Academia, orchestras and gurus

Well, kids, I'm back for a while again...

Re: Master's degrees and the like:

C'mon! There are institutions where a MA is worth it's weight in gold, and
others where that and $2.75 will get you a Grande Decaf Latte (no cinnamon
or anything else) at the local StarWarsBucks. It is the *student* that
makes what he/she will of the course work -- we've all known people with
graduate degrees that were incredible, and then some that were ...
incredible.

Please, there are better issues to argue.

Re: Orchestras, especially the San Diego Symphony.

From monz we get:
>And when I arrived in San Diego last fall, I found out that the San Diego
>Symphony had been disbanded for lack of support! (Thankfully,
>by December it had just reformed and begun concerts again).

Just wanted to make a small correction -- the orchestra was forced into
bankruptcy by an inept management, and the only reason we are operating
again is *because* of community support, not lack of it. And why do I even
*play* in an orchestra? To remind myself of what Harry meant by the "tight
coat, tight shoes mentality"...

And a paycheck.

Re: Ravi

>> BTW I heard and maybe this needs to be corrected that Ravi Shankar was
>turned down for teaching job at
>>UCSD because they said they considered him an "untrained" musician. How
>else could they compete!
>
>(if this is even true) I'm sure his worldwide fame from playing to overflow
>crowds of adoring and appreciative fans somewhat lessoned the blow of
>rejection. :-) Meanwhile those who rejected him sit in their offices
>pushing paper and sucking up to rich old ladies to try and raise money.

So that you all are aware of the true situation, Ravi Shankar was given a
titled position with the school, something like Honorary Resident
Something-or-other. He lives in the North County coastal area of SD, and
will be making somewhat regular appearance, seminars, and the like. He will
*not*, I am sure, be anything like a regular faculty.

If any of you wants detailed info on the Shankar situation, I have become
friends and colleagues with one of the percussionists at UCSD who also
happens to have been an accompanist to Shankar on a couple of occasions at
the school, and I can get more info from him. BTW, he (my percussion buddy)
is just finishing his doctorate in the next couple of weeks, and is without
a doubt one of the most amazing, well-rounded and profound musicians I have
ever met (not to mention in his mid-30's). He, all by himself, pretty much
blows to hell any all-encompassing theories on formal education vs. knowing
which end is up...

[for those some of you who spent time at UCSD in your 'formative' years
(you know who you are), the dept. is in quite a bit of chaos these days,
torn between different factions, generational tides, and disciplines
(mostly comp. vs. performing) -- the road will be bumpy for a while before
it can get back to being one of the bright spots...]

Sheesh, enough of me.

Cheers,
Jon
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Jonathan M. Szanto : Corporeal Meadows - Harry Partch, online.
jszanto@adnc.com : http://www.corporeal.com/
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