Soliciting Advice on Application Stuff

[kenjari]

University of Oregon requires its doctoral students to choose a secondary area of musical study to augment their major. You have to apply to this secondary area, although the "application" is just a matter of adding a couple of extra items to your portfolio. I chose the Ethnomusicology (world music) secondary area, and I have to write a brief statement about why I want to study it.
So I've written up a couple of paragraphs, which you will find behind the cut. Comments and feedback are humbly requested. You don't need to know anything about music. Also, during my visit to the school, I had a chance to talk with the ethnomusicology professors. One of them pretty much said that since he'd already had a chance to talk to me, he was not going to be looking at my statement with a terribly critical eye.



I am applying to Ethnomusicology as a secondary area to doctoral studies in Composition. I have had a vital interest in ethnomusicology since my undergraduate days and I feel that it would thus be a good complement to my composition studies.
I received my Bachelor’s degree in music from Wesleyan University, which has a strong ethnomusicology program. Although ethnomusicology was not my focus, I did take some classes that I found both fascinating and valuable to me as a musician. Two of these classes were performance-oriented: Beginning Javanese Gamelan with Sumarsam and I. M. Harjito, and South Indian Rhythm Studies (Solkattu) with Ramnad Rhagavan. I also took the Seminar for Music Majors on Javanese Gamelan, with Sumarsam. This class included both the performance and study of gamelan music.
My primary reason for applying to ethnomusicology as my secondary area is the value and enjoyment I got out of my classes and experiences at Wesleyan. I still retain an abiding interest in world music and ethnomusicology because of them. I listen to and read about music of all kinds. I would very much like the opportunity to continue my studies in ethnomusicology at the University of Oregon. My experiences at Wesleyan were primarily performance oriented and “hands-on”. I am now interested in rounding out these studies with more experience of the academic side of the discipline and well as expanding my knowledge.


Thanks much for your help.

Comments

[apintrix.livejournal.com]

Cool beans-- might want to try to connect the specializations, talk about how Ethnomusicology could aid your compositions.

[epilimnion.livejournal.com]

I'm going to email you my suggestions...