Performance Music 3 - Piano Individual

 Date for Entry: (Wednesday 12th September 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Thursday 10th March 2022)

Dear Diary,

    I was convinced by Mr. Sharma to do piano, which I did not really want to do. I knew from my past with piano that two hands working individually did not work out so well. He started me on book one of "Joining the Dots". I probably took six weeks with the book before he moved me onto book two. 

    I sat down with the book and by the time three hours were over, I was able to play out the whole thing. 

The Lonely Bear

* Wednesday 24th October 2018 *

    When Sir and I played out the pieces at the end of the book together as either solo or duet he gave me a piece from another book to work on. Seemed as if that would have been one of my final pieces. 

    This piece was "The Lonely Bear" and when I read the name it reminded me of myself being furry and lonely, but as there are several piano and pianissimo dynamics had a good fit for me and the song. I liked the piece very music. It was fun to learn and felt really good to get it out. 

Link(s):

1. "The Lonely Bear". [Permission for sharing was not granted.]

Dance of the Pianists.

* Wednesday 17th October 2018 *

    This was the second piece that was given to me by Mr. Sharma. It would be my second jury piece. I'm glad that it was one page also. The only difficulty I had was doing measure sixteen into seventeen. I was also given a copy of "Cat Burglar" on request. I had heard a boy from class playing it in school and I wanted to play it too.

Link(s):

1. "Dance of the Pianists". [Permission for sharing was not granted.]
2. "Cat Burglar". [Permission for sharing was not granted.]

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Indian Classical Ensemble (Yr2 Sem1)

 Date for Entry: (Monday 10th September 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Thursday 10th March 2022)

[Entry written as Report.]

Dear Diary,

    This class began on the second week of the semester. A series of transcriptions were done for it also and will be presented in all of their surviving versions.

CHOOKAR MERE MANN KO.

This was the starting piece for the semester. Sections A and B were given to the class in Sargam (Bhatkhandi style) and the others were given by the second week. It took three classes to complete this piece. I did have to do corrections until the fourth version was made as to the final recital version.

Link(s):

1. Version 1-3.** [For Request by Email.]
2. Version 5.

RAAG JOG. 

This piece was given to us only the chorus and the verse. There was a recording sent to us from Mr. Maharaj for the entire piece. He sang the entire piece. 

    For me, I had a feeling that we were not going to do the entire piece and it ended up being that way. There was a shortstop in the class and we got off-track. We were only doing the first two sections but in deciding on the sage of proper notation, I decided to write out all that he sang in the recording. In some of the solos that Sir had us do, I decided to use some of the rest of the music we were not doing.

Link(s):

1. Raag Jog - Handwritten Notes.
2. Version 1.** [For Request by Email.]
3. Raag Jog - Version 5.

DIVALI PERFORMANCE. 

During the semester, the Indian Classical Ensemble was asked to perform at the DCFA's Diwali celebration. We did both "Raag Jog" and "Chookar Mere Mann Ko" on the ground floor within the Cheeseman Building. Afterwards, they lit the compound grounds with deyas. It was only until the next day that I got the photographs.

Link(s):

1. Photographs from the Event.

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Critical Readings in Caribbean Arts and Culture 1 - (MUSC 2010)

 Date for Entry: (Friday 7th October 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Thursday 10th March 2022)

Dear Diary,

    This course began on the first week of the semester. It was a three-hour class starting from one in the afternoon. I was very nervous about the first class because the course code (THEA 2010) suggested that it was a theatre-styled course. Usually, those courses are not the usual kinda musician will endure/experience. The first class was very interactive where we had games to play and then they had placed us into groups by horoscope. There were three of us in my group. 

    Looking at the course outline after those activities, we learned that there was an easy way to get ten marks to our final grade if we discuss and participate in weekly conversations in class about the readings we would have to read and prepare each week. In addition, we could also receive an easy fifty marks for our final grade if we do journal entries for the ten weekly readings. 

    So, I knew that I had to talk to get some free points and do my ten journal entries to pass the course. There was also a position paper we had to write to make up the rest of the hundred percent. That position paper would definitely be a scary and hard challenge to accomplish. Around the weeks, each group had to wait to see if Dr. Pearce would call on them. She said that if she called on a group and they are not ready, they could get zero. 

Link(s):

1. Course Outline.

Journal Entry Form

* Friday 21st October 2018 *

The third week had gone by and I was confused with the notes I had done to do my three journal entries. I decided to create a document on Microsoft Word that would cater to the four questions that were asked of us to answer in the journal. I thought that a legal-sized page would be long enough in case I had a lot to write for one reading and I was right later down into the semester. 

Link(s):

1. Journal Entry Form.

Position Paper

**

The position paper came and passed. I had a little bit to rush down to the end. At this point, I had cut out all attendance to the Law and Governance course because it was starting to move like a set-up. Every time you go to class the students had o gather outside and we would have to be moved around all the time for a better venue other than Dagga. So, I was at home that morning finishing up the rest of the paper. I knew my mark was going to be VERY low. 

    I remember the evening getting back the paper I saw the mark was a small pass. I felt good. When I saw that the comment said the writing was not clear, maybe they should make the reading materials clear too. Sometimes we are all left to read the passages either individually or as a group and be left confused about everything someone is talking about in their writing.

Link(s):

1. Position Paper.

Course Textbook

* Unknown Date/Forgotten *

    This was the compilation textbook made for the course. It is to be considered 'scratch created' because it was the first one made for the class. The first version was the copy I used throughout the course. A digital copy was provided to the lecturer Dr. Pearce in case it was suitable for use. For the purpose of the journal entry and archiving, the document was reviewed and amended.

Link(s):

1. Critical Readings 1 - Textbook - (Version 2).

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Jazz Theory 1- (MUSC 2501)

 Date for Entry: (Wednesday 5th September 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 9th March 2022)

[Entry as Report]

Dear Diary,

    On the same day as Intermediate Ensemble, I had Jazz Theory 1. It was immediately after three in the afternoon. The name of the lecturer for this course was Mr. Enrique Moore and it was wonderful to learn sometime down at the end of the course that he is a pastor. There are a series of events that occurred in this course and they are separated by episode. 

FIRST DAY

* Wednesday 5th September 2018 *

    On the first day of the course, we were given the cost of the course manual and also a short introduction, some new theories and we ended with a short Evaluation Test. We shared Mrs. Neaves' name of the exercise with him as a diagnostic test. 

    It was corrected and reviewed at the end of the second class. I decided to do the exercise worksheet properly and gave Mr. Moore a printout of it. I could hear from the particular laugh that he was satisfied with it. I was also able to keep a scanned copy of my handwritten notes from that second class. It was not an easy one at all but new information.

Link(s):

1. Evaluation Test - Mr. Moore's Version.
2. Evaluation Test - My Version.
3. Handwritten Notes - Second Class.

Jazz Theory 1 Mid-Term

* 30th October 2018 *

    A lot of us were trying to cram as much information as we could. This was not an easy course and by the time the exam reach the classroom, it was late. There was also a composition to be submitted on that day too. Mr. Moore gave us the assignment to do composition using the blues pattern. This was graded and returned some long time after the Mid-Term was given back.

    The moment I was handed the paper, my head began to squeeze. I tried to keep the work fail away from my mind and answer them as best as I could. The first page was good but front the second page onward was the beginning of the difficult question. I also saw how they made the exam paper and how I could do it over if I was asked to or if I had chosen. The chords on page four were a nightmare in some. I was able to write out the scales the scores correctly for a few.

Link(s):

1. Jazz Theory 1 - Mid-Term Exam.
2. History Notes (From Mr. Moore). This Version was 'doctored' by me.
3. "Sailing Through Venice Rivers" - Assignment.
4. "Sailing Through Venice Rivers" Recording.

Composition Assignment (Second Trial).

* Tuesday 13th November 2018 *

    When I did my first submission of the composition Mr. Moore did not want it with any piano accompaniment. He asked me to resubmit it with just the melodic line. I ad in the jazz analysis in pencil again and handed it to him. Some of the comments this time around were not negative or heavy in correction, thank goodness. 

Link(s):

1. First Request.

 

Final Project & Final Examination.

* Tuesday 11th December 2018 *

This day presented two examinations. The morning had my piano jury at ten in the morning in DCFA Studio one. I got there very early to do one last practice and then wait for the exam to begin. I heard from other students that we had to have copies of the music for the judges.

    Unfortunately, the library was not opened yet and someone said that no one was in the office upstairs yet. I had a few dollars with me so I took it and went to the other side of the campus office to print the music and went back to the venue.

    The music was really soothing. I was a bit nervous but no mistakes were done in any of the playings. I wait to see what the judges’ scores would be. Mr. Sharma allowed us who were doing Jazz Theory this afternoon to go first and then be able to leave. The two pieces I performed were “Lonely Bear” and “Dance of the Pianists”.

    I saw Natasha and Carl talking about the composition that we had to do and submit in school for Jazz Theory as they headed over to the kitchen side. I did not stay with them but went back to Curepe's home. I’m thankful to Mr. Moore for his advice and extra lessons one day on some of the theory and composition. I used them to complete the assignment and it was easier.

    The evening came by quickly. We had to go up to MD3 for the written Jazz Theory examination that evening. All of them were waiting upstairs with the compositions in their hand. As I looked up at them from the bridge, I could hear all of them shouting in happiness because I was the last one to meet them up there apparently. We all stood outside the exam doors with no idea what to do with the compositions and one of the invigilators inside was not allowing us to carry the compositions in with them.

    Our classmate Carla took all the assignments and went back down the stairs. He took some minutes. All of the people inside the examination room were looking out at us. We chose not to enter because we found it unfair to enter while Carla went to deliver our compositions. He came back in a few minutes after we were asked to either enter or leave by some other invigilator man. We were not allowed to be ‘liming’ outside the examination room so we decided to go inside in one single line. We knew where our row of desks and chairs were.

    Carla came back five minutes after the exam started. After chatting with him on Instagram that evening, I learned that he had gone all the way up t DCFA to drop off the composition assignments and then came right back down to Main Campus to do the exam.

    The exam was tough. A lot of things I had forgotten. We were not given manuscript paper and were had to draw in staves in the answer booklet with regular photocopied folder pages. We had a lot of scales and chords to write. Some things were jazz analysis and sentence responses. I was one of the few who decided to take the time to check over. I handed up my papers when the time was up.

    I met Mr. More coming in SUPER late when I was walking out from collecting my bags. It was really nice to see him that evening. I know the other students would have been angry but it was good working with him. I remember that he was asking me at the end of the final class what he really wanted me to do over the course textbook. It was my wish after doing all the charts that I had done for the Mid-term study. I wish it was possible but to do a project like that would be too difficult for me, especially where there is no proper information available, and to find someone to work with me and guide me in it would have probably been impossible.

    The composition that I did was something in memory of Dr. Ann-Marion Osborne. I did a painting late in the time leading up to the final exam. It was only a drawing at that time but I did have it coloured to upload it to YouTube. There was also a form I made. It was a Composition plan to help me make a strategy. After thinking about all the advice and extra lesson I had with Mr. Moore, I decided that this plan would have helped me put the entire thing together. I did not get to share it with the rest of the class.

Link(s):

1. Jazz Theory 1 – Candidate’s Receipt.
2. Jazz Theory Composition Plan.
3. “Remembering You” – Composition Assignment.
4. "Remembering You" - Sketch & Painting.
5. “Remembering You” – Recording.

CHARTBOOK.

Throughout the semester I took some time to make charts based on the various topics covered in the class. They were very helpful in the process of revision as in the Music theory 1 & 2 courses.

**chart pictures**

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Intermediate Steel Ensemble (Yr1; Sem2)

 Date for Entry: (Wednesday 8th September 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 9th March 2022)

[Entry as Report]

Dear Diary,

    I cannot recall when the first class for the ensemble was held. Mr. Murry told me at the "course advising" that we were going to have a new teacher this semester. As soon as class started I knew who she was. It was the girl who drilled the Sforzata band the year I went to play for Panorama. Dr. Remy was the arranger at the time doing the piece "Ducking it". The difference between this semester and the ensemble, I was not doing it for credit and I felt glad. Usually, it would put me in too much trouble no matter the teacher or the music they bring.

Link(s):

1. Course Outline 2018-2019.**

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Steelpan Arranging 1 - (MUSC 2003)

 Date for Entry: (Tuesday 4th September 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 9th March 2022)

[Entry as Report]

Dear Diary,

    This was my first day of steelpan arranging one. The assigned class was studio four. I had a thorough review of the Fundamentals of Steelpan Arranging (FOPA) textbook from the certificate program It helped me a lot because I was able to answer and discuss a lot of things in some of the questions Dr. Remy was asking us. 

    It did not seem like she had a textbook for the course and by the looks of things, I had a feeling that she would be using that same book. I'm glad I had it in my bag for the class that day. 

    When she went through the course outline with us, it made me feel so depressed because it said that we were only supposed to use Sibelius. When I asked to miss myself I we could still use Musescore, she apologised to us and said that it was the only way we had to do the course assignments. It meant at the time that I would have to spend a lot of time in the computer lab that moved into Studio two. But why not other software for? 

    We were allowed to complete assignments and move on to others of our own choice. To me, it felt like it was another experience doing several projects like in the 'Music Literature of the Steelpan' course. All of these assignments had to be submitted to Dr. Remy on a Dropbox file she had shared with everyone in the class. I am appreciative that Dr. Remy thought us how to 

Link(s):

1. Steelpan Arranging 1 - Course Outline.

Assignment #1 - "Minuet in G" by Telemann.

* Thursday 20th September 2018 *

    The first assignment was to do an adaptation for the Double tenor. For me looking at the score, all I had to do for this was to rewrite the entire thing and add in tremolos for the steel drum on the software to have the effect as a note being rolled on. 

    I was fortunate to find a thirty-day trial of Sibelius. I had it done within ten to twenty minutes and it was not difficult at all. It was something I was accustomed to doing for a long time and it made me remember when I used to rewrite music in manuscripts for fun. It did feel strange how we were asked to do the assignment for a Double Tenor and not a Tenor pan.

    Dr. Remy did say that she wanted to see how we would manage to transform the score we gave us to the assignment given and how we would use creativity. In the class replays, she said showed the class my assignment when it was my turn and said, "talk about creativity" when the cover page turned up. It had a large image of the painting that I had done for it. 

    Before she could even play the assignment, she and the class began to ask me who the people were. I told them that the lady in purple was Dr. Remy and the boy in red was me. I also told them that the venue was made to look like some sort of steelpan court. I was very happy to see that I got a Grade A (to the left-hand side) when the first page was pulled up for playing.

Link(s):

1. Telemann's "Minuet in G" - Score Printout.
2. Telemann's "Minuet in G" - Assignment.
3. Telemann's "Minuet in G" - Recording.

Assignment #2: "Nocturne Op. 9, No.2" by Chopin.

**

The second assignment had to do with interpretation. In class when Dr. Remy was talking about it the moment I said "interpret" as she was standing right in front of me she said, "Ah! Interpretation. Very good!" 

    I recall from Mrs. Ramlal's history course that a lot of thinking would be required because a piece like this should not be underestimated or just 'wiped up' quick like the first assignment. There is a certain type of beautifying to the piece that has to be given to selling the assignment. I never remember to ask Mr. Sharma for his advice on the piece though but it still worked out during those few days in the computer lab.

    Dr. Remy played all of the submissions from her laptop in class again on the day of the deadline. I was very happy to see that I had gotten a Grade A again. There was some minor scared in it because of difficulty locating acciaccatura in the Sibelius six but I was glad to find it in the little exploration I took. 

    Unfortunately, the Sibelius six that the school had did not allow me to do the ending portions of the assignment properly. I do not know if the crack copy of Sibelius 7 that all the other students were using on their laptops had the ability to do it. A separate part o it was related to the comment that Dr. Remy left for me on the first page.

    There was a girl in class that had the entire piece done properly and I wonder how she did it or if someone had done the work for her. Sometimes people cheat and I know they could alter the work of another. On a positive note, I am very grateful that Dr. Remy had taught us during one of the classes before the deadline how to copyright notation in the footer of the score.

Link(s):

1. Chopin's "Nocturne Op.9 No.2" - Score Printout.
2. Chopin's "Nocturne Op.9 No.2" - Assignment.
3. Chopin's "Nocturne Op.9 No.2" - Recording.

Assignment 3: "Sonata IV from 6 Sonata (Opus 2)" by Johann Christian Bach

* Monday 1st October 2018 *

The printed score for this assignment was a clarinet trio by Mike Magatagan. I wasn't sure who the person is but the name is quite familiar, especially for Musescore notation where he might post some of his work. Since this was Musescore as I recognized, I got a copy from the webpage and worked from that. I do not recall having many amendments being required.

Link(s):

1. "Sonata IV from 6 Sonatas" - Score Printout.
2. "Sonata IV from 6 Sonatas" - Assignment.*
3. "Sonata IV from 6 Sonatas" - Recording.*

Assignment 4: "Fugue in G minor" BWV 578 by Johann Sebastian Bach.

* Tuesday 16th October 2018 *

The date below the assignment title I believe is the deadline and submission date. I remember I was the first to meet Dr. Remy for assistance with the transpositions. This was in the Percussion Room. I got my score printed to go rush up and get going on the computers upstairs before Roger had to kick me out for a class to start in there.

    When it was time for the submission, we all had a good laugh in class when my first submission was messed up a lot. I eventually gave up on it and had to settle for a type of Grade B. It was an interesting experience even though the piece was not done well to my standard.

Link(s):

1. Johann Sebastian Bach's "Fugue in G minor" - Printout.
2. Johann Sebastian Bach's "Fugue in G minor" - Assignment.
3. Johann Sebastian Bach's "Fugue in G minor" - Recording.**

Assignment 5: "Valse No. 2" from Jazz Suite No.2, by D. Shostakovich.

* Thursday 1st November 2018 *

    The score printout for this assignment was larger by the system. A lot of work to determine and thinking was required to see which steelpan instruments take too what, and also to look out for duplication in the score given. The duplication was a lot for this one and it did take me some time to complete the assignment. Dr. Remy gave us a 

********** add more/study assignment

Link(s):

1. Shostakovich's "Valse No. 2" - Printout.
2. Shostakovich's "Valse No. 2" - Listening Map.**
3. Shostakovich's "Valse No. 2" - Assignment.

Mid-Term Assessment.

* 13th November 2018 *

    This assessment was four pages long and took the entire class time to complete. We had a heavy deal of transpositions to work out and some steelpan arranging to write out by hand. We also had a comprehension section on pages three to four. As fun as it was to see a question like that it was not easy at all. 

    When the scripts were returned we were all shocked to see the ed marker writings on them and also to find out that everyone failed. It was a sad thing for me. 

Link(s):

1. Steelpan Arranging 1: Mid-Term Script.

Assignment 6 (CANCELLED): "Karelia Overture" by Jean Sibelius.

* Tuesday 20th November 2018 *

    This given assignment was canceled during the time leading up to the deadline. I had personally wished there was a whole week before the deadline. If it was so, I would have been able to complete the entire assignment and had it over to Dr. Remy. In class near the deadline, she was forced to cancel this assignment six and have us recycle assignment five. No one was able to submit on the set date.

    Instead, we were asked to add in the percussion in assignment five. I am unable to recall what other requests and requirements were asked of us to do. I decided to call this new assignment as Assignment Seven.

    One thing I am very disappointed in, or what I had felt cheated on really bad had occurred. I heard Natasha and Quiana speaking really loud over a semester and some weeks about them and some others doing separate sections of that thirty-three-page score that Dr. Remy had given us to do as the assignment. 

    As usual, I was not considered in any of that and while I had no Sibelius at all at home, I was doing all the work myself in that cold Computer Lab. I had to wrestle with Roger sometimes to get to do the work and face the visual arts students that had to do class. I feel like one day I will get the printout and do a proper Musescore version. 

Link(s):

1. "Karelia Overture" Printout.
2. "Karelia Overture" Attempt.**

    In the final class, we were given a PowerPoint lecture by Dr. Remy. I took a handwritten note of some of the things that were important to me. Towards the end of the class, there was a document that Dr. Remy spoke shortly about. She only had one copy and she said that if someone wants it to come for it at the end of class. There were three of us at the end of class and she said that she should maybe throw it up in the air and see who got the pages. 

    Surprisingly, she did that I and two other students were fighting for the pages. The other person gave up and three what she had back on the floor and left. Brandon helped me take up the sheets and he gave them to me. I knew that I was now able to scan the pages and send them to everyone. Moreover, I was now able to take the scan and add it to Dr. Remy's steelpan arranging book that I was able to redo. 

Link(s):

1. Final Handwritten Class notes.**
2. Instrument Ranges, Transpositions, and Foreign Names.**

Daryl Zion M. Ali

Music Degree (Yr2; Sem1)

 Date for Entry: (Monday 3rd September 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 9th March 2022)

Dear Diary,

    This is the beginning of my second year in the music degree at UWI. I have five classes for the semester as usual. I am not excepted at all about doing one of them. 

These courses are:

1. Law, Governance, Economy and Society, 
2. Pan Arranging 1, 
3. Performance Music 3, 
4. Jazz Theory 1
5. Critical Reading in Caribbean Arts & Culture 1.

    I had signed up for them early today and had it dropped off at the administration building, alone with receipt. I've heard a lot of talk from students in the third year and those in the "repeaters net" on how difficult the course could be. I knew that I would have had to do it at some point and now that I have to do it, I hope that it would help me in some way and that I would be able to complete it smoothly. 

    One of the other surprising things is that I would be trying out piano as a beginner this semester with Mr. Sharma. I am looking forward to it. It took me a really long while to make the Timetable for this semester (on Thursday 28th September 2021) because I wanted to make sure that all of the class times were confirmed and included all individual practical classes. Was wonderful to see that I had a day off on a Thursday.

On Tuesday 12th September 2018, I was given a four-page copy of the "Hands like Lightning" score. I was very excepted holding it in my mind and looking down at the notation. 

Link(s):

1. UWI Fee Sheet & Receipt - Degree (Yr2; Sem1).
2. Hands like Lightning (Score).
3. Payment for 'Law & Gov' Textbook.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali