PG. 4
GO ON A YOGA JOURNEY WITH TAYLOR
HOW OWNING A CAT CAN TURN YOU INTO A ZEN MASTER
NEC ALUMNUS ROB DEHLINGER SPEAKS TO US ABOUT HIS SUCCESS PG. 6 PG. 2
PG. 8
PG. 3
CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS’ APARTMENTS
WE’VE GOT SOME THOUGHTS ON LOVE
THE PENGUIN
ISSUE 65
FEBRUARY 1, 2015
N E C ’ S S T U D E N T- R U N N E W S PA P E R
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
(PHOTO COURTESY JONAS TARM PHOTOGRAPHY)
F-F-February, It’s Time For Renewal! So! You’ve made it to the so-called “Spring Semester”? Good for you! If the
or just some new recipes, we’ve got you covered. We’ve also got a new
Boston winter hasn’t already beaten you into submission, then the coming
alumni profile, following trumpeter Rob Dehlinger on his truly unique path
months full of auditions, recitals, and exams is sure to ...
to success, and a great inside look at three homes from our NEC students!
... that is, of course, unless you follow the expert advice we’ve
At a month where NEC opens its doors to hundreds of prospec-
laid out for you in this brand new issue of The Penguin!
tive students, we want to welcome everyone who comes through our doors
into our warm embrace!
This month, we’re all about renewal! Whether it’s a renewed ap-
proach to school, some new perspectives on love, two different approach-
Stay warm, audition well, and know that we at The Penguin are
es to enlightenment, an awesome new way to stage an old piece of music,
rooting for you all the way! Happy February!
penguin CULTURE Zen Master ... Cat?
by FRANKIE YU Second-Year MM Trombone
ON THE IMPERMANCE OF THINGS
I am going to introduce two seemingly unrelated things. The first
alone at night to sleep, he uses my boots and shoes as tools for
is the Sand Mandala, which is a practice of Tibetan Buddhism.
hunting practice, leaving them scarred with gashes and tears.
Used as a form of meditation, the monks creating the mandala spend a period of days, possibly extending into weeks, pouring
coloured sand onto a platform. Using the sand to create a
with this theory: my cat is turning me zen. When something
series of ancient spiritual symbols and geometric shapes, the
or someone destroys your things, my initial reaction is to get
artists form a beautiful piece of art representing earth and it’s inhabitants. Once the creation
I bring up these two topics because I have come up
angry. It was mine, and now it is destroyed – now I am mad. But when I turned around ready to
is complete the monks then sweep
aim my anger at PJ and saw him sitting
across the mandala, dispersing the
there with his attention already
sand. There is then a ceremony
onto something else (cats ... am
where the sand is collected
I right?), I realized how silly
and released back into
it was. Because he doesn’t
nature. This is to symbolize
understand the meaning
the impermanence of
of things belonging to
all that exists, and to
someone else, or that he
demonstrate the idea of
broke it. He’s just a cat
non-attachment.
being ... well, a cat. It made me think about my
The second thing
unnecessary attachment
is my cat PJ (pictured
to my belongings, and
above in my author
needing to have things just
photo!). My roommate and I
so; after all, it’s all just stuff.
adopted him 2 years ago with
Would I really miss it now that
the idea that we were adopting a
it’s gone? When I came to the
cuddly warm creature who would do
conclusion of no, I would not miss
nothing but love us, but as he grew from a feisty kitten into an even feistier adult, it seemed that our idea was a little bit off. The thing with
it, it opened up a new way of seeing things. It made me think of what really is important to me, and it’s also changed my approach to
PJ is that he doesn’t seem to understand his capability to destroy.
things in my everyday life, my practice room habits included. I
His strong curiosity to see what happens to things as he pushes
feel more at peace.
them off surfaces has resulted in countless broken drinking glasses and mugs. His adventures into my closet has left me with
Life is as simple as we make it out to be – a public service
holes ripped in my sweaters and dresses. And when I leave him
announcement from your local cat.
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JANUARY 30, 2015
Are You Dating Your Instrument?
by SOPHIA ADICKES Third-Year UD Voice
A SHORT GUIDE TO YOUR CONSTANT COMPANION
We all spend hours with our instruments daily, but how do you know when things have just gone too far? Here are some indications that your relationship with your instrument has become more than a strictly professional one.
1. It’s the first and last thing you think of everyday.
friends are sick of hearing about it.
2. You cancel on your friends just to spend time with it.
8. You pay for all of its needs.
3. You lose focus in your classes because you just can’t get it off
9. You are defensive when someone criticizes it.
your mind.
10. You constantly show public displays of affection: holding it,
4. You keep track of it at all times, making sure it is comfortable and
putting your lips on it, etc.
well taken care of.
11. You go traveling together, from a romantic tour of Europe to an
5. You daydream about your future together.
exciting trip to New York city.
6. When things aren’t working out between the two of you, you lock
12. You couldn’t imagine life without it.
yourself in a room with it until you have addressed your issues.
13. You’ve been living together so long that some states would
7. You talk about it all the time, to the point where your non-musician
consider it a common-law marriage.
So now that you’ve defined your relationship: Happy Valentine’s day to you and your instrument!
All You Need Is Love
by SARAH ATWOOD First-Year MM Violin
A SHORT ODE TO LOVE
Everyone can feel it, everyone yearns for it, and everyone express-
somehow expand, so that they can love the second just as much as
es it in different ways. Love can be beautiful, funny, cheesy, serious,
the first. The great phenomenon of love can be expressed through
sad, and painful (sometimes all at once!). Love, and being in love
pretty much any medium.
are separate things; semantics aside, the love you feel for your dog versus your partner are obviously different -- but both are valid.
As musicians, we’re pretty lucky that we have the outlet
of music and art. This month of pink and confetti and valentines
You know how some super-small people can eat seven full
may not be your cup of tea, but try to celebrate whatever love you
servings of dinner and you wonder where it all goes? I wonder
have in your life in some shape or form (Buying chocolate for your
that about love. I think people have infinite space inside themselves
roommate counts)! So have fun experiencing love, and save a little
for all different kinds of love. Parents who have a second child
to last the rest of the year too :)
“Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.” “But anyway I think you’re bionic – Albert Einstein And I don’t think you’re beautiful, I
think you’re beyond it” When Love speaks, the voice of all the gods - Lil’ Wayne Makes heaven drowsy with the harmony. – William Shakespeare (Love’s Labour’s Lost, Such is my love, to thee I so belong, 4.3) That for thy right myself will bear all wrong - William Shakespeare (Sonnet 88)
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3
Trombone Saluting The Sun
TAYLOR REFLECTS ON THE IMPACT YOGA HAS HAD ON HER MUSICIANSHIP
by TAYLOR BLANTON Third-Year BM Trombone
Although I practice consistently, I hardly consider myself a yogi.
and achievable, right? HA. Yeah, definitely not there yet. In fact,
I see so many beautiful people who are more flexible, strong,
I completely face planted this past week during a yoga class
passionate, and driven than I am both mentally and physically.
while working on handstands. Go ahead and laugh because
But when I was asked to write an article about my yoga journey
I would’ve laughed at me too. However, after this first class,
I began to think about how yoga itself is simply ... a journey. In
because I had this eagerness to get stronger and learn more, I
my eyes it is a rite of passage, one which helps me transition
continued.
from a tightly wound, stressed human to simply a soul with a filled heart and open mind. All the bad rehearsals and practice
I started to take classes at Back Bay Yoga where I
sessions, all the upcoming tests, all the immense pressure to
furthered my practice more in two weeks than I had in one
perform my best melts away with each pose. It is just me, my
semester prior. (Shameless plug for Back Bay Yoga because they
mat, and a journey. So
are such knowledgeable,
maybe I am a yogi ... ?
welcoming, and beautiful humans.) I learned many
I thought about it
new poses, took specific
and I guess I’ve learned
courses such as: yoga for
that just like being a
runners, meditational yoga,
musician, yoga is not
arm balances, hip hop
about reaching a certain
yoga ... basically anything
point in your practice that
you could imagine. At this
automatically qualifies you
point I was addicted. I
to be a yogi; just as there
could see results! I was able
is no specific instance that
to do things I never could
officially certifies you to
before. I was in LOVE with
be a musician. Who knew
yoga.
that getting first chair in All State band wasn’t actually
the qualifier of being a
changed. Summer came
musician, after all?! You are
and my yoga pass at Back
a musician when you say
Bay expired. I felt I was too
you are. Because of this,
advanced for the Y yoga
I consider myself to have
classes and I was busy
been a yogi from day one
working and travelling. For
of my journey. Please join
TAYLOR MAKING US JEALOUS.
Then something
something I felt I had loved
me in recollecting my adventure to see how yoga has impacted
so much, I didn’t miss it much. This went on for a while until I
my life as a musician, and how the two are entwined.
realized something needed to change. My soul was craving so much more than gym visits, and my stress and anxiety at the
I first started practicing yoga almost a year ago and I
beginning of the school year was through the roof. I find this
never looked back! A friend asked me if I would like to join him
very relatable to what so many musicians at the conservatory
at one of the daily yoga classes offered at the Y. I had taken only
level go through. Most musicians start off loving their art and this
one class elsewhere long before and hadn’t enjoyed it much
is the driving force behind everything they do, but this passion
(exercise is hard, ok!) but still, I obliged. After the first class, I
for music can quickly change into an encumbrance rather than a
was completely hooked. I wanted to do handstands, and arm
form of expression, and soon leaves them wanting more.
balances, and basically be a human rubber band. Totally logical
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JANUARY 30, 2015
After recognizing this need, I found yoga again, except
mat, and as a result the physical side of my yoga practice has
this time I experienced something immensely deeper than before.
improved more than I thought imaginable. I’ve become stronger
I realized that yoga was so much more than a series of physical
physically and mentally. Most unexpectedly, it has helped me
poses. First and foremost it is about the mental process. Once I
in my musical practice. I feel more confident and less stressed. I
really tapped into this so many things in my life changed. I crave
still get nervous, overwhelmed, and have performance anxiety
ending my day with yoga now to release all my stress and to
but yoga has taught me how to cope with these negatives and to
reset my intentions for the next day; to let go of all the bad and
release them. I know that just like my yoga practice, my musical
inhale all of the good. Not that I no longer want to be able to do
practice is a journey and will always continue to be.
handstands and arm balances anymore, but my main reason for practicing yoga is not to be able to accomplish these things, but
Just like in yoga, there is physical practice in music,
to take care of my mental health so that I can open myself to my
but there also has to be mental practice involved to accomplish
physical health.
what you set forth for yourself. So next time when you feel the weight of auditions, classes, practice sessions, or just general
Since having this new outlook, my mental yoga practice
is something that I carry with me even when I’m not on my
conservatory life, take a step back from the madness and a step forward onto a yoga mat. Namaste!
A New Advice Column!
by PENGUIN PROVERBS penguinproverbs@gmail.com
FRIENDLY ADVICE FROM NEC’S MASCOT
I can never find a room to practice in. Where can I practice?
her by finding the secondary mediant fourth inversion backwards upside-down 11th chord. Or, you can be disarmingly charming and offer your coat to her next time she sneezes. You can also employ the lie-in-wait strategy from above, except this time you
Dear Practice Orphan,
wait for her outside of the door after class, and ask her to coffee.
You have several options: have Special Elvis take a break, and
That will make your intentions clear, for better or worse. But most
you can serenade Huntington Ave with your trombone, piccolo, or
girls enjoy upfront declarations of love, and being on the same
sultry voice. Elvis might even lend you his karaoke microphone!
page (regardless) with someone is way better than playing games.
Or, consider a broom closet. Seriously, the one in the Jordan Hall basement isn’t small at all -- and if broom closets are good enough for Harry Potter, then they’re definitely good enough for you.
What’s your advice for not forgetting to do my homework?
Alternatively, use the food strategy: eat your meals at slightly different times, so when the rest of NEC is at the Bistro or Uno’s,
Dear Forgetful,
you have your pick of practice rooms. There is also the lie-in-
This is a problem many over-achievers at NEC have. We not only
wait strategy: start roaming 10 minutes before the new hour rolls
remember to do our homework, but then we practice for hours on
around. There’s a big turnover during that timeframe, as well as
top of that. And then we rehearse with our quartet, and then we
slightly after the hour (thanks to the people running late). The same
practice some more. We might even sightread for fun, play gigs, or
strategy will *kind of* work around the half-past time. If none of
compose MORE music to play. Remembering to do your homework
these options float your boat, then bribe someone living across the
is a good thing, believe me. However, it means that there is barely
street to let you practice in their dorm room. Just repeat to yourself,
- if any - free time to act like a normal human. Forgive me, NEC
“it’s not desperate, it’s responsible.” Good luck!
teachers, but staying sane and taking care of yourself is more important then researching an extra source for your history paper.
How do I get the girl I like who sits next to me in theory to notice me?
Do what you need to succeed in ALL areas of life, even if it means taking an afternoon off from theory homework and practicing (gulp). Balance is what will help you in the long run, and keep you happy and inspired.
Dear Pining, You can either use your mind-blowing theory powers and wow
Email YOUR questions to penguinproverbs@gmail.com! WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
5
r e g n i l h e D b o R
penguin SPOTLIGHT by Andrew Nissen
left NEC, I had more than a handle on it, but I was open minded enough to not just pursue that music for my career. And recently, I’ve gotten into this crazy song writing, doodling thing now.”
The “doodling thing” Rob refers to is in reference to his
latest album, Songs For My Friends Vol. 1. In 2012, Rob decided to put his skills to the challenge and created a project that aimed to write a new song each week for an entire year: “I was interested in the idea of just challenging myself to write a new song or a new idea every other day basically. I can make something as fast as I’m physically able to do it. I’ll get slowed down by the computer crashing, or my kid crying, or the guitar string breaking, but that’s the only thing that slows me down. I thought ‘I need to do something with this.’”
“I remember Stevie Wonder talking about how he just
wrote songs all the time, and he just released the good ones. And I remember the Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal, who my friend I first encountered Rob Dehlinger on Twitter in August of 2014, when he tweeted at The Penguin’s account about the long lost, but not forgotten hockey games between Juilliard and NEC in the late 80s (incidentally where the nickname Penguins comes from!). An NEC alumnus, Rob seems particularly adept at social media, so of course I followed his moves closely. It’s always great to see a former NEC student out there in the real world doing what they love, so we managed recently to find some time to chat about what he is up to and bring his wisdom to readers of The Penguin.
A jazz trumpeter, Rob graduated with a Bachelor’s degree
from NEC in 1998. After graduating, Rob says he “realized how great a place NEC was and how much I’d been learning, so I re-applied as a grad student.” Since completing his Master’s in 2000, Rob has been residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the years since moving back, Rob has led a varied career. He plays over 200 live gigs a year, primarily as part of the jump-blues band Stompy Jones, and lends his talents to composing, recording, teaching, and singing as well: “My philosophy is always just being open minded and doing different things. I was a jazz major, when I came into NEC as a third year, but I felt a bit behind the ball. Growing up in the west coast I was focused on big band stuff, and NEC had all this bebop improv stuff going on. By the time I
6
JANUARY 30, 2015
Felipe Salles introduced me to, had a book where he’d written a song a day for a year. His was just like a little lead sheet. I thought ‘What if I do this but actually record the song too?’ So I went on Facebook and just said “If you guys want a song about yourself, write to me.” I thought, I’ll do one song a week, and putting it out publicly made me accountable.”
Originally released just onto his website, Rob found them
It was a perfect home for this strange skill that I have. And now, be-
too good to not release wider. So, he went back to the drawing
cause they are getting a lot of downloads, I’m getting all this extra
board with each of them, sweetened the mixes, and the result is the
publicity too. Now people are starting to request me to write music
first of two volumes of Songs For My Friends – volume 2 due for
for their podcast. There doesn’t seem to be really anyone else out
release later this year.
there doing that at the moment, so I’ve kind of chartered this weird,
The year-long project has led to other things opening up
expressive outlet for myself.”
for him, too: “I am a huge Star Wars fan. I discovered that there’s
For a school that seems so encouraging of finding your
all kinds of podcasts out there. Any weird thing you type in, there’ll
own voice in music, NEC is lucky to have such a strong embodi-
be a podcast of it. And some of them are pretty professionally
ment of this philosophy in Rob Dehlinger: “NEC gave me so many
done. So I found these Star Wars podcasts, and I contacted a
tools that I’m still learning from today. I had so many lessons where
few of the ones that I really liked and ended up working for some
I’m still looking back at my old notes.” One is enticed by the con-
of them. The Skywalking Through Neverland one is really good
cept of this year-long project just by the impact it had on its instiga-
because it’s this silly, fun, Disney-like Star Wars music. I’ll use some
tor: “It gave me an idea – for better or worse – of what I really am
of the John Williams themes and put words to them in my own way.
capable of; to see what came out of me when I worked really fast.” Finally, he adds “It’s good to do what comes naturally.”
A Rite Of Spring Dance Party
by NICHOLAS TISHERMAN Third-Year BM Oboe
POSSIBLY THE ONLY CONCERT INTENDED TO INCITE A RIOT At 8:15 on January 18th, 2015, an orchestra of eager students
dance began to party like it was 1913. Each time Blachly and the
and studs from the freelance scene was growing increasingly impa-
orchestra reached a new section, commotion ensued as the crowd
tient as they sat in their seats awaiting the downbeat from conduc-
found a way to dance to the new music.
tor James Blachly, whose back was turned to an audience mostly comprised of twenty-somethings stuffed on a dance floor in an audi-
Such commotion and palpable energy from the audience
torium of the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, transformed
was infectious. The orchestra tried to hold together amidst our own
with the glow of neon lighting. At 8:16, James raised his baton,
excitement and the entropy going on just in front of us. Halfway
and everyone in the room wondered what would happen next.
through the Sacrificial Dance, a collective panic came over the orchestra when we smelled someone smoking marijuana. During a
Blachly, Zander Fellow of the Boston Philharmonic Orches-
spontaneous encore of the Danse Sacrale, one passionate concert-
tra and founder of the Sheep Island Ensemble, with the vision and
goer went crowd-surfing (see Instagram for photo evidence). Each
direction of Johnny Helyar, had assembled an orchestra to play
member of the orchestra felt like a rockstar when applause explod-
Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps, paid for a cash bar, and invited
ed from the audience after the final thunderous blow of the timpani.
an audience to enjoy the performance while dancing, moving, grooving, and rocking out to the Rite of Spring. Their nickname for
Le Sacre, now a piece performed more as a concert
the event? “A Rite of Spring Dance Party,” of course. Presented by
selection than as a real ballet, as it was intended, gains something
the Boston Philharmonic as the inception of their “New Directions”
from having the extra kinetic element in the room. In many ways, it
series, BPO partnered up with Groupmuse and Music for Food, so
felt more historically accurate to perform under such conditions. Just
all proceeds benefited The Womens’ Lunch Place.
as in the premiere, the audience provided endlessly unpredictable sounds and distractions. It was like Rite of Spring adversity training
Nervous classically-trained musicians in the orchestra
for the orchestral musician. But for the audience, it was a chance
speculated that there could be a full-on riot (not unprecedented in
to experience amazing music in a way that will be forever more
the slightest), but most assumed we would have a crowded dance
memorable and more engaging.
floor of people standing still and talking amongst themselves, drinks in hand. As it turned out, the former was closer to the result.
The reaction to the Dance Party was more successful than
anyone could have imagined. But where do we go from here?
The audience remained mostly motionless through the
Shostakovich 5 Revolution? Penderecki Halloween Party? Daphnis
opening (bravo to Adrian Morejon for plaintively and beautifully
and Chloe Orgy (maybe not…)? In any case, look for music in
presenting the bassoon solo), but when the punching chords of the
Boston and beyond to become more interactive, more engaging,
Augurs of Spring started, excitement brewed and everyone in atten-
and more exciting for all in the coming years.
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7
NEC Cribs
AN INSIDE LOOK AT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS’ APARTMENTS
by ALEXANDRA GILLIAM Fourth-Year BM Voice
Kathryn Evans: Freshman, Double Bass To unwind: “I drink root beer and read.” Favorite thing to read: Rumi Always in our fridge: “ROOT BEER. “ Advice for incoming students: “Have a mini fridge. Fridges change lives.” Hobbies: “I love to photograph people. It’s fun to take pictures of people over the years and see how they grow up.” Decorative aesthetic: “I like open spaces. People often ask me why I don’t have that much on my wall, and honestly it’s because I really like the white spaces. It feels very clean to me.”
Elise Kolle: Freshman, Harp Favorite part about living in the dorms: “I like the fact that my closet here is bigger than my closet back home. And the convenience is the best – living across the street from the harp room? Can’t beat it.” After a long day: “I do charcoal drawings as a release, and Katherine reads poetry out loud. We sit on our beds and chat and eat Goldfish.” Always in our fridge: “I always have Tupperwares of food because I like to cook on the weekends for the week ahead – I always have pesto and soup.” Favorite thing: My grandmother’s teapot [pictured]
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JANUARY 30, 2015
Liz Clutts: Sophomore, Vocal Performance Favorite part of living near school: “The convenience is, like, the best in the world. And this part of town is kinda in the center of everything – I can walk to the Pru, and there’s super easy train access to JP.” One thing we always have in our fridge: “I’m kinda addicted to Jones’ Apple Soda.” After a long day: “Take a nap, or do my makeup! I’m a little obsessed with that this year.” Hobbies: “I like to cook. I’ve been making a lot of chicken things lately, and lasagna.” Aesthetic choices: “I really like white. It’s very serene, and I like the crispness.” Favorite item: “My bunny! I got it when it was born. It’s very old, and there’s only one soft spot left because I’ve snuggled with it so much. I’m not sure if it’s a guy or a girl – I’ve gone back and forth a bunch – but its name is Bunny. Very creative, I know.”
“We love to sit up on our desk and look at the people walking by on the street. People watching is great.”
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9
Sara Law: Senior, Vocal Performance One thing I love about the neighborhood: “I love the location. We’re right by school and Newbury and the Prudential center, and I like being surrounded by all the different colleges. It’s kinda cool to see all of the different lives that are happening all around us.” Favorite place: “I love my room. It’s my safe space, and decorating it was the first time that I had a say over what I wanted my room to be. I got to put it all together myself.” After a long day: “My favorite thing to do is to go around my apartment, light all of my candles, sit on the couch, and watch TV.” Favorite candle scent: “Oh, that’s hard! Basically, any kind of floral candle from Bath and Body Works.” One thing that’s always in the fridge: “I always have water, and I always have chocolate.” (Singers…)
Eric Vinas: Sophomore, Vocal Performance To relax: Watch TV, “Specifically Ina Garten!” and order Ginger Exchange or Kashmir. Favorite spot: “My bed. It’s really comfortable, and I have awesome 1000 thread-count sheets.” One thing I could not live without: “My bear blanket.” [pictured]
“Basically, I wanted everyone to feel welcome here, and I wanted it to be fun and modern.”
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JANUARY 30, 2015
Zack Johnson: Senior, Vocal Performance
Travis Bliss: Senior, Jazz Saxophone
Favorite area: “The living room. We got pillows on pillows on
Favorite item: “Green towels. I’m not sure if I could
pillows up in here, and some Beatles posters – they were the first thing to go up when we moved in.” Favorite thing: “We found this awesome lamp-table in the trash, which is great because you don’t have to take up half the table
ever use a towel that’s not green.”
nature. Roll in the grass. Scrape your knee, get grass stains on the nice jeans your mom just got you. It also feels really suburban
with a lamp – the lamp is built right in.”
here, and there are nice little backyards and everything – instead
Favorite part about the neighborhood: “I love living here. It’s
shouting and running to catch the bus on their way to school. It
awesome because it’s easy to get away – you’re not being hit with all the traffic sounds, but it’s a fifteen-minute, straight shot to school. Close, but not too close. And there are trees here! The city’s like, ‘yo buildings, yo people’ all the time, but out here, you can go be in the woods for a little while if you want. We’re super close to the Arboretum, so we can go out and enjoy
of waking up to the sounds of dump trucks, you wake up to kids reminds me a lot of my hometown and makes me feel comfortable.” Like about the house: “This building is all NEC students, so that’s the hang. It’s nice because the other people here totally get it when you need to get work done or practice – someone is almost always playing music or practicing here – but if you want to chill with people or relax, you can always find someone. I also like to do a lot of my work in the library at school, so that when I get back here, I can kick up my feet and enjoy it. It’s my happy place, and it’s a positive environment to grow as a musician and a human being. I have met some amazing and incredible people in this house, between the people that actually live here and the people that come here to hang with us.” On living with musicians: “I have a keyboard in my room, so I’ll come home and sing arias after arias, my roommate Alec practices the violin, and Travis will play his saxophone. And sometimes I’ll come out with my ukulele and someone else brings a guitar and we’ll all just sit in the living room and jam out. You can almost always hear some kind of music playing, and I love it.” “We have the composition floor – everyone on the first floor is a composer – and then we have the jazz floor, and then we have the third floor with me, Travis, and Alec [alumni, classical violin].
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11
penguin RECIPES Easy, Freezy, And Bountiful
by ELIZABETH WENDT Third-Year BM Voice
MAKE AHEAD MEALS!
I know for a fact that when I say the beginning, middle, and end of a second semester at NEC is always crazy busy, I’m not just speaking for myself! I can honestly say that when I have days of back to back classes paired with early morning and late night rehearsals, food becomes a very low priority for me. This semester, I barely have time for breakfast, lunch doesn’t exist so I’m forced to eat small finger foods in class, and dinner needs to be something quick and easy because of how exhausted I am! Because of this crazy food schedule (or lack thereof), I have turned to preparing my meals ahead of time and then freezing them so that when I come home, I can pour my prepared ingredients into a pan, pop them into the oven for a short amount of time, and then dig in! Here are two of my go-to make ahead recipes, both provided by www.livingwellspendingless.com
Herb Roasted Chicken Breast
Easy Tomato Parmesan Chicken
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 cup olive oil
1 24oz jar tomato/spaghetti sauce (such as Ragu)
3 tablespoons dried onion
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup mozzarella, shredded (optional)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/3 cup fresh parsley
2 cups chicken broth
3-4 lbs skinless, boneless chicken
1 1/2 teaspoon season salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped 8 bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, with or without skin
Instructions
Instructions Crush garlic. In a medium size bowl, prepare the basting sauce by combining olive oil, broth, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, salt, pepper & parsley. Be sure to label bags first then divide mixture into the 2 bags. Then add chicken to bags with basting sauce, massage basting sauce around chicken then freeze. Thaw chicken and cook in shallow baking dish. Cover with tinfoil. Roast at 425 degrees F, if desired baste occasionally with pan drippings, cook for about 45-60 minutes. (Use a meat thermometer to be safe!) Once cooked, plate on a warm platter and spoon pan juices over top. Tip: Roast potatoes at the same time. Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley.Roast uncovered on baking sheet. Prep time: 5-7 minutes, Cook time: 35-45 minutes, Servings: 8
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JANUARY 30, 2015
Press or mince garlic and chop parsley. Combine tomato sauce, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, seasoning, parsley and garlic. OPTIONAL: If making ahead and freezing, remember to label your 2 gallon size freezer bags then divide chicken into 2 bags. Pour sauce over chicken. Thaw if frozen. Pour contents of bag into casserole dish, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese (optional) and bake, covered, at 425 degrees for approx for 35-45 minutes (time may vary based on size of chicken–be sure to check before eating!) Alternatively, you can cook in crock-pot for 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high (but we HIGHLY recommend using the oven–it gives it a much better flavor and texture!) Prep time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 30 minutes in oven or in crock pot for 4-6 hours on low, Servings: 8
penguin CONCERTS Dialogues Of The Carmelites
FEBRUARY 7, 8, 9, & 10, CUTLER MAJES TIC THEATRE A timid Carmelite novice, who entered the convent seeking refuge from fear, comes face to face with a revolution screaming for blood. How does courage surface from the depths of terror? Come hear it—come feel it—in Poulenc’s masterpiece! When the world goes mad, innocents suffer. Poulenc’s stunning masterpiece is about fear, and conquering that fear—with courage and the power of love.
Ellington, Medeski, Moses, Schaphorst
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 8 P.M., JORDAN HALL NEC alum John Medeski ‘88 returns to his alma mater to play piano and Hammond B-3 organ with the NEC Jazz Orchestra in a concert featuring his own music alongside works by Duke Ellington, Rakalam Bob Moses, and Ken Schaphorst. Medeski is best known as a member of Medeski Martin & Wood, a group with deep roots at NEC, where Medeski connected with fellow NEC student, Chris Wood, and was introduced to Billy Martin through NEC faculty member Bob Moses. The concert will feature new arrangements of three of Medeski’s compositions–“Otis,” “Querencia” and “Where’s Sly?”–as well as two Ellington compositions that Medeski has recorded, “Blues for New Orleans” and “Chinoiserie.” These are the opening tracks from two late Ellington suites. “New Orleans Suite” (1970), commissioned by George Wein for the New Orleans Jazz Festival, also became a Grammy-winning recording. “The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse” (1971) was one of Ellington’s last large-scale works. Ken Schaphorst will direct the NEC Jazz Orchestra in the performance of two of his new pieces, “Two Street” and “Smoke,” both featuring Medeski on the Hammond organ. NEC faculty member Rakalam Bob Moses will join Medeski and the ensemble on his composition “African Violet,” written for the 2000 recording “Nishoma” that was created as a tribute to his late mother.
NEC Symphony + Loebel
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 8 P.M., JORDAN HALL This program will also include a 19th-century violin concerto. Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 100 Andante, Allegro marcato, Adagio, Allegro giocoso
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penguins GET CREATIVE the door opens
by NATALIE ALPER-LEROUX Third-Year BM Viola
hallway, whitewashed clean; lightbulbs flicker, hang from wires, buzz like softest bees walking heavy, dry ashy steps in chalky dust past framed blank portraits paint peels off doorposts slivers of brown cut my eyes; every door is locked my skin bleeds out red my clothes bleed out blue, until everything is white black square hole looms small down the infinite straight line: a way out, or in? fourteen thousand clouds of grey-white hall dust later,
the ebon portal. gilded letters read: “LEND YOUR EARS TO MY COLORS” my head touches them and suddenly, noise: ORANGEREDYELLOWBLUEGREEN INDIGOVIOLET my head snaps back up into the white noise hallway... no longer peaceful hissing light bulbs over white portrait maws yawning wide chalky ash whirlwinds I look back again at a golden gleaming knob, it turns, and I run
SONATION WEEKLY OPEN PLAY-IN! Drop by the President’s Library to try out new musical performance apps every Thursday anytime between noon to 1:00 pm. This is your chance to help make the best music apps in the world! Pizza, snacks, and rewards each week.
CONTACT INFO@SONATION.NET FOR MORE INFORMATION. 14
JANUARY 30, 2015
Oscars Match Up
MATCH THESE 2015 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEES WITH THE DESCRIPTIONS
by ISABELLA DAWIS Third-Year BM Voice
N E C ’ S S T U D E N T- R U N N E W S PA P E R
2015 Academy Award Music Nominees, Without Any Jazz Drums* (Even Though One Of The Best Picture Nominees Is About Jazz Drumming)!
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE 1. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Alexandre Desplat) 2. The Imitation Game (Alexandre Desplat) 3. Interstellar (Hans Zimmer)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE a. Atonal saxophone chamber music. For real. b. Repetitive keyboard figurations = tortured math genius. c. Sometimes there’s a choir going “Bum, bum, bum, bum.”
4. Mr. Turner (Gary Yershon)
5. The Theory of Everything
e. The composer wrote a bunch
(Jóhann Jóhannsonn)
of organ music, even though he didn’t know what the movie was about.
1. “Everything is AWESOME!!!” The Lego Movie (Shawn Patterson) 2. “Glory,” Selma (John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn) 3. “Grateful,” Beyond the Lights
Glen Campbell … I’ll be Me (Glen
a. The unplugged version really moves me. I still love you, Devo. b. People in the background chanting = soul-stirring anthem. c. Alzheimer’s is sad.
d. People in the background chanting = soul-stirring anthem.
Campbell, Julian Raymond) 5. “Lost Stars,” Begin Again (Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois)
Andrew Nissen, editor Suzanne Hegland, faculty editor Sophia (Sophie) Adickes, writer David Adewumi, writer Natalie Alper-Leroux, creative Sarah Atwood, writer Taylor Blanton, writer Vivian Buchanan, writer Isabella Dawis, writer Alexandra Gilliam, writer Nesligül Kaya, writer Jonas Tarm, photographer Nick Tisherman, writer Liz Tobias, writer Tong Wang, illustrator/writer Elizabeth Wendt, writer Frankie Yu, writer
SUBMIT SOMETHING! If you'd like to contribute an article, illustration, or idea, email a 1-2 sentence proposal to: thepenguin@necmusic.edu We’d love to hear from you! Please limit articles to 650 words.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
(Diane Warren) 4. “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,”
PENGUIN PENMEN
d. Repetitive keyboard figurations = tortured math genius.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
THE PENGUIN
e. No, this isn’t Once. It’s Twice! HAHA! I’m going crazy from
SUBMISSION
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Snowpocalypse!!!
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penguin PHOTOS Post your photos to Instagram, tag them with #NECpenguin, and you’ll have a chance to get your photo displayed on the back cover of an upcoming issue!
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Jonas Tarm Photography
Jonas Tarm Photography
Jonas Tarm Photography