Graduate School

I haven’t written about graduate school yet because I didn’t think it was relevant to my blog because my blog is supposed to be about my volunteer work.  But this has been a big part of my life aside from my volunteer work during my time in Malaysia.  And I feel that the process of applying to graduate school has been just as much a part of God’s plan as working for Jireh Home.

Before coming to Malaysia, I never planned on applying for a Master’s program starting in Fall 2010.  I new it would be too difficult to apply from overseas, especially for music, which usually requires a live audition.  I planned on just practicing a lot on my own, trying to hone my skills and apply for school or playing jobs when I get back to the US.  But soon after I arrived in Malaysia and discovered I would not really have any musical outlets, I realized that I did not want to spend another year in the US after volunteering here without being surrounded by music.  I want to be engulfed in music and musicians again as soon as possible. (By the way, I like music. A LOT.)

So by October 2009, I started emailing dozens of schools, asking if they accepted recorded auditions rather than live auditions for their Master’s of Music in Trumpet Performance programs.  To my surprise, all but one were willing to accept a recording over a live audition if I was far enough away (Malaysia qualified as far enough).  Having never really researched graduate schools before and not having the chance to visit the schools, I relied heavily on the help of my undergraduate professor, Dr. Martin Hodel’s, advice, which was invaluable.  I finally was able to narrow it down to five schools–Northwestern University, Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, University of Michigan, and Arizona State University.

I spent most of my free time in October and November researching schools, applying, and practicing my butt off.  I knew that to compete with the live auditions, which is highly preferred, my recording would need to be close to perfect.  Applying was far from easy to do from abroad.  Thankfully, most of the applications are online now, so when I had internet, that was easy.  But getting transcripts and letters of recommendation was more challenging.  St. Olaf College, my alma mater,  requires a signature and in-person pick-up for its official transcripts.  I, of course, could not do that.  It was only because I had volunteered to take the “College Learning Assessment” that I had received 5 free official transcripts just before graduating that I was able to do this.  I had just enough to send to my five chosen schools.  The only challenge was explaining to my mom where they were in my room.  Letters of recommendation were not too hard, but because I was not able to pick them up myself, I had to ask the authors to mail the letters themselves.  Practicing was a challenge, too.  Living in a small room in Jireh Home with only a stand fan, I would usually end up in my underwear and covered in sweat by the end of my 3-5 hour practice session.  And this was the first time I had to prepare for a big audition without a teacher.  Thankfully, Marty Hodel and St. Olaf College had prepared me enough to do this on my own.  I had to navigate many different audition requirements and figure out how to combine them as much as possible in order to make my practicing efficient.

By December 1st, all the applications were due and one of the five recordings.  But I had mission trips to Sandakan and Sipitang (see post on December 15) starting the last two weeks of November.  So I had to be done early.  And the biggest logistical challenge standing in front of my was how to make a recording.  All the schools required DVDs, not just CDs.  I have an audio recorder, but no way to get video.  Just in time, though, Philip Baker, who works for ELCA Global Missions and is based in Kuala Lumpur, came to visit me because happened to be in Sabah and had some time.   Without any idea knowledge of me applying to schools and needing some way to record, he mentioned before he came, “I might bring my friend Jon with.  He’s has a recording studio.”  What?!? You know a recording engineer in Kota Kinabalu?!?  Phil got me introduced to Jon, who was really nice, owns his own studio, and was able to record audio AND video at a professional level.  And the best part was, because he is also a man of the church (he works for Alpha), and sympathized with me being a volunteer sent by the church, he gave me a huge discount.  I could not have otherwise afforded his recording studio.  Jon was also nice enough to mail the recordings off for me because the next day, I left for Sandakan.  I don’t think it was by chance that I met Jon.

Having sent one recoding in, I had 4 more to send in January.  Jonathan wasn’t available in January , and I decided that this time, I’d rather record on my own schedule.  By fate, another volunteer happened to mention she had a small handheld video camera.  And with the help of two other friends, and a friend of Jon’s, I was able to get good microphones and microphone stands and cables.  I rigged up a complicated array of cables, the camera and my Zoom H4 audio recorder (which my mother suggested I bring at the last minute before I left the country) in the “music room” of Sabah Theological Seminary.  My power supply to the audio recorder was fried, but a friend happened to have the earlier model of my recorder with a local power supply.  It was a very complicated set up, but amazingly, after borrowing bits and pieces from about 5 different people, it worked.  I recorded for a few days, and amazingly it worked.  I was able to mix it all down on another volunteer’s laptop (since the camera required an Apple).   I got my new recording off to all the schools just in time.

There was no way all of this was possible because of serendipity.  There were so many times when it looked like I had no solutions and then someone would say something like “Hey, I have this recording device, do you have a use for it?” or “I have a friend who rents recording equipment out, but I can get him to give it to you for free,” “Yes, you can borrow my key to the music room,” etc.  I strongly felt the presence of someone greater than us guiding the whole process.

Then the waiting.  From the day I sent the last recordings, I waited 3 1/2 months to hear from all the schools.  Even in the results, I felt God’s presence guiding me.  I was rejected at Arizona, waitlisted at Northwestern and New England Conservatory, and accepted at Eastman and U of MI.  The choice was made easy.  I almost didn’t apply to Eastman because I was completely intimidated by it.  It’s the biggest name I applied to.  I never thought I would get in. Thanks to Marty Hodel who insisted I apply there. As fate would have it, I was accepted and given more financial support there than any other school.  If I had been accepted to more schools, I would have had a very difficult time deciding because I never visited or really met any of the teachers.  So I am grateful the decision was easy, and I believe that Eastman is definitely the right choice for me.  It’s the best all-round school I applied to, with good jazz, composition, and trumpet program.  I’m also excited to be in New York state.  The only challenge will be their early fall semester start time–3 weeks after I get home from Malaysia!

Although this isn’t related directly to my volunteer work, it has been a big part of my life this year.  And I have strongly felt God’s presence in this process just as much as in my volunteer work and the people I’ve met here.  I’d like to publicly thank Marty Hodel for his constant support and wisdom (even though I’m no longer paying him as my teacher); Dr. Dave Hagedorn, Dr. Timothy Mahr, and Marty again for their letters of recommendation and support; my mom for taking care of transcripts and dozens of other miscellaneous tasks at home; Philip Baker for introducing me to Jon; Jon for his generosity and recording skills; Yap Ling, Hezekiah, Ellen Hilger, Erika Randall, Roger Wang, and Kelsey Mackareth for lending me equipment I desperately needed; and my friends, family, and girlfriend, Hannah, who supported me though this whole process that was too much for me to handle on my own.