Sing Play Survive

sound ideas to help make it through music school

Posts Tagged college

Friday Fun: A cappella hits network TV

Dec 18

Posted by Bryan W in Free Time, Friday Fun, Music Schools, Wow! | No Comments

I have to say, I’m not a big a cappella fan, and I rarely watch TV. I just came across some of the videos from The Singoff, a new reality-contest-show-whatever on NBC. Unfortunately, most of them solidified my dislike for a cappella AND TV.

However, a link to “Come Sail Away” by the Tufts University Beelzebubs popped up. Styx performed by an a cappella group? I’m in! I didn’t like the fact that they had to trim the arrangement for the show, but I had a good time watching the clip. Like all of the videos I watched, the Bubs have some pitch problems, but I suspect that it has to do more with the monitoring situation than it does their skill (And I’m pointing this out so I don’t get any hate mail about not choosing a perfect performance). Here they are having a ton of fun on national TV.

And since TV is a bad way to REALLY know what someone can do, I also found a video from a non-televised ‘Bubs performance… It’s much better.

If you like what you see, you can vote for them on December 21st, using the instructions in the above video. You can also find them at www.bubs.com

Friday Fun is a weekly feature at singplaysurvive.com that hilights fun and distracting performances by college students and independent artists. If you’d like to suggest a group or a video, please email me at contact@bryanwegman.com.

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Correction(ish): U of Michigan NOT the first iPhone orchestra?

Dec 5

Posted by Bryan W in Frustrations, Music Schools, News, Wow! | 5 Comments

zee_pr_thumbOh Twitter. I woke up this morning to a message from a German performance group called ZEE (Zaboura Eichstaedt Experience) who informed me that they performed with iPhones BEFORE the U of M concert. I felt kind of bad for my mistake, until I saw that they were an “orchestra” of 12. Now, I just have questions:

  1. Is an ensemble of 12 considered an orchestra? Maybe they were the first “Chamber Orchestra”, which would mean that U of M can keep their title!
  2. Why do colleges and groups like ZEE insist on using an antique word like “orchestra” to describe such innovative ideas? Is it to make the group seem more credible? I guess that makes sense to an extent, but it reminds me of music schools that have groups with names like “Rock Combo” or “Latin Ensemble”. Do you use those names help keep the riff-raff out of your institutions?

Colleges and “legitimate” musicians: quit being pretentious and come up with names that reflect the spirit of your group! We’re all creative people, so that SHOULDN’T be hard. If the music is good, it won’t matter if you call your group “The Glennhaven Conservatory Festival Portable iTelephone Konsort” or “Band of Geeks”, because people will respect you for what really matters: the quality of the performance…

…and if the music is lousy, don’t desecrate the word “orchestra”. ;-)
Learn more about ZEE at http://www.zeeing.de/home.htm. For a quick peek at a school with great ensemble names, take a look at the Berklee Ensemble Department homepage (and then send them a note asking to remove the word “ensemble” from all the names).

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Friday Fun: University of Michigan offers iPhone music class

Dec 4

Posted by Bryan W in Free Time, Music Schools, Wow! | No Comments

Playing the iPhoneThis fall, University of Michigan professor Georg Essl began teaching a class to explore the use of the iPhone/iPod touch as a musical instrument. A joint effort of the The department of Computing and Engineering and the School of Music, the course discusses programming and performance technique on Apple’s famous hand-held devices…

Ok, enough with the news reporting. Am I the only one asking, “Why didn’t MY school have that?” Props to the faculty for pushing the boundaries of what’s taught in music schools. This class looks like serious fun!

Like any good music class, this one includes a performance requirement. In this case, it appears that the U of M has created the first ever “iPhone Orchestra”. Each performer has a set of portable speakers strapped to his/her wrists, which look like a pair made by Altec Lansing.

If you want to see more, Wired Online has two videos to watch. One of the iPhone concert, and one that profiles the class. Interested in starting your own iPhone orchestra? You can find the speakers on Amazon.

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Trouble Making School Work for You? Maybe this is why.

Nov 14

Posted by Bryan W in Frustrations, Surroundings | No Comments

This video speaks to some of the issues that college’s need to address if they’d like to stay relevant in the coming years. The issues seem especially true of music schools, so many of which are more concerned with preserving music than they are with taking it further. If you’re in school now, don’t be discouraged–just remember that music schools aren’t perfect institutions, and that there’s still a lot of great things about them. I’m NOT posting this to discredit all of the hard-working people who have dedicated there lives to making music schools what they are today.

This video was released in 2007, so you may have seen it before. If you haven’t seen it in a while, it’s worth watching again. If you’ve never seen it…

I noticed that a lot of people commenting on YouTube were confused by the video. They weren’t sure if the “blame” should be put on the students or on the system. Let’s forget about blame, and instead think creatively about how to use all of this technology in new and constructive ways. Professors, there’s more to “technology integration” than having your students email their papers to you. In the right hands, a blackboard or a piece of paper can be more engaging to students than Facebook or Twitter ever could.

Students, you are experts with this technology. Prove that it can be used creatively and constructively, and not just for socializing (although there’s nothing wrong with that).

What do you think? What are your schools doing to “keep up with the times”? How do you/they do it while still respecting our musical past? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Poll: What’s Your Biggest Frustration about Music School?

Nov 7

Posted by Bryan W in Frustrations, Uncategorized | No Comments

screaming womanOk, it might seem a little silly to take a poll, since I have had exactly three (yes three) visitors to this blog so far (thank you, whoever you are!).

I’m going to do it anyway, just in case one of them has thousands of friends, and so that I can start focusing my energy toward the questions that need answers the most.

So the question is… what is your biggest challenge when it comes to being a music student? If you could eliminate one source of frustration today, what would it be?

If you DO happen upon this poll, use the “share this” link to pass it on to friends. Better yet, invite them to the blog.


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Take the Stairs (and nine other ways to stay healthy in music school)

Nov 7

Posted by Bryan W in Health and Wellness | 1 Comment

Sitting on the StairsNow before anyone tries to label me a health nut, or thinks that I want the whole world to be skinny, please hear these words: If you want to play your best, you have to stay healthy. I mean it. You’ll never have the mental focus or the physical stamina to endure a rigorous class and practice schedule if you don’t eat right and stay in shape. And during flu-season, it may just keep you from getting sick.

One night at the all-you-can-eat dining hall, my friend Matt Dintrone remarked that I “eat like a saint.” Well I can tell you that’s not always true, but I do try to be conscious about what foods I put in my body. So am I asking you to eat like a saint, or try to get the physique of a supermodel or bodybuilder? Of course not! Here are some simple tips you can start using today to improve your physical health–and keep the freshman fifteen far far away.

  1. Exercise Regularly: You don’t have to be an “exercise nut” to stay in shape. If you’re walking to class and have an extra minute, take the long way. Join an intramural sports team, or do a simple circuit routine at the athletic center. Exercise can be great fun once you find something that works for you. Get out of the practice room and try something new! Not only will your body be in better shape, but your brain will work more efficiently. That should make it easier to focus during long practice sessions. Read the rest of this entry »

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Attention All Music Students: A Blog for You

Nov 5

Posted by Bryan W in Uncategorized | No Comments

Hi Everyone, and welcome to Sing.Play.Survive–the only (as far as I know) blog dedicated to helping you make it through music school. If your music school experience is anything like mine was, you’re probably cramming your brain full of information, practicing your butt off, and having the time of your life. But, at the same time, you might feel overworked, under appreciated, and stretched to the point where you feel like you could break at any second.

Chances are, unless your friends and family have gone through music school themselves, they have NO IDEA how strenuous it can be. Even though you’re busy, and constantly surrounded by other brilliant, talented  people, it can still be a lonely, stressful way to spend four years of your life. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had someone cheering you on, offering advice, and sharing hints to help you work smarter, play harder, and get more out of your time as a student? Read the rest of this entry »

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