PG. 9
HOW WE CAN HELP FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
JAMES BEARD’S UNIQUE APPROACH TO CHICKEN
PG. 3
PG.10
ON THE HORIZON: A NEW WEBSITE FOR NEC
PG. 8
PG. 2
MUSIC IN 2050: THE ECONOMICS AND POLITICS OF OUR FUTURE
THE PENGUIN’S VALENTINE’S DAY LIST ISSUE 74
FEBRUARY 3RD, 2016
THE PENGUIN N E C ’S S T U D E N T - R U N N E W S PA P E R
ANDREW PORT, HEAD EDITOR
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
Where’s All the Snow? As we enter into the second month of the new year and the second month of our new semester at NEC, everyone in our community has noticed one very odd thing: Where’s the winter weather? The slush, the ice, the freezing temperatures, and the SNOW?! While we at The Penguin can’t tell you where winter has gone, or where to find it, all we can tell is that we’re going to enjoy the warmer temperatures for as long as we can! But February brings another kind of storm to New England Conservatory: Auditions. As the hustle and bustle of prospective students exploring our school and auditioning to join our amazing community goes on around us, maybe introduce yourself to a visit-
ing family or two. Having a friend at a prospective school is always a big help when deciding where to spend the next couple years of your musical development. For our prospective students who are reading this issue, we’d like to give you a hearty hey and hello, and we wish you the very best on your auditions. Hopefully we’ll get to see you in our halls more often come next year. In the meantime, our February Issue is packed with issue-oriented articles regarding climate change, the economy, personal finance and, of course, Valentine’s Day. Enjoy, and happy music making!
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
1
A Masterclass in the Kitchen JAMES BEARD’S RECIPE FOR CHICKEN
Chicken with Mushrooms and White Sauce Adapted from American Cookery with James Beard.
Ingredients 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs 1/2 lbs. mushrooms, washed and finely chopped
by JULIAN POZNIAK 1st Year - MM Composition hundred pages of recipes and culinary wisdom encompasses the full gamut of American food traditions, from the more conventional pages on pot roasts, hashes, summer salads, and pies, to the particularly American pages on sandwiches, pickles, cocktail food, and picnic food. Unfortunately, America’s culinary traditions have been buried under the arrival of convenience
5 tb. butter, divided.
food, but if we dig down past the Velveeta, TV dinners, instant
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
meatloaf, and other unspeakable horrors of the more recent past,
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
we can find some truly wonderful foods waiting to be prepared
Flour
and enjoyed by an America interested in reviving a dormant
Additional salt and pepper
culture.
3/4 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock) 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
Begin by rubbing a pinch of salt and pepper into the chicken, and then dredging it through the flour. Make sure that the flour lightly covers all of the chicken. Melt three tablespoons of butter in a very wide skillet over moderate heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté until they have turned quite dark and soft, about 12 to 15 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and remove the mushrooms from the pan. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the pan, again heating it until it begins to foam. Add the pieces of chicken to the pan, making sure that the pieces are not too crowded, and cook for about four minutes on each side until they are lightly browned and the flour has firmed up. Return the mushrooms to the pan, spreading them around the pieces of chicken, and add the wine (or stock). Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and let the pieces of chicken simmer for three minutes on each side. Test the chicken to see if it is done by pressing lightly; if the chicken is firm it is finished cooking. If not, continue cooking for a few additional minutes. Remove the chicken and add the parsley to the sauce. If it is too thin, reduce the sauce by turning it up to a rapid boil until the sauce has thickened. Serve by pouring the sauce over individual pieces of chicken. Serve along with potatoes or plain rice, and a green salad.
Although cooking any recipe requires care and attention, cooking with meat necessitates additional precautions because of the possibility of making any dinner guests sick with improperly prepared food or poor kitchen habits. Fortunately, this recipe is rather forgiving to new cooks, since the amount of preparation of the meat is negligible before it gets cooked. Regardless, it is worth mentioning a few practices that should become routine. First and foremost, always thoroughly wash any surface that comes into contact with raw meat. This begins with your hands and should be immediately followed by cutting boards, knives, and any other kitchen implement. This is because dangerous bacteria love raw meat more than pigs love mud. If you were to leave any kind of raw animal product out at room temperature for twenty four hours, you would have an extremely pungent and toxic ingredient that would have to go immediately into the trash. Consuming it would not be pleasant (as my uncle says, you would have a bad case of “all exits open, no waiting”). Cooking meat can also be a bit of a challenge, although chicken is the most accessible and forgiving. When cooking meat, you always have a window which you are aiming for: cook it too little and the meat will still be raw and unpalatable; cook it too much and the meat will be dry and tasteless. This is why a good cook will often
Back before Food Network was a well-known entity in American
stay within a certain distance of their food, checking regularly on
households, before celebrity chefs created sensational
the progress.
cookbooks with bizarre new recipes, before the age of fad diets and nutritional hysteria, there was a man named James Beard. In
Perhaps it is worth mentioning that this recipe would make an
the mid-20th century Beard set out on a quest to show the world
appropriate dish for February, as Valentine’s Day warrants making
that the United States had a culture of cuisine that could rival
something special to be shared. Just as with any relationship, if
those of France and Italy, which resulted in one of the first major
you put the proper care and attention into cultivating something
culinary volumes to focus exclusively on the food traditions
wonderful, the product will be something to be savored,
found in the United States. His book, consisting of over eight
enjoyed, and remembered.
2
FEBRUARY, 2016
The Climate Message
by PILAR ZORRO 2nd Year - MM Contemporary Improvisation
MUSICIANS AND THEIR FIGHT TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE
something I knew existed and cared about, how could I, as a musician, do anything about it? Why is it my concern? This Fall, I discovered an initiative for artists against climate change. I began an internship with Warren Senders, faculty member in the Music In Education program at NEC. Two years ago, he created an initiative for artists and arts lovers to be involved to help spread awareness of climate change around the world. Lately, during his performances of Indian classical music, Warren has begun to express his concerns about climate change to the audience. In many parts of the world, climate change has already affected the water supply, creating a need for the population to emigrate. Or, in other cases, it has been predicted that many cities close to the sea will disappear and the population will have to relocate. Once this happens, many cultural traditions, including their music, will be in grave danger. WARREN SENDERS, FOUNDER OF THE CLIMATE MESSAGE
In order to spread his message to a broader public, Warren is now Two months ago, while I was walking around East Boston, I saw
encouraging other musicians and artists to record a video of a
an unexpected image: plants were blooming on a sunny and
musical performance, a recitation of a poem, or any other artistic
warm day in December. December? Flowers in December?
expression. This recording, that can simply be done with a cell
Where is the snow? Last year, December was also relatively warm.
phone, consists of three simple steps:
However, once snow arrived in Boston, January and February experienced two of the coldest months in history.
1. Perform something beautiful that reflects who you are and what you do.
How is it that December could be so warm, while January and
2. After 30 seconds of your performance, stop and speak to the
February were so incredibly frigid just one year ago? And how
camera, in any language you like. Say your name, your location,
could we still be experiencing such warm temperatures today?
and in a brief sentence, why you are concerned about climate change.
Climate change, by definition, is the modification of the average
3. Continue your performance for another 30 seconds.
temperature of an environment, which includes hot and cold temperatures cycles. This global issue has been caused primarily
Once your recording is complete, send it to theclimatemessage@
by the human use of fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide
gmail.com Your recording will be featured alongside hundreds
and other greenhouse gases into the air. The most important
of other artists’ performances on Warren Sender’s website: www.
consequence (though there are many) is global warming,
theclimatemessage.com and the organization’s YouTube channel.
which refers to the elevation of the average temperatures in the world. As explained in this science article, (http://tinyurl.
It is time to take action and we as artists, have the tools to make
com/climatechangepenguin), “the elevation of the average
this change: the change for a better life not just for ourselves, but
temperatures in the world is a symptom of the disease that is
for future generations.
climate change.” I am sharing this with you because I realized how little I had been paying attention to this issue. Even though global warming is
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
3
The Starving Musician
KEEP UP WITH YOUR FINANCES WITH THESE TIPS It’s that post-holiday time of year: your weight is high and your funds are low. You finished fall semester with your purse heavy after those holiday gigs and celebrated with one too many of Santa’s
by INGA LIU 3rd Year - BM Violin cookies. Well, you know what they say: new year, new you. Here are 6 tips to make sure the only thing that gets thicker than your waistline is your wallet.
ONE: EAT IN And no, that doesn’t mean order in. College students spend the bulk of their money on food. If you took the amount of money college students spent ordering pizza, you could probably feed a third world country. Cooking is healthy both for your body and your finances. And making a salad and pasta isn’t rocket science.
TWO: PACK YOUR LUNCH Laziness is no excuse for hitting up Whole Foods or even Five Guys on daily basis. If you’re time-crunched, plan your meals on the weekend. It doesn’t take more than 30 seconds to make a sandwich. And eating well is good for the mind, body, and your music.
THREE: PLAN YOUR TRANSPORTATION AHEAD OF TIME (OR CARPOOL!) If you’re out partying at Harvard or at a gig in Somerville, remember that public transportation in Boston closes at a kindergartner’s bedtime. If you’re too tired to get home, ask a friend ahead of time if you can crash on their couch. If you really have to get home, Uber Pool and Lyft Line are excellent options for discounted rides that you might have to share with some other (drunk) student.
FOUR: LEAVE YOUR CREDIT CARD BEHIND While it is important to build good credit history in your early years, studies consistently show that credit card users spend more. Carry just a little cash to make sure you don’t spend what you don’t have.
FIVE: DO YOU REALLY NEED THAT? Impulse buying is a disease that plagues all young, hormonal, and emotional musicians like us. Next time you see a cute scarf on sale at Forever 21 even if it’s just $9.99, chances are you won’t freeze to death without it. And trust me, the savings (or expenses) add up fast.
SIX: TAKE THAT GIG! If you’re not registered with the Music Referral Service (MRS) to take gigs, march yourself down to their office on the 2nd floor of St. Botolph right now. As long as it’s not impeding on your studies, gigs often lead to other gigs. And wherever you perform is an opportunity to network and present yourself to the public as a musician. It’s good practice for when you’ll probably end up freelancing at some point in your life after you graduate.
4
FEBRUARY, 2016
Music in 2050: A World of Difference
EXPLORING THE ECONOMICS AND POLITICS BEHIND OUR MUSICAL FUTURES
by ANDREW PORT 3rd Year - BM Oboe
was being used to start shaping politics again. Her approach to these problems is unique, and one not heard among any of the candidates for President. The idea is called ‘Plentitude’, a term coined by the Professor, and it centers on one of her most basic concerns: part-time labor. “[We have to find out] if there is a way that we can make [part-time labor] a good future. Can we make it so that it allows us to live happily and give us happiness and the capability of doing what we want?” Professor Schor believes we can, and she laid out some of the more basic provisions of a system she believes would work. She started with the premise of a basic income for all citizens in the country, supported by a progressive tax, which would be paid into by all Americans, and received by all Americans. The money would be enough to allow for subsistence living; the idea Music in 2050 presented a lecture on the first day of February to
that even if you have no other income, you can still feed yourself,
discuss the economic and financial details of a segment of the
put a roof over your head, and sustain yourself until you can find
American Economy that musicians often find themselves in -
another means of gainful employment. Next, she proposes a
more specifically, the realm of contingent part-time labor, or the
reduction in the work, both in hours and number of days, and a
‘gig’ economy. Leading the lecture was Professor Juliet Schor, a
new focus on projects to combat global warming and personal
sociologist from Boston College, whose best-selling books and
enlightment and progress. The idea is simple: When people don’t
involvements in politics were both impressive and extensive. Her
have to worry about meeting bare necessities financially, and
lecture began with a set of individuals, whose stories all involved
work less hours (hours which are replaced by other humans and
different types of services such as Uber, Taskrabbit, Relayrides
potentially machines), they are able to pursue more enriching
and Postmates. Their lives varied in many distinctive ways, but
social and personal goals, and spend more money - which
Professor Schor was wise to start with their stories. Whether it
stimulates the economy.
was using one of those services as an extra way to make money or as a primary source of income, Professor Schor soon came to
When Professor Schor concluded, she took questions from the
the natural conclusion that these individuals weren’t entirely
audience. She fielded concerns such as motivation from the
unlike freelance musicians, gigging for work and managing
workforce, and the feasbility of the idea, saying that studies she
their own schedules, time and pay; in fact, she called it the ‘Gig
had seen and also conducted indicated that Americans were too
Economy.’
industrious as individuals to allow a basic income to demotivate them from working either for their self betterment or for others’.
The discussion then pivoted to the economy as a whole,
Professor Schor also argued that the 30 years between 1950-
particularly focusing on income and wealth inequality. We’ve all
1980 was anomalous for its great successes, and that it would
heard about the atronomical inequitable holdings of the top 1%
be next to impossible to achieve the same balance of conditions
in the US, but she put this disparity into context by explaining
that led to the quality of life seen during those decades. The
that the top one-tenth of 1 percent (.1%) of Americans own
evening concluded with a reminder that all of us are elements of
almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. Graphs
change, and it’s within our ability to make change for the better.
tracking productivity, work-hours and wealth from the ‘50s to
Stay tuned as the Penguin follows the fascinating and highly
the ‘90s clearly illustrated how this disparity has grown in the
relevant program of Music in 2050.
past half century. She discussed at length the changes that occured after the 80s set in, and how wealth started to become redistributed in the wrong direction - up, and how that money
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
5
lf e s e n O Loving
penguin BIG PICTURE by Darynn Dean
It’s scary, I mean really scary. Taking a chance, letting go, and opening your eyes to see what you just created. As “artists,” that is our job right? We put everything on the line, forget about what’s going on offstage, and pour our souls into the music so the audience can be “moved.” A perfect performance is measured not only by technique, but by how positively you impact the mood of your listeners. As artists we work diligently in the practice rooms, studio lessons, and rehearsals to achieve this idea of a “perfect performance,” but for some reason, after we leave the stage there is something missing. Many times I have experienced moments in which the audience was cheering and clapping, but deep down inside a steady feeling of dissatisfaction consumed me. I thought to myself, “Yes, I did everything right, and the audience loved it. But I didn’t.” The only thing I could remember about the performance was feeling stressed, excited, and cautious all at once. After choosing to examine these emotions more closely, I began to explore the relationship with myself, and discovered that the way I relate to myself influences how I relate to my music and the audience. Prior to my self-reflection, I knew that I was talented, that I was attending NEC and on a musical path. But I never thought about how I viewed myself on a more holistic level. As I started removing the layers of my past, I identified the root of these feeling as a mixture of a self expectations, fear of failure, and lack of control. Combined, I constantly allowed them to stop me from fully trusting myself. I accepted the high expectations from my father, teachers, peers, and myself, and allowed them to guide my personal discourse as an artist. The fear of not sounding good,
Stock Photo, Pintrest
While searching for the answer I came across a simple yet complex solution: I must love myself, completely and fully, without any judgments or expectations. The road to trust starts with loving everything from the worst crack that my voice could ever make, to the worst pimple on my face. After beginning this process, I
and not living up to all that I imagine myself to be, spurred a flurry of anxiety. Trying to control and manipulate my voice to sound
found that when I was not loving myself; I attached negativity and judgments to my actions and this resulted in unhappiness.
exactly like it did on my last hit performance made my body tense with unease. In mid-performance my mind became occupied with all of these expectations and fears, and while my performance may
The concept of loving oneself directly correlates to my personal journey as an artist. Too often I would beat myself up about how
have sounded good, I didn’t feel good. Because of my lack of self trust, I constantly tried to fit myself, my voice, and my body in a box that restricted any relaxed form of creativity. And at the end of the day I still asked the question, why can’t I trust myself?
6
FEBRUARY, 2016
I sounded while I was performing. If my voice cracked, or a low note wobbled, I would let it affect the rest of my performance by singing softly, or shutting out the audience. In the moment, I did not love my instrument, instead I was selfishly reacting to something I could not change. These negative performance thoughts frequently entered my mind on stage, and I finally
wanted a way out! I was tired of feeding energy into my
is the purpose of practicing because you have trained yourself
insecurities and self-perceived mistakes. I wanted to know how I could change my mindset.
to be “non-critical?” This question great, and that is why it is important to remember the purpose of doing this exercise; to train your mind to stop interfering with your body and
It wasn’t until I came across a Youtube video posted by New York University, that I began to see the light. In this NYU master class,
the instrument. This exercise is not to practice technique, or embouchure, or fingering. There is space and time to practice all
jazz pianist, Kenny Werner said , “Affirm that what you are playing is beautiful, and it becomes beautiful. Because as you accept it, it starts to glow with your own acceptance.” Sometimes we
of those things, but not while you are reconditioning your mind from controlling your musical headspace.
are our own worst enemies. We have been conditioned to see
Self-criticism can be a good thing, but not while you are
our musical faults, and constantly criticize. I believe criticism is
performing. Your regular practices already include criticizing
beneficial for growth, but it must be balanced with the practice of acceptance. We must practice how to accept ourselves, our sound, and our bodies, without letting our minds get in the
yourself and problem solving difficult areas in your song selection. If you always practice criticism when you are off the stage, you will always practice criticism while you are on the
way. Just as we practice the technical aspect of our
stage. Loving oneself is the key to trusting oneself and it is
instrument, we have to practice shutting down
not always easy. We are living in a society that profits
the fears, expectations, and our controlling actions.
on our own self-dissatisfaction, and many times we buy-in to our own judgments. If music is one of our many callings as humans then we need to honor ourselves and the gift that we posses.
First, you must make any sound on your instrument - specifically, the first note that comes to mind when you pick it up. It doesn’t matter how it sounds, it’s better if you don’t think about it; just play anything. After you have played a sound, do not react to the first negative thought, but rather tell yourself you love it. Then play it
I can honestly say that have not yet mastered the art of letting go, but each time I practice I am one step closer. There have been times in performance, when I have surprised myself and have been left Kenny Werner, Jazz Pianist breathless from joy and excitement. Opening up and finding
again, until your ears, and body, and mind can all agree that you love the sound. Once you become more comfortable with this concept, play your favorite song, and don’t react to any “mistake” you might make. Instead, say you love it and play the piece again, and again, until you can play it without any mental
myself has led to many revelations. This first semester at the conservatory has taught me to love myself, for who I am; not what I want to be, or try to be. It is so easy to be trapped into a hole of self deprecation, but we have to remember that is not what, or who we are. We are sharing, giving, receiving,
interference. You must practice loving everything you do in the moment.
and feeling human beings that deserve to love each other, but most of all ourselves. As artists and storytellers, let’s make
Mastering this skill set takes time and patience and I will admit
an agreement to love ourselves, because how we relate with ourselves is how we relate to music and the audience.
that at first you will have to fake it. You will have to lie and say that you love the cringe-worthy sound you made on your instrument, until you actually believe it. You must play the sound enough times until it actually resonates within and you will learn to love it. Practicing the ability to let go of your thoughts will allow you to enter into a musical meditative state. As artist we need to practice loving everything that we do, so we can do more of it. Kenny Werner states that by practicing letting go, “Eventually, you set up a program in your mind where to touch you instrument, is to let go. When you touch your instrument you go into a mental balance that you don’t even own the rest of your day.” Some may ask, “If you learn to love everything you play, what
Darynn Dean
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
7
Our Home on the Web by Julia Cohen
I was recently part of a meeting with fellow students regarding
of NEC, our amazing faculty, and the unique opportunities our
redesigning the NEC website. We met members of Institutional
school and location offer.
Advancement and the web developers they have hired to brainstorm ideas about how to improve our website. It
Not many conservatories collaborate between departments
was interesting to hear opinions and suggestions from both
like NEC does. Here we have classical musicians performing in
students within the school and from professionals in the field
jazz and CI ensembles, and many other creative combinations.
of web design, because combining our ideas will create a more
Qualities like these are the most important to highlight in our
informed perspective on the best steps towards redesigning the
website, showing the progressive and supportive environment of
site.
NEC. Why not create a website that really showcases how special our school is?
Boston is a classy and progressive city, full of young adults at many colleges and universities, and much of our NEC life is influenced by our location within this vibrant city. In the meeting we explored the possibility of creating a site that more reflects
Cornered Elephant A Poetic Interlude by Maryann Han
these aspects of NEC. The current website portrays a very strict conservatory essence, and even though we are a prestigious conservatory we have so many more qualities to also bring out! Our school has hidden gems that prospective and current students are not even aware of. For example, we can co-register with Tufts and Northeastern, immerse ourselves in a Music-in Education Concentration, and now we can pursue a liberal arts or music theory minor along with our major! These special features of our curriculum need to be incorporated into NEC’s website in an engaging and easily accessible way. We discussed how it is important to create more awareness of the CPP, EM, Undergraduate Opera, orchestral program, and Tuesday Night New Music programs. NEC is always alive with amazing musical performances, ranging from grand concerts in Jordan Hall, to intimate student recitals, to ensemble performances, but the website does not reflect this jubilant nature of our community. One suggestion at the meeting was to incorporate a new section geared towards the public. Designed to allow easy access to a constantly updated calendar of performances, this would promote our music and bring more people to NEC to hear us. It is important to redesign the website to make it more alive, concise, and to highlight the hidden gems
8
FEBRUARY, 2016
Ever the wayfaring stranger, eyes beholding every movement made by man, eliciting on every side, envy, enmity, ecstasy. Lost in poorly disguised disgust, left with sight and lilting inhibition; I’ve looked for him, faithless lover: always lingering, letting, leaving. Eerie forest with pesto sauce, escort by Tschunk, excavation through thoughts so elemental: effusion, embarrassment, escape. Pressure from all sides keening in pounding nonstop pricking all but points of pure pleasure. Only peering, pleading, praying. Hell would turn into a sort of heaven, twisted, held against the uncertain.
How forgotten; hapless, hopeless, harmless. Anarchy’s capability astonishes aristocracy, foiling annulment with: ataxia, artifice, arrest. No one cares for invisible needs. Why do I neglect my inner being necessities? Naught, neither, never. To my inner faerie being: total darkness tears the wings. But use pressure, torque, and gravity to beget: truth, tranquility, tangibility. Earthly motivation Lulls the mind with mundane thoughts. Effortless release Pulls me into marvelous knots. Heaviness does not exist; Appearance: never as it seems. Nothing represents my ashes Tumbling within its own seams.
Relevance
A LOOK AT WHAT DRIVES US
Not long ago I played a concert with the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra, and my family came to hear the performance. I asked my dad what his favorite piece on the program was, and I was astonished to hear him mention first the contemporary composition written by our composer-in-residence, Sarah Ballard. I thought about this for a long time. It seemed odd that a piece with such an unusual musical language could touch my dad deeply when he knew very little about music at all.
by UMAR ZAKARIA 2nd Year - MM Jazz Bass is how, in my opinion, we decide whether or not we find a musical performance relevant; these reasons help us decide what to listen to. Before I could improvise, I found it fascinating to watch musicians improvising, because I could see in their eyes or when closed in concentration, on their eyelids, a combination of freedom and struggle. The freedom that I wanted, and the struggle I wanted to escape. I went to watch people improvise whenever I could. Not because I knew anything about what they were playing, but because I could connect to the reasons why they
Eventually I thought, what if it was because he was a computer programmer? His eyes were always on the details; one small
were playing - in other words, their purpose.
syntax error could make a huge difference in his world. It would
As musicians, I would describe our relevance as any kind of relationship that can be formed between our audience and our
make sense, then, if his ears were on the details too; and in purpose. When we’re singing songs of unrequited love, most a contemporary piece like this, there were plenty of them. people will be able to connect to that, because most people have Being a musician really changes the way you hear music, so I experienced unrequited love. On wondered, could being a computer the other hand, there’s a reason why programmer change the way such songs are not the mainstay of you hear music too? If I was children’s television. right about this, what else could affect the way you hear music? Your audience is a huge part of your Nowadays, I believe the answer to performance. Personally, I would that question is: a lot. We spend like for my audiences to enjoy my a long time at school thinking performances even more than I do about what our relationship is to which is a lot! When we take a moment our performances and the music to think about who our audience is, we play, because that’s incredibly what experiences they might have important, but equally important is had, what ideas they have been the relationship that our audiences exposed to, and what might lead them have to our performances and the to attend our performances, it can music we play. How does the music Michael Fowler Centre, home of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra really give us fresh ideas about how to improve our affect them? When we’re scrolling performances so that they are more engaging for ourselves as well through newsfeeds or walking past advertisements in our daily as those listening to us. Caring about our audience is what makes lives, we decide what to read based on what we find relevant. them care about us. That’s what makes them want to hear us play There is something about it that we have a connection to. We live in America, so we care about American politics, whether we are citizens or not. We all have to eat, so we pay attention to what food is available around the spaces we live and work. We like to laugh, so we remember ads that are funny and perhaps talk about them too. Being a musician affects the way that we hear music because it gives us a set of experiences that allow us to connect to the composer, the performers, and the musical material that we are hearing, but that’s surely not the end of the story. Each of us has individual reasons why we find a certain kind of music appealing regardless of whether we are musicians or not. Everyone who is not a musician has reasons of their own, too. This
again. That’s what makes them want to tell their friends about us. That’s what makes them want to support us and help us build a sustainable career - and that, as I’m sure you’ll agree, is something most musicians will probably find relevant. Perhaps they’re computer programmers. Perhaps they’re teenagers. Perhaps they’re NEC students. Perhaps they’re someone else. Every detail that makes us who we are affects the way we hear music. As someone who cares about my audiences, I have found that being interested in who they are helps to make our performances more meaningful and enjoyable, enriching the relationships formed when others hear us.
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
9
FIVE WAYS TO DO
VALENTINES DAY IN BOSTON A Fine Night to Dine? Whether it’s in Boston’s Historic North End, Cambridge, South End, or Backbay, there is no shortage of beautiful destinations for you and your significant other to visit and enjoy. From sleek to casual, from modern to colonial, rest assured that every vintage, atmosphere, and delicacy is at your fingertips here in Boston. If you have the cash, try out Top of the Hub for a gourmet (but expensive) meal and view of the city! Remember to get reservations!
Why Not a Concert? The Boston Symphony Orchestra may not be performing in Symphony Hall the Sunday of Valentine’s Day this year, but we don’t need to tell you how many other fantastic opportunities there are in Boston and the parts nearby. Go exploring and find an awesome new band, or stick around and see the Weilerstein Duo and Parker Quartet in Jordan Hall! Either way, you’re in for a wonderful night of music.
Valentine’s Glass-Blowing Party Thinking hearts and flowers for Valentine’s Day? Make your own beautiful glass versions at Diablo Glass School a day ahead of time. Prices for the February 13th class range from $75-100. Pricey, but you will have a one-of-akind experience, and you can check that gift off your list. Visit their website at www.diabloglassschool.com for more information!
Museums, Hot Chocolate and Aquariums, Oh My! Get out of the practice room and explore some of the so-called tourist attractions in our own neighborhood. A visit to The MFA, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Aquarium are some of the many fun ways to fill a day in the city. When the temperatures start to drop, head on over to Max Brenner or any of Boston’s best chocolate shops for an incredible Hot Chocolate.
Netflix and What? Of course, there’s nothing wrong with spending an evening, afternoon - or entire day - alone with your favorite person or people to enjoy a binge of Parks and Recreation or The Last Ship, or spending countless hours watching an innumerable amount of YouTube videos together until your faces hurt from laughing. Whatever it is you decide to do in addition with your Valentine, have fun and stay safe!
10
FEBRUARY, 2016
N I U G N E P THE ! U O Y S D E NE NEC’s student newspaper can only continue to thrive with your help. ANYONE is welcome to join! Perks of contributing include: * The opportunity to publish your writing, poetry, photography, and/or illustrations
THE PENGUIN N E C ’S S T U D E N T - R U N N E W S PA P E R
PENGUIN PENMEN Andrew Port, head editor Umar Zakaria, assistant editor Suzanne Hegland, faculty editor Inga Liu, writer Julian Pozniak, writer Darynn Dean, writer Maryann Han, Poet Julia Cohen, guest author Pilar Zorro, guest author
SUBMIT SOMETHING! If you'd like to contribute an article, illustration, or idea, email a 1-2 sentence proposal to: penguin.newspaper@gmail.com We’d love to hear from you! Please limit articles to 650 words.
* Meeting other people who share your interests * No commitment! Submit whenever you have time. * A great addition to your resume * Warm & fuzzy feelings knowing that you have improved the NEC community The Penguin publishes eight issues each school year. For more information, come along to our Penguin Party or contact anyone you see in the Penmen’s column to find out more! Ideas for our March issue include: SPRING?! * Post-Audition Season * Second Semester Blues * And More!
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE :
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19TH
WE'RE ONLINE! FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/penguinnewspaper INSTAGRAM: /ThePenguinNEC TWITTER: @ThePenguinNEC WEBSITE: www.NECpenguin.com
WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM
11
penguin PHOTOS Here’s
just a small selection of what’s being posted by some of the NEC community Instagram. Get in on the action by following these people, and follow us also @ThePenguinNEC!
?Our only blizzard of the year!
NEC is out there...somewhere!?
?Sunset as the snow melted
Penguin Pizza Party fun!?
February 2016...
...February 2015
?@NECmusic
@NECmusic?
@NECmusic
on