• About Sequoia
  • Music
  • Professional Information
  • Archives
  • Categories

    • Archive for December, 2010

    Finally- the music schools I’ve decided on!


    2010 - 12.20

    Posted in Music School, UK | No Comments »

    The UK has a single application for up to five schools, and all the schools that have programs I want and can use US Fin Aid are on it, so applying is pretty simple thus far. Now, when my sister gets here (in 2 days!) with her recording rig, I can make the demos and submit the application by January 15th!

    1. University of Sussex: Professional Musicianship at Brighton Institute of Modern Music (FD & Cert HE)
    2. University of Westminster: Popular Musician at Access to Music (FD)
    3. The University of Kent: Popular Music Performance (FD, 2 instruments)
    4. Goldsmiths, University of London: Popular Music (BM)
    5. Middlesex University: Popular Music (BM)

    FD stands for Foundation Degree and is basically the first 2 years of their 3 year bachelor’s programs. Cert HE is a one year program with greater emphasis on performance. I am applying to both programs at my top choice, BIMM, which is in Brighton, the gay beach city 1 hour from London. However, a downside to BIM is that it does not include private lessons on your instrument. Apparently most students feel that the studying in classes is sufficient. On the flip side, Kent not only has private lessons, but requires you to learn 2 instruments! This is mind-blowingly exciting to me as I really want to learn both electric guitar and piano in addition to voice and this would get me closer! However, the school is in the middle of nowhere itself, but is half the distance from London (though I would need a car because it is 4 hours by bus/train). I haven’t confirmed yet if Access to Music takes FAFSA money, so if they indicate a possibility of me attending I’ll ask then. Access to Music and BIMM are the only “music schools” on the list- the others are universities with music departments, which have the advantages of greater international student support (on campus housing) and the ability to take other classes like Japanese and SciFi writing, but not everyone is living and breathing music 24/7. I figure doing a shorter program to see what the UK is like to live in and so I can explore the other schools in person and then change programs later if I want a different experience. In my first year, I will make a lot of headway so that my applications to more competitive schools will have more of an edge.

    And I finished my personal statement (a 4000 char and a 500 word version) which was a huge, stressful project. Part of me wanted to be defensive about why I didn’t stick with music the first time, or why I let it drop so throughly out of my life for the last ten years, but after reading Eleanor’s glowing reference I realized that I have nothing to ashamed of and a whole lot to be proud of. Thus I removed all the negative energy from my statement and stuck to the positive and I am really proud of the outcome. Everyone I’ve talked to about the competitiveness at their school has said that it is an issue of finding which program fits my needs best- implying that I will get in to one program at least. This kind of blows my mind considering how much the competitiveness of music schools has been stated… although maybe I am using a classical conservatory analogy when it isn’t appropriate… Flashdance comes to mind. Well, I guess I will find out soon enough!

    Winter Singing Gig!


    2010 - 12.13

    Posted in Ichihara, Lesbian Scene, Music, Relationships, Weight | No Comments »

    Having mentioned that I was a jazz singer, my boss asked me to sing at the company party today! I sang:

    • Let it snow
    • White Christmas
    • Winter Wonderland
    • The Christmas Song
    • I’ve got my love to keep me warm

    It was a great experience. Everyone complimented me earnestly and I really enjoyed myself. It was great to be up on stage again, and especially considering the weird issues with dehydration I’ve had recently, I am happy with my performance. One person said that they didn’t think the audience truly appreciated what an artist they had in front of them, and that really gave me the confidence to apply to music school. I am realizing, once again, that many people literally can’t hold a tune, many people have pitch but no control or expression, and the fact that I can do what I can do is a rare talent that I should never take for granted. I can’t imagine what it would be like for me if I loved music the way I do but hadn’t been gifted with the voice I have. I should sing every day as a celebration of my fortune! And while being on stage I also remembered the aspects of my singing that I have always wanted to improve; my shy body movements during instrumentals, my confidence in belting and chest voice, my willingness to woo the audience and take myself seriously… all of the work I have done on myself in general is contributing to these areas, and the idea that in the near future I will be able to focus exclusively on becoming the best singer I can be is just a dream come true!

    Then, after the party, a bunch of us went out to this cute bar and then to karaoke, where I sang Iron Maiden, Nightwish and some awesome classic duets with my new friends. I’m glad we did the karaoke AFTER my gig because I completely killed my voice being Bruce Dickenson, but ‘Bring your daughter to the slaughter’ was really satisfying, and Wishmaster was just hilarious as always– apparently my air guitaring was impressive because I got cheers for rocking out. I so need to learn that instrument when I am at rock school. It was so refreshing to hang out with other people (at all) and also to hear their Japanese… truly inspiring about what is possible. As soon as I am done applying for music schools I am going to throw myself in to learning as much Japanese as possible before I leave this awesome country. I had an awesome time with Dave, Kevin, Vanessa, Erin, Corey, Jack and I’m sure some other peeps I am forgetting! I hope we can continue to hang out together as much as possible! Though it is always a challenge to balance all my personal quests with a social life, since I spend every non-working waking moment writing, singing, studying or exercising. Oh, what a life! and Katherine will be here in 9 days! I am so happy!

    Also, I need to give myself full props for having the courage to wear a sexy bright red size 10 dress given my body issues! But I just couldn’t be a jazz singer without a sexy dress. Seeing the video is a reality check for both how much I really am going to love being in shape again AND how much more in touch with my body I am now than I’ve ever been, even when I was my proper weight, because of all the work I’ve been doing. This week my food groove was off because it suddenly got cold and my body’s needs shifted, but next week I have a better idea of how to do a winter version of my food routine, so alls well. I also got support about my weight and healthy lifestyle from Dave and Corey, which was awesome. Also got to chat about queer stuff with Dave, which was so therapeutic… I hadn’t realized how much I missed my usual dose of gay, and it was nice to be out to real humans instead of pretending to be Joe American at school. All in all, this day was fantastic!

    Six pounds bye-bye!


    2010 - 12.01

    Posted in Weight | No Comments »

    A couple of weeks ago, my body started to release weight! All the little adjustments to food type/amount, exercise, sleep, balance etc finally reached some new homeostasis! The last major adjustment I made was to completely remove anything made with flour, including the granola I loved, and also remove yogurt. I noticed that I was looking forward to my sweet breakfasts a little too much, and so I replaced them with a greens and berry smoothie to be more hydrated and almost right away I noticed a change! This makes sense, given my pre-diabetic issues with sugar, which will disappear when I drop below the weight my insulin can handle! My body feels so different; lighter, more flexible, less squished as I move around… every morning I wake up and can feel my muscle tone closer! And the only effort of continuing my new healthy habits is to remind myself that I am successfully living a lifestyle that I designed and that actually works with results- if I begin to forget. My students bring me snacks (usually sweets) as if it is completely normal, and sometimes I start to get caught up in the normal-seeming-ness of it; and that’s when I remember that it is no longer normal for me. Normal for me means tons of yummy produce and simple protein, mainly; and I feel great! I am keeping a food journal with calories using LoseIt.com, and I am blown away by how simple and calm it is to stay at the right number of calories per day- the way I eat, and how I feel about eating,  have completely changed. I can feel that I am (finally, after trying to get back to it for over 2 years) in that head space when I was able to lose 30lbs so easily in 2007. That whole divorce thing took precedence in early 2008, and so I was distracted from my groove… but this time I’m certain that nothing will be such an obstacle! In fact, with heading to music school next year, everything around me is motivational! The noise in my mind, kind of a low level panic around food, is gone! I am so proud of myself for doing all the things I needed to in order to find my body’s needs! It was a ten year process, but this is the final stretch!