Category: Uncategorized

I have never been good at saying no. Whether it has been to a second helping of chocolate cake or to a role in a “low commitment” show, I always end up end up feigning remorse and replying with a resounding yes. My capacity for always saying yes has given me numerous exceptional opportunities but it has also resulted in 18 credit semesters while working 2 jobs, performing in 5 shows and 1 full length film. Somehow, with all the craziness of my schedule, I managed 8 hours of sleep (almost) every night and the illusion of a social life.

Lots of people think I am crazy for doing as much as I do, but every now and then, I meet someone who gets it. Someone who isn’t just impressed by my time management skills but understands that my quest to become a true Renaissance woman has a greater purpose than simply a check mark on my list of life goals. Last night I met one of those people.

Yesterday night I had a coaching (musical rehearsal with pianist trained to work in a collaborative role) with an extremely respected and experienced pianist to prepare for a concert that I am singing in tonight. As we worked, we came upon the subject of musicality and expression, and how so many young singers lack a connection to the text or the ability to express that connection, obscuring the true beauty of the piece with a pretty melodic line that holds no meaning for them or the audience.

Her frustration with the modern student of classical music was this: that we all too often fall into this little black box where Beethoven is king, our loyalty to our teacher is unquestionable and we never bother to look outside our classical world to see and experience things “that won’t help our careers”. What she said the students don’t realize is that those things that don’t directly help or hurt their career colors who they are as a person and as a musician; that the difference between someone who sings a pretty melodic line and someone who connects with the audience are the experiences that they have had outside that little black box. So perhaps my experience in an oil refinery or pageants won’t be my stepping stone to the MET, but they color who I am and the music that I make every day which is enough to keep me saying yes to each and every opportunity.

Whether through imperial propaganda

religious iconography,

consumer advertising,

or subversive graffiti,

 

societies have attempted to influence mass culture through images.

 

British Art Historian Norman Bryson writes about the two sides of a picture: its purely visual elements and its textual elements. In other words, pictures on one hand provide an immersive, pure experience, and on the other hand attempt to express specific meaning through the logical relationships they present.

Let’s look at the sprite ad more closely as an example:

The Sprite advertisement presents the experience members of our society recognize as a crispy can of Sprite – and also the blatant textual command “obey”. This example presents a very strong dichotomy between visual and textual elements. But maybe that’s the point of the ad.

By presenting an overt dichotomy, the ad creates a strategic sleight-of-hand that buries a subtler array of visual and textual codes within the frame.

For example, the refreshing and comforting cool colors, the iridescent flecks of liquid indicate soothing satisfaction. The onomatopoeic burst of color indicates energy upon cracking open a bottle.

The Sprite commercial plays on the interesting relationship between both word and image and the suspension of disbelief that occurs when a spectator focuses on either end of the visual-textual spectrum through implicit meaning.

On the other end is a subversive graffiti work:

Which focuses on textual strategy to convey a paradoxical statement. However, this is a highly medium-reflexive piece which recognizes the act of painting anything on a wall is spectacular in and of itself- the hidden visual meaning lies behind the pure text, and redefines the textual statement through self-conscious irony.

 

Hence, whether commercial or subversive, acts of persuasion begin at the margins of textual and visual communication, on the liminal ends of our cognitive capacities.

 

It’s too cold out to do much else but bury your head into your hat and hood and walk swiftly to class. But, if you’re like me, you might find yourself waiting for a bus or in the windowless rooms of the CCRB. If so, plug the headphones in and dance your way through the week.

This will be on repeat for weeks. So smooth. So original. So catchy. So much better than anything you’ve been listening to lately. Also, I have no idea who the f these dudes are, but they are doing it right.

 

numba two. Chances are everyone around you has been talking about the new D’angelo album. Confused on where to jump in? Sidestep the long process and take a look at this standout track.

 

time for a bit of a throwback. Nothing says long nights on the sidewalk waiting for a bus than this amazing beat and Snoop D O double G.

 

To add some contemporary female vocals to the mix, check out very much under-appreciated Lorine Chia and her latest work.

 

lastly, as the snow is falling and your room is finally feeling a bit warm, and your homework is finished enough to justify sleep, and your slippers feel great, let this amazing and one-of-a-kind voice take you off to sleep.