Caitie Butterworth Professional Journal-Blog
CAITIE BUTTERWORTH SAXOPHONIST, SONGWRITER, WRITER, OATMEAL ENTHUSIAST
Hello! Welcome to my website. For years now, everyone in my life has been asking me what I've been up to. The answer: a lot. A lot, a lot.
This blog is here to answer all of that and more. This blog is my way of keeping in touch with the people in my life, connecting with other humans, and keeping on top of my creative work in a way that’s fun and keeps me inspired. I hope you’ll stick around for the journey. ☺
Intro | About Me | Editing Samples | Music Samples | Commissions/Private Lessons | Contact | Donate
About Me
I’m a 23-year-old weirdo living in Austin, TX. Growing up in LA, I spent a lot of time writing stories, playing music, and learning new instruments. This lead me to attend Berklee College of Music to study alto saxophone as well as Contemporary Writing and Production. In August, 2016, I moved to Austin to get back to the sunshine and play some music in an artsy city that fosters a really cool, creative culture. At the moment, I’m studying Writing at St. Edward’s University, playing alto sax with the Jade Vine, and just generally figuring my life out. I hope you’ll join me on the adventure.
CURRENT PROJECTS: -Poetry Portfolio 2018 GOALS: -get music portfolio together to showcase songwriting -keep writing music CURRENT LIFE GOALS: -Write a fiction novel -play music professionally -work as a professional songwriter -do things I love -be outdoors a lot (rock climbing, kayaking, mountain hiking) -learn how to rock climb -find my peace in presentness, happiness -travel to Greece, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia
Writing Samples: Editing Editing Revision I (taken from a college essay, revisions focused on readability): Few sources carry as much bias as Anne Shaw Faulkner’s 1921 article “Does Jazz Put the Sin in Syncopation.” Written as a passionate, pious rebuke to the rising modern music of the time, Faulkner presents a firm, yet flimsy case for musical conservatism supported by repetitive language, redundant arguments, and poorlyfocused evidence. However, while Shaw’s dogma and redundancy hurt her credibility as an intellectual, they also strengthen her appeal; her repeated use of words like “immoral” and “evil” and invocation of anti-communist rhetoric successfully agitate fear. By inflaming distrust towards the younger generation’s ethics and suspected communist sympathies, Shaw crafts an argument that, despite its lack of cohesiveness, effectively guides her audience away from the immoral spell of jazz music. With such a volatile response to the rise of jazz music, one may ask what context cultivates such a response from conservatives like Shaw. Moreover, it is important to take note of the strategies Shaw implements and pay mind to those strategies’ relevance in media today.
Original: Few sources carry an amount of unabashed, transparent bias comparable to Anne Shaw Faulkner’s 1921 article in Ladies Home Journal, “Does Jazz Put the Sin in Syncopation”. Written as a passionate, pious rebuke to the up and coming modern music of the age, Faulkner constructs an firm yet flimsy argument supported by repetitive language, redundant arguments, and generalized, non-specific evidence seemingly drawn from thin air. However, where Faulkner fails, she also succeeds: her repetitive use of words like “immoral” and “evil” as well as an invocation of communist-fearing American patriotism successfully mongers fear in place of fact, appealing well to her audience of the time. By stirring up dis-ease towards the younger generation’s ethics, perceived immorality, and even communism, Faulkner has crafted an argument that, despite its lack of clout, works to effectively help turn her audience away from jazz music through her use of fearmongering. With such a volatile response to the rise of modern music, it is worth asking what context, from media to cultural change, can bring about such a response from those opposed to societal progression. Further, it is important to take note of these strategies and pay attention to their relevance in media today, especially in our era of fake news and media mistrust.
Revision II (taken from an article on buzzfeed.com, revised for diction): While this case of political entrapment seems especially heinous, this kind of behavior by private interests is not uncommon. Corporations often wield wealth, influence, and faux indignation in the face of any formal accusation. As to be expected, a Cambridge Analytica spokesperson told Channel 4 News: "We entirely refute any allegation that Cambridge Analytica or any of its affiliates use entrapment, bribes, or so-called 'honey-traps' for any purpose whatsoever." Despite what corporations like Cambridge Analytica may claim, it is important to recognize these companies for what they are: private interests whose actions benefit a select few at the cost of the many. Moreover, examining their methodology and motivations offers a greater insight to their willingness to compromise their ethics and legality. This expose offers a look at only a singular instance of just how far a company will go to influence politics. If this case tells us anything, it is that there is no telling what else lies beneath the stones yet overturned. Original: "We have hired a digital forensics firm, Stroz Friedberg, to conduct a comprehensive audit of Cambridge Analytica," read the statement. "Cambridge Analytica has agreed to comply and afford the firm complete access to their servers and systems." "We have approached the other parties involved — Christopher Wylie and Aleksandr Kogan — and asked them to submit to an audit as well. Mr. Kogan has given his verbal agreement to do so. Mr. Wylie thus far has declined." Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/markdistefano/analyticaundercover?bfsplash&utm_term=.miaYagV0e#.xgAV2AMad
Revision III (Exercise from “Intro to Professional Writing”): Office Managers: There will be a meeting on Friday, Feb 9th at 12pm in the third-floor conference room to discuss the opening of a new distribution center in the southwest. BoxCorp will be opening a distribution center next summer to better accommodate our customers in the southwest, who have been reporting slow delivery times. We have three options for our new location: Phoenix, Santa Fe, and Tucson. Please familiarize yourselves with the three locations before we meet. Some things to consider for your research include workforce, cost of living, weather, and overall livability of the area. Our Friday meeting will be our first of several meetings to discuss our new distribution center’s location. We must reach a decision within the month so we can begin construction February 2019 and have the center be fully operational by July of next year. I look forward to speaking with you at 12pm in the third-floor conference room on the 9th. Please don’t hesitate to reach out via email if you have any questions. Sincerely, Caitie Butterworth BoxCorp Regional Supervisor (818) 123-4567 supercoolsupervisor@boxcorp.com
Music Samples SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/caitiebutterworthmu sic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5lmXJk6_a Ut0d6vU7IEjLA?view_as=subscriber Jade Vine Band SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user83696842
Commissions/Private Lessons *I am open for commissions in writing, editing, songwriting (melody, harmony, chords, and/or lyrics), saxophone playing, and singing.* I also offer private lessons in saxophone, clarinet, basic piano, and songwriting as well as tutoring sessions in writing and English. In-person lessons or tutoring must be within a 25-mile radius of Austin, TX. Online lessons and sessions will be conducted via Skype.Â
For any inquiries, please contact caitlinbutterworth@gmail.com Thank you!
Contact For any messages, questions, commissions, or inquiries, please don't hesitate to contact me at caitlinbutterworth@gmail.com
Donate Being a freelance artist, my ability to do my work directly relates to both the commissions I can do and the generosity of my patrons. If you like the work I do and want to support my ability to continue doing it, I would really appreciate a donation or commission request. Anything helps, but additionally, if you donate $10 or over, I will give you exclusive, free access to my music downloads for an entire 365 days. WOW! Thank you so much for all the help and support you continue to give. Best, Caitie Butterworth Email: CaitlinButterworth@gmail.com Venmo: @Caitie-Butterworth Paypal: Catiebug95