction with the group. Unfortunately, that’s the fate of most Jazz Studies students at Columbia College.
Ivy Leagues typically prioritize every three years. There’s not much shocking about this in the education world. ALL schools increase tuition with inflation. And all schools have things about them that their students don’t like. In short, these aren’t problems that are specific to Columbia College. They’re problems that appear across the board at schools in America. Getting angry with the administration at Columbia College won’t fix anything at the national level.
