Where did the year go? I guess it's Happy New Year 2008... To those of you whom I didn't manage to send a Christmas newsletter to, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas! There are many things for me to look forward to this year. There will be several firsts and new opportunities for me. As with the new and unknown, there will also be many challenges ahead.
I am continuing to teach music appreciation and world music this spring semester. I have to admit I'm a little overwhelmed with planning the world music class. I have too many ideas right now and haven't figured out the course outline. Our dept has also decided to include more classroom technology for music appreciation so I'm spending quite a bit of time learning to manage this. At least, all the paperwork for this class is finished. That's the teacher side of me.
The student part: ... hooray.. no more music classes!! I won't be graduating this semester as I originally planned. A mistake in the filing deadlines has put me behind. With this setback comes a great opportunity to spend a semester in Beijing this fall. I am very excited about this possibility. Going to China would also allow me to spend my entire summer & also eventually Christmas in Malaysia. :) Since I have no obligations in the US, I am taking this chance now to spend almost 7 months in Asia.... reverse culture shock is going to hit me. It would be good to utilize the Chinese I learned a long time ago and do some research in China.
As for the piano, I'm learning a new program for my final recital. After playing the 40 min Schubert, everything seems short (no offense to anyone). I intend to have all the pieces memorized this semester and play the recital after I return from Beijing. I will have a more technically challenging recital this time. Some of the pieces on the program include Beethoven's Sonata in E minor op. 90, Schumann's Papillons op. 2, Tcherepnin's Five Chinese Concert Etudes and yes, yes, I know... I'm giving in.. Chopin's Barcarolle!
Other developments:
- I have finally given in to the mp3 player and digital camera craze. I'm definitely not a technophobe since I maintain the dept's equipment. I just didn't want to spend the money on it.
- I'm dancing way more than I have (or should perhaps). I have several invitations to check out some dance groups.. swing, international folk, contra, & ballroom. I went to a contradance on New Year's Eve and ended up dancing a waltz followed by a polka to usher in the new year. Fun!
- I am still looking for piano students and will try to teach with some of the music schools here. I think it is time I came out of piano teaching hibernation.
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