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February 13, 2006
dissertation blah
Urgh.
Last semester I had to stay focused to get a chapter done to try to get a scholarship for next year to try not to have to try to find a job next year. Great incentive!
This semester, I haven't quite found my groove (and midterms are next week-we're nearly half-way through the semester already). Some of it has been slow ILL stuff, some of it has just been general un-focus. I got a book in just now, which I thought was going to be Alice Parker's entire Singer's Glen opera, but it turns out to be just the chorus parts, just with piano. The full score, apparently, is only available for rental for performance (and costs $200!). I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get around that.
It's probably time to get in touch with Alice Parker directly, but I'm a little nervous. I want to sound professional, with polished research and nicely worded questions for her, not over-eager and studentish. I also haven't had much experience with interviewing people for academic projects. There must be a book or something out there with tips. I don't know if I should e-mail her and ask for a phone interview, or ask her questions over e-mail, or ask if I could visit her in New England.
Now I'm thinking about working on John Adams's chamber work Gnarly Buttons.
http://www.earbox.com/frames-html/low-frames.html
The first movement uses a shape-note hymn (apparently transforming it, using jazz and bluegrass styles as the movement progresses, both styles hugely loaded with "Americanist" implications). Same problem though--piano and clarinet reduction is available, but not (apparently) the full score.
C'est tout!
dissertation | By Tim and Jo | 11:22 AM
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Comments
Hey Joanna,
How are you and Tim doing? I think the last time I saw you was the day you got married. I hope everything works out with the dissertation. Take care! It's good to see you in blogland.
Posted by: Katie Mac at February 13, 2006 10:21 PM
Hi Katie! It's so nice to hear from you. Tim helped me organize all of my pictures from our whirlwind Europe trip with Diber a couple of months ago, and it really made me think of you and wonder how you're doing. And I've been to your blog a couple of times--those crochet baskets sounded like a fun project!
Posted by: Joanna at February 14, 2006 10:10 AM