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Scale The Summit

So it's now Sunday, a week later than I said i would finish my summation. I am in Wind Ensemble, miraculously. Galen Lemmon is a phenomenal percussionist, and I really think of him as a friend, as well as a teacher. Dr. Edward Harris is starting to get on my nerves though... all he thinks about is his wind ensemble, like it's the most important thing in the world. O_o Sometimes I wonder if I am in the right place for what I want to do...

My choice comes down to money, ultimately. If the Budget Crisis gets worse (which we all know it will) I might as well transfer down to MI, because at least I can justify wanting to be a performing drum set player. Anyone reading who is now thinking.... "wait, I thought he loved orchestral percussion..." well I do. I love it to death. I cannot get enough of it, but the truth is the SJSU music department is a mess. No one communicates; students are left to fend for themselves in what can only be called the hardest and most confusing major in the world. SJSU treats musicians like something to be stuffed in a dark corner of a darker closet. MI is all about putting music at the fore front of education.

For a change of pace, I have spent all of today reading various Wiki-articles. I started with "Lupus" and gradually because side-tracked, and ended up on "England." From there I read "Dodo," "Ostrich," "Black Death," "Elephant Bird" "Albertasaurus," Gigantoraptor," "Platypus," and about 15 more sub articles that are related to the afore mentioned. I have also found a steal on craiglist. A Rockstar DX drum set for $80.00! You can't find a deal like that.

More later....

The Human Abstract, Star wars in the Park, and Wind Ensemble

More of My Drums, thanks to Ryan, originally uploaded by anotherdrummer242.

All this week I have been obsessed with the band "the Human Abstract." They are an amazing band, and I want to make music similar to theirs, and Dream Theater's. Attached to this blog is another picture of my drum set (courtesy of LWG photography and Ryan Mannie). I spent a week refinishing it and making it look way more expensive than it really is. The shells are made of Poplar, which is basically like the paper plate of drummer-ry. You see where I am going? Anywho, much to my surprise, The drums not only look beautiful, they also sound somewhat better than before the change. Perhaps it was my extra time taken while tuning the drums, but I'd like to think its the lack of a vinyl wrap that makes it so much better. But I digress...

Tonight I went to see The Symphony Silicon Valley performing Works from the great John Williams, spanning several movies, including Jaws, Schindler's List, and Star Wars. I absolutely love the star wars music. Not just from one movie or another, but all six. Each one has it's own them that is some how tied into the movie before, or them movie after, episodes IV and VI being the exception, because Star Wars did not Exist before A New Hope, and it ends with Return of the Jedi. My favorite of them all however is the score to Episode III, because it ties all of the other Episodes together. PLus the percussion arrangements are so cool to listen to.

This semester I didn't audition for Wind Ensemble, which will ultimately bite me in the ass I think.

Will finish tomorrow or monday....