Day 047: Preparing for entrance exams
36yearsago.com
Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing &
friends.
Day 47
— Preparing for entrance exams
18-September-1971
(Sat.)
TRANSCRIPT
Typical day. Not spending as much time doing academic
work—German and music. Started doing reading and work
on fugues and chorales in preparation for composition
exam. I come to the conclusion that I am grossly
inadequately prepared for a major in composition. I
still want to study, though, so I think I’ll try it
anyway.
Met with a minister who gave us some hints on finding
rooms. Very nice.
REFLECTIONS
Getting
ready. It looks
like I am preparing for entrance exams to the
academy, and I am studying
fugues and
chorales that I may
have to write or analyze for my exams. I come to the
realization that I may not be ready for a graduate
major in composition.
Undergrad
studies. As I may
have mentioned, at Montclair State I was an
undergraduate in music education. My major was French
Horn. I took the standard humanities, science, and
math courses along with many music courses—music
theory, music history, and many music education
courses and pedagogy. I participated in many
performance ensembles as well. I did take one course
in music composition, where I remember writing only
three or so very short compositions. (Those
compositions, if I remember correctly, will bring me
a surprise at the end of the year.)
I wonder where I got my interest in composition from?
Was it that one course? I don’t remember. Although I
don’t know it, music composition will become more
important later in my life.
Finding
our interests. I find it
very interesting as to how we develop our interests
and begin to choose our career paths and life
interests. What we do—from our early schooling to
high school—is important. Nurturing and exposure from
family and friends also shapes us. Classic examples:
sports, music, school activities, and the areas that
interest you in school are the things you often
decide to pursue as you head off to college. Finally,
we like and enjoy the things that we are good at,
whether basketball, science, or music. We gravitate
to these activities and often pursue them as a career
path.
If you’re young, in college, or just graduated, you
are experiencing these career and school choices and
will continue to do so.
Don’t worry. Just make
the best choices you can. You can always change your
“career path” in college and throughout your life—in
fact, most people have several career paths
throughout their lives.
Need
a room. This
journal entry is the first hint that I will not be
staying at the student dorms during the school year
and that I'll need to find a room. Now, that's a bit
of extra pressure in addition to exams. Looks like we
are getting some valuable help.
Take care.
John
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