Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Blessings
Yesterday I went to EWU for the last time (at least as a student). I returned everything that I needed to return and went to Records and Registration to withdraw from classes. I've told everyone that needed to know that I'm not coming back. This morning I actually spoke to the conductor of the orchestra there. He was very upset about the situation and how it was handled. But he totally agrees with my decision and is supportive of my decision to withdraw and pursue other options. While I was sure I had made the right decision, it's still nice to have outside confirmation. Since the decision has been made it seems like blessings have been coming our way. I've decided that I'm going to focus on two things for the immediate future: 1) practicing and working on building up my music career through auditions, performances, and teaching, and 2) working on creating more income through our business. Both of those things have been working out really well, and it's been less than a week since I've made the decision. I've had appointments already and have some coming up and I'm sure I'll get orders out of those meetings. I've been contacted by two different people to perform at their events (one at Macy's Northtown in October and one for a wedding in November). Today I received a call from the Coeur d'Alene School District asking if I would be interested in teaching the beginning strings class at one of the elementary schools. I'm going to email them my resume and meet with them later this week to see what we can make happen there. Now, nothing is confirmed yet, but I have a good feeling about all this. I'm truly blessed to have all these good things happening in the wake of a troubling situation and a husband who supports me through everything.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Pulling the Plug
As at least some of you know, my experiences at EWU lately have been less than satisfactory.
Let me start at the beginning.
This time last year I began the first year of the Master's program at Eastern Washington University with an emphasis in performance. I came in with the understanding that I would be working with the same teacher for the two years of my program. In performance degrees at the collegiate level, but especially at the Master's level and beyond, the program is often selected based on what teacher you will be working with. When I originally expressed interest in EWU, I took a lesson from the violin professor on faculty, I liked him, so I decided to go through with enrolling. Unbeknownst to me, the University had already decided not to renew his contract after the 2008-2009 school year. I found out through the grape vine during the first week of classes that my teacher wasn't going to be there for the duration of my program. When I confronted the Department Chair with this information, he lied to my face and said nothing had been decided yet. I was informed the next day by someone else that it had been decided, and that what I had been told originally was correct - my teacher would only be there for the first year of my program. I requested to be included in the search process for the new teacher, was assured I would be, and left to my own devices.
They did not begin the search until sometime in the spring, brought three people in over the summer to interview, and I was included in that process. I took lessons from all three candidates and provided my feedback to the commitee. Unfortunately, someone from the department sent an improper email to one of the candidates, the candidate complained to the University, and the search was cancelled. So, they're hiring someone temporary for the Fall Quarter, restarting the search to have someone permanent by Winter Quarter, and they're hoping it will be the same person they were on the verge of making an offer to previously.
So, this means that I would be having three teachers in a two year program.
The private teacher is the most important component of a performance program.
Does anyone else see a problem here?
I've been trying for the past month to work with the department to make the best of a horrible situation. I proposed that they hire me as a grad assistant for the Fall Quarter to handle the duties of the violin professor position. I meet the basic minimum requirements for the position as advertised, and am more than capable of teaching the current violin and viola students as well as the string techniques class. Out of this deal I would get more money and the right to work with a mutually agreed upon instructor for the academic year. They decided that this was not the greatest idea. Instead they told me I would have to take from whoever they managed to wrangle into the position (my words, not theirs), and that I should "look at it as the glass half-full." They also informed me they would allow me to teach the string techniques class in the fall. It would be great experience, they said. When I asked how much they were going to give me to teach the class, they said, "Nothing." So, they want me to do more work this year for less money. Does anyone else find that to be absurd? This is a class normally taught by full time faculty, and they want me to voluntarily teach it for free. I informed the chair that I don't work for free, and that I could use the time spent teaching the class teaching actual paying students. Frankly, I'm insulted that they even suggested that. I was further informed that allowing me to take lessons from a teacher of my choosing and still receiving credit from the University for it would, "set a bad precedent," and proceded with a ridiculous slippery slope argument. (I've noticed over the years that most of those slippery slopes never happen in real life, because we don't live in a ridiculously hypothetical universe, but maybe that's just me.)
Anyway, my scholarship money is severely reduced from last year, I don't have an acceptable situation with a teacher there, and they have no respect for me as a person or a professional. They, and the Department Chair in particular, seem to think that I'm a freshman who has no idea about the world at all. I wouldn't say my experience is vast, but I've done the college thing before. I pay my bills. I am, in fact, older than most of the Master's students. Most of them are 22 or 23 and I am 26. I have an entire professional life outside of the University. Nevertheless, they expect me to be grateful for whatever crap they decide to dole out to me. I'm not acruing that much more student loan debt for a substandard program. It's just not worth it. So, I have a few more things to wrap up, and then I will be officially withdrawing from the University next week, probably on Monday.
It actually feels good to have made a decision. I don't have to worry about it anymore and can spend my time focusing on other things, like the two gigs and audition that I have coming up in the next week and a half.
Let me start at the beginning.
This time last year I began the first year of the Master's program at Eastern Washington University with an emphasis in performance. I came in with the understanding that I would be working with the same teacher for the two years of my program. In performance degrees at the collegiate level, but especially at the Master's level and beyond, the program is often selected based on what teacher you will be working with. When I originally expressed interest in EWU, I took a lesson from the violin professor on faculty, I liked him, so I decided to go through with enrolling. Unbeknownst to me, the University had already decided not to renew his contract after the 2008-2009 school year. I found out through the grape vine during the first week of classes that my teacher wasn't going to be there for the duration of my program. When I confronted the Department Chair with this information, he lied to my face and said nothing had been decided yet. I was informed the next day by someone else that it had been decided, and that what I had been told originally was correct - my teacher would only be there for the first year of my program. I requested to be included in the search process for the new teacher, was assured I would be, and left to my own devices.
They did not begin the search until sometime in the spring, brought three people in over the summer to interview, and I was included in that process. I took lessons from all three candidates and provided my feedback to the commitee. Unfortunately, someone from the department sent an improper email to one of the candidates, the candidate complained to the University, and the search was cancelled. So, they're hiring someone temporary for the Fall Quarter, restarting the search to have someone permanent by Winter Quarter, and they're hoping it will be the same person they were on the verge of making an offer to previously.
So, this means that I would be having three teachers in a two year program.
The private teacher is the most important component of a performance program.
Does anyone else see a problem here?
I've been trying for the past month to work with the department to make the best of a horrible situation. I proposed that they hire me as a grad assistant for the Fall Quarter to handle the duties of the violin professor position. I meet the basic minimum requirements for the position as advertised, and am more than capable of teaching the current violin and viola students as well as the string techniques class. Out of this deal I would get more money and the right to work with a mutually agreed upon instructor for the academic year. They decided that this was not the greatest idea. Instead they told me I would have to take from whoever they managed to wrangle into the position (my words, not theirs), and that I should "look at it as the glass half-full." They also informed me they would allow me to teach the string techniques class in the fall. It would be great experience, they said. When I asked how much they were going to give me to teach the class, they said, "Nothing." So, they want me to do more work this year for less money. Does anyone else find that to be absurd? This is a class normally taught by full time faculty, and they want me to voluntarily teach it for free. I informed the chair that I don't work for free, and that I could use the time spent teaching the class teaching actual paying students. Frankly, I'm insulted that they even suggested that. I was further informed that allowing me to take lessons from a teacher of my choosing and still receiving credit from the University for it would, "set a bad precedent," and proceded with a ridiculous slippery slope argument. (I've noticed over the years that most of those slippery slopes never happen in real life, because we don't live in a ridiculously hypothetical universe, but maybe that's just me.)
Anyway, my scholarship money is severely reduced from last year, I don't have an acceptable situation with a teacher there, and they have no respect for me as a person or a professional. They, and the Department Chair in particular, seem to think that I'm a freshman who has no idea about the world at all. I wouldn't say my experience is vast, but I've done the college thing before. I pay my bills. I am, in fact, older than most of the Master's students. Most of them are 22 or 23 and I am 26. I have an entire professional life outside of the University. Nevertheless, they expect me to be grateful for whatever crap they decide to dole out to me. I'm not acruing that much more student loan debt for a substandard program. It's just not worth it. So, I have a few more things to wrap up, and then I will be officially withdrawing from the University next week, probably on Monday.
It actually feels good to have made a decision. I don't have to worry about it anymore and can spend my time focusing on other things, like the two gigs and audition that I have coming up in the next week and a half.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Finished!
I finished my first pair of commissioned kilt hose! I finished the argylls first because the dancer who they are for has a competition this Saturday, so I've been working on them exclusively this week so I could get them done in time. And I did. I will deliver them tomorrow afternoon. Here is a photo of the finished project:
This is a pre-wash photo...they're having a bath now, and I will soon take them out and lay them out to dry. The colorwork should be more even and the yarn softer after the bath.
This is a pre-wash photo...they're having a bath now, and I will soon take them out and lay them out to dry. The colorwork should be more even and the yarn softer after the bath.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Works in Progress
Life, or at least my life, seems to be a string of works in progress. I constantly have a few knitting projects on the needles, I'm pretty much always working on one piece or another musically, and relationships are constantly evolving and need attention in order to flourish. All works in progress. This isn't a bad thing. If anything, it's a good thing. It means that I'm growing, learning, exploring...all necessary to a full, enjoyable life. Stagnation would be so sad. So, I'm glad there's always something new to do or learn or experience. Right now I have several works in progress. I'm preparing to audition for the substitute personnel list for the Spokane Symphony on September 24. I also have two weddings to play this month, one this Saturday, and one on September 26.
Knitting wise, I have five projects in progress by my count. The two pairs of kilt hose that have been commissioned, the two pairs of socks I started while waiting for the yarn to come in for the commissioned hose, and Katrina's sweater. I still need to put the sleeves in and do the collar. Sorry, Katrina, for taking so long. I promise I'll get it done.
I have made significant progress on the kilt hose. I have the first sock done of the heather green ones (minus weaving in the ends). The annoying thing about this sock is that I thought I would have enough yarn in two balls to complete the sock, but I was about three rows plus the grafting short of a full sock. I did order five balls of yarn for the pair, to be on the safe side, and I'm glad I did. Here is a picture of the completed sock on my leg. It does not fit me well at all. The foot is about two inches too long, the leg is way too long, and it wouldn't stay up for long if I tried walking around in them. This is all as it should be, since they're for a man with feet two inches longer than mine. But it looks better on a leg, even a too small leg, than it does just lying limp on the floor.
Close up detail of the cuff:
The first sock of the pair of argyll hose is coming along. I have nearly all of the ends woven in and have seamed down the back and started the heel. I still need to finish the foot and sew down the hem on the cuff, as well as weaving in the last few ends once that's all done. It does look a bit silly right now, though.
In an earlier post I postulated that I might get an entire pair of socks done before the yarn arrived for the kilt hose. This is true, and not true at the same time. While I was knitting the sock I had started at the Highland Games, which was a toe-up sock, I had the urge to make a top-down sock. So, I got out the yarn that I bought a year and a half ago when my mom and I went to Spokane on a yarn shopping tour, and started another pair of socks in a popular pattern called Monkey by the designer Cookie A. I finished both the toe-up sock and the top-down sock, but then the yarn came, and I haven't finished their mates. Here are the photos:
Monkey sock 2 (or at least the cuff)
So while only two projects are actually on the needles, I technically have five in process. Katrina's sweater is not much further along than previous pictures (the body is sewn together now), so I won't post more of that until it's finished (whenever that may be).
Knitting wise, I have five projects in progress by my count. The two pairs of kilt hose that have been commissioned, the two pairs of socks I started while waiting for the yarn to come in for the commissioned hose, and Katrina's sweater. I still need to put the sleeves in and do the collar. Sorry, Katrina, for taking so long. I promise I'll get it done.
I have made significant progress on the kilt hose. I have the first sock done of the heather green ones (minus weaving in the ends). The annoying thing about this sock is that I thought I would have enough yarn in two balls to complete the sock, but I was about three rows plus the grafting short of a full sock. I did order five balls of yarn for the pair, to be on the safe side, and I'm glad I did. Here is a picture of the completed sock on my leg. It does not fit me well at all. The foot is about two inches too long, the leg is way too long, and it wouldn't stay up for long if I tried walking around in them. This is all as it should be, since they're for a man with feet two inches longer than mine. But it looks better on a leg, even a too small leg, than it does just lying limp on the floor.
Close up detail of the cuff:
The first sock of the pair of argyll hose is coming along. I have nearly all of the ends woven in and have seamed down the back and started the heel. I still need to finish the foot and sew down the hem on the cuff, as well as weaving in the last few ends once that's all done. It does look a bit silly right now, though.The front:
The back:
Here is a picture of the clippings after weaving in about half the ends:
In an earlier post I postulated that I might get an entire pair of socks done before the yarn arrived for the kilt hose. This is true, and not true at the same time. While I was knitting the sock I had started at the Highland Games, which was a toe-up sock, I had the urge to make a top-down sock. So, I got out the yarn that I bought a year and a half ago when my mom and I went to Spokane on a yarn shopping tour, and started another pair of socks in a popular pattern called Monkey by the designer Cookie A. I finished both the toe-up sock and the top-down sock, but then the yarn came, and I haven't finished their mates. Here are the photos:
The Evergreen Sock (toe-up)
Monkey sock 1
Monkey sock 2 (or at least the cuff)
So while only two projects are actually on the needles, I technically have five in process. Katrina's sweater is not much further along than previous pictures (the body is sewn together now), so I won't post more of that until it's finished (whenever that may be).
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