diary livejournal fossils
Damnit. More delays on the major front. For those who don’t know, I’ve been trying to switch from Music Education to Music Composition, so that I can, you know, not have to work in public schools. I’ve been working with Dr. Forest Greenough - taking composition lessons and working to get into the program - even though the composition professor and department head is Dr. Wohl. Forest seemed pretty confident that, when I submitted my composition portfolio a month and change ago that I would make it into the composition program with no problem, even if I wound up staying in school for an extra year taking just composition studio and an ensemble, while working 30-35 hours a week to pay for school.
Well, I met with Dr. Wohl today in order to see what all I could be doing. I was surprised to hear that, not only had he not seen my portfolio, but wasn’t really interested in it. Rather, he said that, due to funding, the composition program was there in name only, and there weren’t any students in that major (which is curious, since Elliott Fiedler just graduated with his composition degree in May). Well, okay. I can deal. Instead, I figured I’d just take composition lessons with Dr. Wohl, what with Forest being way too busy this semester to fit me in. $60/hr isn’t that bad, and maybe I can keep taking the lessons after I graduate with my plain-jane BA in music, since it’s not done through the university. After getting all this sorted out, I headed back to the music building.
While there, I ran into Forest and told him about what happened. He was shocked - to his knowledge, the composition program was still there, and I should be in it. Apparently, my portfolio disappeared and the head of the program decided that, while I’d still learn composition, I wouldn’t get the degree, and that I’d be paying him directly out of pocket with money that may or may not be taxable. Huh. Strange. Both Forest and I were rushing to get somewhere else, so we didn’t discuss that in full, so I’m waiting on a reply to a lengthly email I sent him to see what all I should do. I’d really rather feel much better going through the university - not only would the degree help with several schools with MA programs in composition (I’ve been told that some just see a BA-Music as a BA-Music, but I’m not sure), but I’d really rather be able to see where my money’s going. Not to mention the fact that that would let me stay in choir for a while longer :o