2nd Year of Uni Over

The end of my second year at uni!

So after returning to Australia at the beginning of June, I packed all my boxes that’d been in storage while I was studying in New Orleans back in Rohan’s car, heading to the snowy winter in Tasmania. For those not up-to-date Rohan is the new love of my life and I decided to relocate so we could be together. Switching universities (again!) and also my degree major from performance in vocals over to song writing.

I’m now at the University of Tasmania, studying with my fellow music students at our own campus in the CBD area of Hobart. St Davies park is right opposite The Conservatorium of Music’s multi-level blue building, which has the constant lilt of instruments drifting down to mingle with the city traffic noises.

This semester I spent my time writing new songs and getting used to workshopping them, allowing new perspectives and people into this once private world of expression. I’ve been on a journey of both inspiration and struggle. The struggle of taking things personally, knowing when to open and change or when to hold to my own flow and style. Inspiration when I break through a barrier and discover I can find the bass line under a melody, or the lyrics to fit my idea or the shift needed to let the harmony and melody match the flow of meaning in a song.

A song I wrote called 'The Pulse', influenced by learning scat and poly rhythms whilst in New Orleans: https://soundcloud.com/shellentertain/the-pulse

A song I wrote called 'Colour Me White', performing live at The Recital Hall - Conservatorium of Music Hobart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YGYr3YJ9XE&feature=youtu.be

A wonderful compliment to composing was my arranging unit. At times I felt scared to even try writing music for instruments I’ve never played before but as the classes rolled along I got more confidence and began to have fun!

Here’s an example of Tracy Chapman’s song ‘For My Lover'. First I arranged it for horns: https://soundcloud.com/shellentertain/for-my-lover-horns

Then did a version for strings: https://soundcloud.com/shellentertain/for-my-lover-strings

The third class was an elective, so I chose to continue developing my performance skills through ensemble. In Jazz band I did my first vocalise to Miles Davis ‘Blue in Green’…my singing teacher Leah Chase in New Orleans had encouraged me to explore this technique. My second band did Soul music, leading me to explore new vocal tones, finding an edge and depth in my voice that is usually so flute-like and pure ;)

The final subject was Audio Post Production, looking at sound effects and music to enhance image, such as film, TV, video games etc. We also delved into the studio engineering of mixing and mastering skills.

Here’s a funny video we made in class and I did the audio post production for one of my assessments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IAAgrqL7vY&feature=youtu.be

2014 was such a big year of moving locations and universities! After all my exams and assignments were handed in at the end of the year, I made a promise to myself that 2015 would be more relaxed. I plan to drop down to 3 subjects next semester, stay at the same uni all year (tee,hee,hee) and packed away my travelling shoes to enjoy my uni holidays at home, here in South Hobart.

Enjoying homely things…having chickens and veggie gardens…