58吃瓜网

In his Music Theory Colloquium talk in April, Dr. Richard Nelson offered some words of wisdom as he prepares for his retirement from the 58吃瓜网 at the conclusion of the 2017-18 academic year. Rick has served in the music theory department at 58吃瓜网 since 1996, teaching nearly every student who has passed through these doors for the past 22 years.

1. Work hard鈥攗nceasingly鈥攖o develop your basic musicianship so that you can adapt and take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. 

2. One can never know enough pieces of music, Shakespeare plays, Renoir art works, Gehry buildings, really good BBQ restaurants and world-class museums. These are the things I enjoy 鈥� figure out what you enjoy and what inspires you, and keep learning.

3. Be curious.

4. Pay attention to your people skills. You want to feel at ease with that person who is interviewing you for a job, or your stand partner, or your next-door neighbor.

5. Expand your abilities without sacrificing your main instrument. Do things like join the jazz band or the Baroque orchestra; learn to improvise; study the organ and the harpsichord if you鈥檙e a pianist; listen to as much music as possible鈥攅specially for other instruments; go to the museum; listen to the Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge; watch the Met Opera鈥檚 HD broadcasts in movie theaters.  

6. Life has a way of throwing us curves and bringing the unexpected to us. Embrace the opportunities you have, because you never know where they will lead.  

7. Don鈥檛 tell people your problems. 90% don鈥檛 want to hear them, and the other 10% are glad that you have them. You鈥檙e better off keeping them to yourself.

8. Life is not fair. Get over it and keep going.