Howard Hanson is Generous

Pictured at the right is the famous Howard Hanson...Beloved composer and conductor (?) from the 'Golden Age' of the Eastman School of Music...And he has a kind of famous Symphony that is often played too...Anyways...I received a letter today from a certain James Undercofler saying that the proposal that me and Jairo submitted for the Howard Hanson Commission was successful!! This is a good thing because it means that we get $1000 to split between us (even though it all gets sent to him...We agreed on splitting it). It also means that piece, which was going to be written anyway, will have a deadline that will actually be enforced...Because if it isn't finished by the date we wrote on the proposal, then we won't get the money. It also means that I have to find a place for a recital in Chicago, since that was part of our proposal. This is very exciting...I never expected in a million years to get this! In other news, I was working on my application for Grad School at Eastman, which I decided to do about 3 days ago. I get to apply for grad assistantships, which is kind of exciting (not that I will get any...). What I really wanted was to be an aural skills TA, however, you have to take the GRE for that (no idea why). What you don't need to take the GRE for is a Music History TA and a Theory TA (makes no sense)...Neither of which I am qualified for or have any chance of getting...But there's no harm in trying, right? Ralph Locke and Dr. Marvin agreed to be references! I have also been emailing Norman Fischer about every two seconds trying to find a time when I can meet him down at Rice...I already had to pass up a Rice Symphony Concert...And the new proposed plan was to come hear Norm give a recital at Rothko Chapel!! Unfortunately I have tons of Musica Nova rehearsals as well as Alison's and Cody's and Marisol's Recital...Some of which I am playing in. Why is there always so much going on here? I hope I can find a time to get down there...Right now he is the guy to talk to about the Rochberg Sonata...Since it was written for him and Rochberg isn't alive anymore...oh well... Yesterday was very productive...I had practiced 3 hours before dinner, which is a very very rare occurrence for me...The Phil concert was fun. It is always interesting to see a group that you are normally a part of. We have never really excelled at Beethoven, but its sounded pretty good, especially since Brian was saying thet it wasn't sounding too good. Today we started Tchaik 6...Semi-difficult, but pretty fun. Sitting with Sunny is always fun...And Brian is right behind also...Should be a blast. And I was late for Musica Nova today, since I wrote down the wrong time in my planner...I got a call from Rachael Young asking where I was...So I got over there really fast, and then proceeded to not be able to play my part...In front of Brad...oog...Need to practice it.