Monday, 18 September 2006

Maybe not an angel, but still sent by God?
So the admissions department absolutely LOVES to play up the cool little things that happen on to Hope College students. And why not? They're good selling points and make Hope seem tempting. I can't say I've had too many of those myself, either that or I can't recognize them being a junior now. However, I had one today that I think qualifies.

So Form & Analysis is a harder class for me. I guess Heinrich Schenker and I don't get along or his thought processes make no sense to me or something. Regardless, the class has bewildered me a bit. Needless to say, when Dr. Hodson gave us an assignment to go find music that utilizes compound melody, I was at a loss after agreeing to find a score for my study group. Yes, I've studied classical piano but I haven't looked at enough "real" literature to know of a piece right away that would qualify.

I searched in vain through my piano music in my Nykerk locker and sighed to myself in despair. What the heck was I supposed to do? I could look in the library but who knows if I'd actually FIND something just by randomly searching. Plus, I didn't have that kind of time to just peruse the shelves. Thankfully, just the right person was available whom I knew could help me.

My lockers are in the voice department's corner of Nykerk and Dr. Richmond's door was open. I basically came to him as he was standing in the doorway looking through a pile of choral music and said, "Dr. Richmond, I need help. I'm supposed to find some sort of piece that utilizes compound melody and analyze it into its components." My teacher first asked me what I meant. Being unsure, I dug out my partially-damaged copy of An Introduction to Schenkerian Analysis. I explained what we were doing and my teacher quickly skimmed the chapter's intro. Apparently it was pretty obvious to him and he gave me the solution rather quickly. I was instructed to re-read the chapter ("Understand what you're looking for!" he said), go to the library and find a Bach cantata, and select one of the movements. He promised me it'd be loaded with what I'd need. Oh yes, and find the accompanying CD and listen to it, too.

So I did. I got the title of the cantata from Dr. Richmond, ran up to the library, pestered Mari Jo (nicely, thank you) to help me find the score, and BAM! I now have the perfect score for my group to analyze, I know we can find the recording, and I have a better idea of what I'm doing.

Yes, I believe that God sends angels to help His people in times of need, although my understanding of that is limited. However, I believe that He also sends us people we already know who might not be angels in much the same way when we are in need. I asked my professor for help, and instead of brushing me off and saying, "I'm busy, ask me later," he took time (between 10 and 20 minutes) and WANTED to help me. That means something, and it's one reason why I really do love it at Hope College. We are people, not just a number, and we matter as people to the professors instead of just being another student ID in the gradebook.

Comments(1)

What a great guy!
dorothygale27