MEETTHE NEWPENGUINPENMEN

VALENTINE’S FEATURE:NEC’S MARRIED FACULTY

18 WAYS TOSHOW YOURSELF SOME LOVE DURING AUDITION SEASON

ELEVATE ME:THE UP SIDETO THE JORDAN HALLELEVATORS

NEC TAKESNCAATITLE

THE PENGUINN E C ’ S S T U D E N T - R U N N E W S P A P E R

ISSUE 48 FEBRUARY 7, 2013

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Welcome back to the newly revamped version of the Penguin! We love you for picking up a copy. Speaking of the “L-word”, this issue is all about spreading the love in every form possible. We’ll start with the traditional definition of love by speaking with married NEC faculty members. We’ll introduce you to our new writers, with whom you might fall in love! We’ll tell you how to spark your own romance in the Jordan Hall elevators. And we’ll cover anonymous love with an exclusive interview with NEC Compliments.

During this busy audition season, don’t forget to show yourself some love too! Check out page 6 for 18 different ways you can de-stress and ace your graduate school and summer festival auditions. By now, you’re probably feeling all warm and fuzzy, so why not show some love to the Penguin too? Visit our brand new website at NECpenguin.com or drop us a line at penguin.newspaper@gmail.com. We’d LOVE to hear from you!

The Penguin is spreading the love!

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COURTESY OF TADAED

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Once again, we find ourselves at the end of a long football season of the National Conservatory Athletics Association (NCAA) in which New England Conservatory has emerged victorious. This year’s NCAA Super Bowl was a hard-fought battle between the NEC Penguins and the Colburn Cougars. NEC pulled off the thrilling 24-17 victory with the help of their star quarterback, Paul Lueders, who threw for two touch-downs, ran for another, and dazzled the crowd with the big oboe solo from Don Juan. The road to the championship was a long one. NEC edged out The Curtis Institute in the semifinals after a come-back led by the electric and eclectic halfback, Billy McShane, who ran for two touchdowns, kicked the winning field goal, and amazed coaches and audience members alike with a sideline saxophone serenade. Colburn ousted Juilliard in the previous round to advance to the championship. The victory was decided when a Juilliard player fumbled the ball and refused to pick it up because it touched the ground, allowing a Colburn Cougar to recover the fumble seventy-nine yards for the go-ahead touchdown. At the beginning of the year, it seemed that Berklee College of Music would be a force to be reckoned with, but as the season went on, it was clear that Berklee was only good at ultimate Frisbee. The preseason number-one-ranked team, the Eastman Eagles, faltered down the stretch, losing to the Cleveland Institute of Music, Peabody, and Indiana Uni-versity’s Jacobs School before getting smashed like the ham-mer in Mahler 6 by Curtis in the first round of the playoffs. The Penguins were led by their bold and talented coach, Hankus Netsky. When asked to comment on the victory, Netsky replied, “I didn’t know we had a football team or a newspaper.”

The road to a repeat will be lengthy and difficult. Juilliard, Colburn, and Curtis will all be restocked with new recruits, and Boston Conservatory is coming very close to closing a deal with Keith Lockhart to be their new head coach. However, the NEC football team will be at it again once fall rolls around, primed to defend their trophy— a golden bust of Ludwig von Beethoven.

New England Conservatory Takes NCAA TitleCOURTESY OF A MYSTERY CONTRIBUTOR

penguin CULTURE

THE PENGUINS’ STAR QUARTERBACK, PAUL LUEDERS

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“Brian J. Hong is such a happy person. His smile lights up my day.” That’s the kind of positivity that overflows from the newest addition to NEC’s social scene, Facebook page NEC Compliments. Students submit compliments via private messages to the anony-mous adminstrators of the page, where their words are then shared with the student community. With dozens of submissions only a month after the page’s creation at the end of December, NEC Compliments’ popularity continues to increase. Inspired by the launch of a similar project started at Queens Univer-sity in September 2012, the Facebook compliments movement has spread rapidly, with similar projects sprouting up in at least 60 other schools. Says the founder of the page, “Earlier in the fall we noticed a lot of friends at other conser-vatories [Eastman, Juilliard, CIM, etc.] were being tagged on these compliment pages and decided NEC needs some happiness too!” NEC continues to spread the trend, inspiring similar pages at GSAIM and NEC Prep. Submissions range from adorable (“Alida Doornberg and Nash Tomey are the cutest thing since baby hedge-hogs”) to sincere (“Julia Yang’s cello playing makes me really happy”) to flirtatious (“Kyle Ruggles is a hunk!”) to flat-out weird (“Max Light is a beautiful cat”). What is NEC Compli-

ments’ favorite kind of compliment to post? They say, “While the ‘X is sooooo hot’ compliments are fun and silly, it’s really heartwarming to get sincere and very specific messages that detail someone’s good qualities. That’s the best kind of com-

pliment anyway, right?” Surprisingly, when asked who submits to the page, NEC Compliments reports that they have yet to read a compliment that a user submitted for themselves. Compli-ments sometimes come from outside of the immediate NEC community, including NEC alumni and students’ friends from other schools. Friends complimenting friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc. constitute a large percentage of the contributors. But the founders encourage NEC students to step out of their comfort zone and see the page as an op-

portunity to compliment somebody they don’t know—“on a great performance, an awesome haircut, whatever!” In a world that continues to see increased bullying and violence in schools, NEC Compliments is doing its small part to add light back into the world. “Generally anonymity on the internet emboldens people to say malicious/inflamma-tory things. But here we’re using that idea to allow people to be more open and sincere than they would perhaps other-wise be.” So who are the angel(s) behind NEC Compliments? When asked, they reply, “That one’s secret I’ll never tell...XOXO NEC Compliments.”

Spreading Smiles One NEC Compliment at a Time

Drawing courtesy of Billy McShane

BY KATE LEMMON

4 FEBRUARY 7, 2013

What do marriage and teaching at NEC have in common? Both require an incredible amount of hard work and patience.The Penguin talked to these four incredible faculty couples about their success in both realms, and we’re so grateful for their insight!

MIRIAM FRIED AND PAUL BISS have slightly differ-ent recollections of their first meeting. Says Fried, “I arrived in Bloomington, Indiana in October of 1965, late for the school year because of the visa issues. Some students of Josef Gingold came to the airport to pick me up and took me directly to a student hangout. Paul was playing the Pinball machine and wildly kicking it as we walked in. I thought he was nuts.” In response to Fried’s story, Biss protests, “It is true that I was playing the pinball machine, but my recollection of my behavior is less dramatic!” “I started commut-ing to Boston for a part-time position in 2003 and we both moved here in 2006,” says Fried. “We love NEC because the level of students is so high, the spirit of the school so positive, and the colleagues wonderful.” She adds, “It’s also wonderful to live in Boston after being in a small town in the Midwest for 27 years!” The couple says their passion for what they do keeps them “young and happy.” When they’re not teaching, Biss and Fried do everything together (“except watching sports,” Fried adds!) Their mutual adventures include traveling, exploring new things, going to concerts, museums, theater performances, res-taurants, and doing crossword puzzles together. VIOLIST ROGER TAPPING AND CELLIST NATASHA BROFSKY met at Prussia Cove, a chamber music festival on the beautiful Cornish coast of England, where a Brahms trio helped to bring them together. Brofsky was offered a position on the cel-lo faculty at NEC and Tapping decided, after ten fulfilling years in the Takács Quartet, that a move would be good for the family. After some years teaching chamber music, a viola teaching position serendipitously opened up. ”We’re so glad we came,” they say. “We often talk to each other about how spoilt we are by the attitude and the quality of the students and by the friendly atmosphere among our very dedicated faculty colleagues”. When asked what they love about working together at NEC, they jokingly respond, “Parking!” Continuing lighthearted-ly, they add that another job perk includes having studios in dif-ferent buildings, since they began as neighbors with only each

other’s noisy students to complain about. On a more serious note, Tapping and Brofsky enjoy that they are able to “support each other with a deeper knowledge of the satisfactions and challenges we both have in our work.” However, the pair admits it can be difficult to “switch off.” They try not to drive their girls crazy by constantly talking about NEC at home (the couple has two daughters—Cordelia, 15, and Eleanor, 10). They advise that finding balance “needs constant monitoring,” and “depends upon a mutual respect and understanding of the importance of music in [one’s life]. Younger

people tend to think of relationships in a bub-ble,” Brofsky explains, “and they don’t realize how much a relationship is affected by happiness in one’s professional life.” When asked if they ever feel competitive with one another, they say, “No, but in some ways we challenge each other to keep our standards high,” adding, “When we dare to play for each other, we know that we will get some loving honesty!” Brofsky is inspired that Tapping is trying to cook more, and Tapping is in-spired by Brofsky’s cook-ing. Says the pair via email, “We love to ski

and are not bad at it - usually cross-country, but some downhill too. And a dinner-movie date is always relaxing and fun.” They both love podcasts of radio shows like Radio-Lab, This American Life, The Moth, and Fresh Air. They also enjoy listening to music together—usually you’ll find Bach, late Beethoven piano sonatas, Brahms Intermezzi, Schubert lieder, and jazz on their iPod. WHILE VIOLINIST DONALD WEILERSTEIN AND PIANIST VIVIAN WEILERSTEIN were teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Music, they received a call from NEC inviting them to visit the school and do some teaching. Say the pair, “We were both very attracted to the NEC environment, the great faculty, the focus on chamber music, and the cultural vibrancy of Boston.” The two still share that enthusiasm for New England Conservatory. When asked about their favorite part of working together, they cite “having opportunities to coach some students together, sharing our joint teaching experiences, sharing a simi-lar schedule, and sharing relationships with wonderful faculty colleagues.” They both enjoy being inspired by their students. “[Don and I] often exchange ideas about music and teaching, and we continue to learn from each other,” says Viv-ian Weilerstein. “We also play together, and we do our best to

Superstar Sweethearts: NEC’s Married Faculty MembersBY KATE LEMMON AND JULIA PARTYKA

DONALD AND VIVAN WEILERSTEIN

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inspire each other and enjoy that we are doing what we love!” In addition to their musical lives, they enjoy being outside in nature, staying physically active, reading, and going to movies. They like to take walks, see beautiful places, and most of all spend time with their kids [violinist/conductor/NEC alum Josh Weilerstein, and cellist Alisa Weilerstein]. Explaining that their home life was not all about music, Donald says, “Most people don’t know that I played sports with my kids and did a lot of roughhousing with them!”

VIOLINIST NICK KITCHEN AND CELLIST YEESUN KIM met as students of the Curtis Institute of Music, where they were assigned to the same string quartet studying Schubert’s Death and the Maiden. Since then, they’ve continued to play together in many different configurations. Kim completed her Master’s studies at NEC with Larry Lesser, and during that time, Kitchen and Kim formed the Borromeo Quartet along with two other students from Curtis. Says Kim, “I loved studying at NEC and thought it would be fantastic if the quartet could study here too. I talked to Larry Lesser, who was the president of the school at the time, and he recommended that we try for the Artist Diploma program. We were the first-ever chamber group to be accepted in the program. As we were finishing the amazing two years of studies, we were asked to be the Quartet-in-Residence.” Twenty years later, the Borromeo Quartet has been described by the Boston Globe as “simply the best there is,” and Kitchen and Kim have performed hundreds of concerts together with the quartet all over the globe. What’s it like to work togeth-er in such close proximity? The two respond, “What we do as a quartet is so intense that having someone who knows everything about every minute of your life both professionally and person-ally can be both a blessing and a curse. Obviously, viewing it as a blessing has better consequences as a whole. [We’ve learned this lesson] over time and through a lot of discussions, argu-ments, and soul-searching meditations.” They find it helpful to recognize that each person has very different ways of process-ing information, and each has definite strengths and weaknesses in different areas of music-making. Says the pair, “We recognize them and try to help each other deal better with weaknesses and celebrate our strengths.” Kitchen and Kim believe that respect for each other as human beings (and the subsequent flexibility for each other that comes with that respect) is the key to their relationship. They try to “conceptualize what [their] common and individual goals are as a couple, as parents, as performers and as teachers,” and they share their concerns, insecurities, and complaints as openly as possible. Says Kim, “Sometimes the situation gets really raw, but I think we have learned when to put on a bandage and let the wound heal, and when to give each other room and encour-agement when the other person needs it.” In addition to their own successful chamber music careers, Kim and Kitchen believe in their students immensely,

and they find excitement in “being able to share with each other in the process of helping talented and committed students find their way in the world.” They say that there are “so many ways

each individual can contribute to society as musi-cians and artists, and discovering that quality within each student is truly gratifying.” When they’re not performing a concert with the Borromeo Quartet or teaching les-sons, the couple enjoys watching movies, taking walks, cooking homemade meals and rearrang-ing furniture in the house. They almost never eat out when they are in town. So how does

this superstar couple celebrate Valentine’s Day? Fittingly, Profes-sor Kitchen and Professor Kim respond, “Usually we have a concert to play somewhere!” Who needs flowers and chocolate when you can create beautiful music together?

NICK KITCHEN & YEESUN KIM: “Be as open-minded as you would want others to be, read about all that interests you even remotely. Be less self-conscious, jump into all things familiar and foreign with same enthusiasm and same attentiveness.”

PAUL BISS: “Be patient and be more courteous and respectful of others.”

MIRIAM FRIED: “Do what you want and need to do, and do not worry about what you think others think you should do.”

THE WEILERSTEINS: “Follow your passions and listen to your heart!”

ROGER TAPPING & NATASHA BROFSKY: “This is your time to have adventures - try everything, accept interesting invitations to play, see the world, and enjoy food from different regions and countries. And practice a lot, because you never will have so much time to practice again when you have more responsibilities!”

NICK KITCHEN & YEESUN KIM: “Feeling down about yourself and/or others at various times is a big part of the equation in the pursuit of any serious endeavor. I think it is wiser to accept it as such and think about bigger picture of how you want lead your life. Building this mindset is something that requires lots of practice. Once you sort out these priorities, the balancing act feels less chaotic and you [find] focus in each moment.”

ADVICE FOR STUDENTS

ROGER TAPPING AND NATASHA BROFSKY

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18 WAYS TO SHOW YOURSELF SOME LOVE DURING THAT NASTY THING CALLED AUDITION SEASON

2) TRY YOGA

You don’t have to be able to touch your toes to learn yoga! The posture, strength, and flexibility learned in class can make a world of difference in your playing. Check out the SAC’s free class on Sundays or catch the 39 bus to Back Bay Yoga.

1) SAY NO.

That composer is great. But his reading can wait until your auditions are done. Limit your schedule to the essentials– it’s only a little while, after all.

3) WALK EVERYWHERE.

So you don’t have time to make it to the gym? Skip the T and walk to school instead. Put away your cell phone to soak up the full benefits of fresh air and Vitamin D!

4) SPEAKING OF VITAMIN D...

If this winter weather’s got you feeling down, take a small supplement of Vitamin D to boost your mood. It works wonders!

5) STOP PRACTICING!

Well, maybe not completely. Just make sure that you take adequate breaks to prevent injury and mental illness ;) For every hour that you practice, set aside 15 minutes to stretch and give your body a rest.

6) PLANE PREVENTION

Because of circular ventila-tion in airplanes, you’re much more susceptible to illness. Before you fly, make sure to get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, and pop a couple extra Vitamin C pills the day before and the day of your flight.

7) FIGHT THE BLUES WITH BLUE

Researchers from the University of Sussex found that when people saw blue, their brain waves showed increased happiness.

8) SWITCH UP YOUR PLAYLISTS!

Seriously, a little Beyoncé never hurt anyone! Some-times the best way to get a fresh perspective on your repertoire is to put it away and listen to something new.

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9) AVOID DISTRACTION

To help yourself focus before an audition, switch off your cell phone, computer, and other electronic devices. Sometimes unplugging can help bring you back into the moment.

10) LEAVE THE MESS

Stress usually comes with a messy apartment or dorm room. Don’t worry about the clutter– focus on your auditions first! After all, it’s called SPRING cleaning, right?!

11) SKIP DUNKIN’ AND HEAD TO PAVEMENT

If you’re a coffee addict, try switching to tea instead. Coffee can leave you dehy-drated and shaky, and who wants that before an audi-tion? Check out Pavement for an extensive tea list.

12) DRINK WATER!

Water can help you lose weight, energize you, and keep you from getting sick. It also helps keep your joints working. And the best part? Studies show that drinking eight to ten cups of water per day can improve your levels of cognitive perfor-mance by as much as 30%!

14) PERSPECTIVE.

This performance might feel like everything to you, but take a second to imagine what would happen if you lost. You’ll live through it and can still find happiness with-out winning every audition.

13) OUTSOURCE

You are the only person in the world that can play your instrument like you can. However, there are other people that can do your laundry and clean your house better than you! Just this once, splurge on a housekeeping service for peace of mind.

15) ASK PROFESSORS FOR MORE TIME

Most NEC professors under-stand that your musical goals are incredibly important. If you know that you’re ap-proaching a tough time, ask for an extension in advance! The worst they can say is no.

16) GET A MASSAGE.

Massage gives you many of the benefits of yoga without the work! Check out Boston Massage Studio at 351 Boylston. You can catch the 39 bus straight there, and an hour-long massage is only $65 (that’s cheap for Boston!)

17) FAKE A SMILE

Sometimes it’s hard to smile when you’re putting so much energy into audition prep. However, studies show that the simple act of smiling can improve your mood. The physical motion is hardwired to our emo-tional state. Plus, you might brighten someone’s day!

18) GO TO BED.

When all else fails, get some sleep! Your mom is right– everything always seems better in the morning.

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“Why do you want to go into arts management?” is a question I’ve been asked more times than I count, and one to which I still don’t have a good answer. For me, it’s not the sort of thing that evokes a simple, clear-cut response. I guess that’s because sometimes I can’t quite grasp the formal separation that is often erected between artist and manager. I’ve come to realize that often the more successful artists are the ones who embody a bifurcation of roles. New England Conservatory has firmly espoused this principle through its continued investment in the Entrepreneurial Musicianship program. In an ideal world I envisioned myself as this superhu-man, perfectly bal-anced artist-manager. But as time went on I found one part of that equation to be more prevalent than the other. Still, I didn’t suddenly wake up one morning and cross this imaginary threshold from aspiring artist to prospective man-ager. Rather, nine months ago I began seriously exploring what a career in arts management meant. Around that time I purchased The Arts of The Turnaround by Michael Kaiser, the current president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and one of the foremost authorities in the field of arts management. Reading this book, which details Kaiser’s years of rescuing around troubled arts organizations around the world, was like turn-ing the pages of a great novel. And like a great novel, when I finally reached the end I found myself wanting more. A recurring theme in Kaiser’s writing that resonated with me particularly well is the need for creative arts manag-ers, or as he puts it in his other book, Leading Roles, “artistic leaders who know how to make or present interesting and important art.” It led me to the belief that management is not a separate entity, but rather another aspect of the overall artistic process. When people go to a performance they only witness the spectacle of what is before them, all of which would not be possible without the work that goes on behind the scenes. After years of being involved in one side of this process as a performer I felt driven to work in an administra-tive capacity. Without all the prerequisite steps that go into planning, funding, marketing, and managing a performing arts organization, there would be no performances.

The main thing that excites me about the field of arts management is its broad definition. It’s an ever-changing sec-tor that increasingly demands individuals with highly special-ized training. My background as a performer has helped to foster in me a deep love and appreciation not only for opera and classical music, but the arts as a whole, and a sincere commitment to their continued survival and success. While I don’t believe myself to be God’s gift to the profession, I come energized with fresh, original ideas, an eagerness to learn, and the desire to make a difference. I feel that the perspec-

tives I’ve gained in my own musical training are an asset, versus someone from a purely adminis-trative background. I’m working to develop the managerial principles necessary to effectively lead in this field. An avid reader, I started doing so by crafting my own meth-od of self-education, im-mersing myself in various materials pertaining to the topic of arts management, such as those by Kaiser. I’ve been very lucky to supplement this theoretical knowledge through the practical experience I’m gaining working part-time in NEC’s Office of Institu-tional Advancement. And last but certainly not least, I’m incredibly thankful for

the invaluable insight I’ve gained in conversations with vari-ous individuals currently working in arts management. Next time someone asks me, “Why do you want to go into arts management?” I think I’ll reply, “Why not?” It’s a journey that goes back a lot farther than nine months ago. I view my recent decisions towards pursuing a career in this field as a sort of turning point in my own life. But I also came to the realization that most of my performance activities thus far have coincided with some level of involvement in arts management. If you were to take stock of your own per-forming career you might find the same to be true. I would encourage you to do so by thinking about performance situations where you’ve been required to carry out adminis-trative tasks, such as marketing, programming, fundraising, rehearsal scheduling, contract negotiations, etcetera. That’s arts management; you probably just didn’t know it.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Why Arts Management?BY ROB CINNANTE

ROB CINNANTE, ARTS MANAGEMENT ENTHUSIAST

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Escaping the Bistro: FOUR Great Places to Eat Off-Campus!ENDORSED BY THEGOURMETOBOIST

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CHEAP/gourmet india CLOSE/pita

FAVE/gourmet dumpling house VENTURE OUT/ fiore’s bakery

Located inside the Prudential Center food court, this is an excellent place to grab a quick bite between classes or on your way to a gig.

ADDRESS: Prudential Center

PRICE RANGE: 2-7 dollars

BEST DISH: Samosas

DISTANCE FROM NEC: 2 blocks

WHAT’S COOL ABOUT IT: Some of the cheapest food in Boston surrounded by some of the most expensive clothing

Small Middle Eastern sandwich shop with fantastic food! Open for lunch and dinner. Staff members are extremely friendly!

ADDRESS: 197A Mass Ave (between Floyd’s Barber-shop and Tomodachi Sushi)

PRICE RANGE: : 5-8 dollars

BEST DISHES: Lentil soup, falafel roll-up with garlic sauce, grape leaves roll-up, Moroccan mint tea

DISTANCE FROM NEC: 3-4 blocks

COOL FEATURES: optional outdoor dining, mosaic tables, occasional gelato and spinach pies ADVICE: Don’t get the hot sauce on your roll-up unless you like smoky flavors (I don’t)

Located in the heart of Boston’s Chinatown, this is the one restaurant in the world where I look at the food coming out of the kitchen and almost wish I ate meat. (I am a lifelong vegetarian.) ADDRESS: 52 Beach St, Boston, MA 02115

PRICE RANGE: 3-13 dollars plus tip

BEST DISHES: Steamed vegetarian dumplings, ma po tofu

DISTANCE FROM NEC: 7-minute train ride (orange line to Chinatown) or 20-30 minute walk COOL FEATURES: Open until midnight according to website. Open until 2am according to rumor. Portion size for soups is gigantic. Best Chinese food I’ve ever had!

ADVICE: Avoid conventional dinner time on Fridays and Saturdays. The line to get in can be quite long and they don’t take reservations.

Located on the edge of downtown Jamaica Plain, this cute café has managed to completely master the art of coffee, pastries, and sandwiches. As a result, it has become my absolute favorite place to get break-fast. Everything they make is heavenly, and they even manage to offer a surplus of vegan options

ADDRESS: 55 South St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

PRICE RANGE: 2-10 dollars

BEST DISHES: Vegan bagel sandwich with seitan on an everything bagel, mocha latte, bread pudding

DISTANCE FROM NEC: 10-minute train ride plus 7- minute walk (orange line to Forest Hills) or 40 minute bus ride (39 bus to South St, the Monument)

COOL FEATURES: Breakfast sandwiches come with a small coffee which you can add many things to including cinnamon. Customers are often given free samples of pastries. Free dog biscuits are available in case your pets want a pastry too.

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RANDOM penguin

Take cover! Valentine’s day is next week, and for many, “Singles Awareness Day” (SAD) is a loathed, pointless event, second only to Columbus Day. But our conservatory is a very social environ-ment, one for which we are better outfitted than surrounding institutions like BU and Northeastern. The latter have modern facilities, computers, elevators, and automatic doors that oper-ate too quickly to be socially useful, and these devices reflect the busy society in which we live, one in which being a blasé urbanite is easy. As far as this writer is concerned, these urban-ites are missing out. Such holdovers from the industrial revolution like NEC elevators are commonly bypassed vehicles that can fill the gap that a companionless romantic feels with new, ex-citing platonic and romantic relationships. Consider the outrageous time it takes for the doors to close (just give it a minute….at least…) as a chance to be outgoing. All it takes is a creepy smile directed at the many winded passersby tackling the stairs to impart your good nature on random strangers. A suggestion to the winded passersby: Catch your breath and creepily smile at the trapped souls in the elevator. They should have taken the stairs. See, there is beauty in our pre-Schoenberg eleva-tors. From the time you call the main Jordan Hall eleva-tor to the time you reach your intended floor (1 minute and 29 seconds from basement to the third floor, by the way), those generally timid in nature have ample opportunity to create a little fellowship, and this writer can think of no better conversation fodder than shared laziness. It takes almost no time for beautiful friendship to spawn, and if you are going up more than one or two floors you might even be able to set up date number two.

If anybody knows about elevators (“lifts”) bringing you down, it is the students of The Royal Academy of Music, in London. The institution boasts nearly an identical enrollment as NEC, within an entire campus the size of Jordan Hall. In many ways they are our twin conservatory. But in a sense they are bet-ter off because their only elevator has the footprint of a Yamaha P-22 and moves slower than a Beethoven Largo. No institution is so tightly wound as they, and studio incest is through the roof, no doubt because the best way to reach their seventh floor mid-day is in someone else’s very personal bubble. Upon entering the main foyer of RAM, outsiders are immediately embraced by the powerful vibe of diverse and uncommonly friendly musicians

who needed to be someplace five minutes ago. Ascending six other floors is no quick task, and if the lift is at the top when called, one may as well grab a coffee with friends from the canteen. There’s time. Once, a student summoned the lift from the basement, stepped into the academy’s bar and polished off a pint before the lift arrived. He was Scottish. But I digress! The point, my friends, is not that one of the hundreds of “main-tenance” rooms in the Jordan Hall basement would not be missed were it to be turned into a social establishment for the many thirsty, responsible, of-age students of NEC. Regard-less of whether you are single or spoken for next Thursday, the best moments to show

kindness towards your likewise romantically-doomed brethren are sometimes veiled by little inconveniences. Furthermore, I encourage you to demonstrate your appreciation, however big or small, for others not just next Thursday, but year-round. Start with something innocent like an elevator ride and have a Happy Valentine’s Day. Now, where’s that stop button?

Elevate MeBY STEPHEN GARMAN

KRYSTEN KECHES AND MATT SZYMANSKI ENJOY A RIDE IN THE ELEVATOR BY BROWN HALL. UNFORTUNATELY, KRYSTEN’S ALREADY ENGAGED.

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WHO DO YOU ADMIRE?

“I admire Bob Anemone because he is an incredibly intel l igent, down- to-ear th yet humorous person.” –Alina Czekala

“John Heiss. I love him. Every class with him is an epiphany, and he is capable of giving life to what he teaches in such way, that you think you are actually seeing and listening to Stravinsky” –Lina Gonzalez

“I admire John McNeil because there are no mysteries with him. If he feels something, he says it, and it’s always the right thing to get you back on track.” –Jake Baldwin

“Wenting Kang is such an extraordinary and inspiring musician. I’m in awe of her poise, grace, and infinite wisdom.” –DJ Cheek

“The low brass professors (Mike Roylance, Steve Lange, Toby Oft, Norman Bolter, James Markey) make this school a great place to grow as an orchestral musician. They have all helped me become a better person and performer.” –Adam Rainey

“Mai Motobuchi– she’s amazing! Always smiling :)” –Krysten Keches

“Natsuki Kumagai of course! I admire her discipline, determina-tion and having one of the kindest and warmest hearts i have ever seen.” –Christina Dioguardi

“Masuko Ushioda. Because even with what she’s going through she doesn’t fail to re-mind us of how lucky we are to have music in our lives. She is the strongest person I know who won’t let anything get in the way of music and I’d be lucky if I could ever become as strong as she is.” –Lisa Fujita

“The AV crew - they know how to serve the NEC community, they can adapt to tricky situations, and they love what they do.” –Jason Belcher

“NEC as a whole. Each person has some-thing different to offer and so much passion to share. I find it so in-spiring to be immersed in such a variety of talent, cultures and ideas.” –Julia Partyka

“I admire Mai Motobuchi! She works so hard through day and night, and is one of the most jolly members of the NEC faculty.”–Kevin Hsu

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WHAT: ANIM will showcase both large and small ensembles, fea-turing students of both Western and Afghan traditional instruments. Concert programs will include both Afghan traditional music and ar-rangements of standard repertoire selections like Ravel’s Bolero and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Selected works on both of the performances will include NEC student collaborators as well.

WHO: ANIM was founded in Kabul in 2010 by Dr. Ahmad Sarmast. Although both traditional and Western music thrived in Afghanistan for decades, growing war in 1992 shuttered the music school in Kabul (affiliated with the School of Fine Arts), and music was subsequently banned by the Taliban regime. After two very tu-multuous and violent decades, ANIM opened its doors in June 2010

thanks to the tireless advocacy and work of Dr. Sarmast. The students at ANIM receive training in music from Afghan and Western instructors, and also receive an excellent education in mathematics, English, and other core subjects. NEC professor Tanya Kalmanovitch stresses the important restorative work that ANIM does for its students. “ANIM is committed to gender equity in education, and roughly half of the student body is drawn from orphans and street workers,” she says. Although the focus of ANIM is music education, the social justice work that the school does is hard to overlook. After years of cultural repression under the Taliban, girls and boys attend classes together and per-form on the same stage. While ANIM is a small school of only about 150 students, the paradigm of gender parity that the school creates is a welcome and meaningful change for all of students who attend.

WHY IT’S COOL: The two concerts at NEC will be the culmination of workshops and collaboration with NEC stu-dents, including a side-by-side project with the Chamber Orchestra the morning of February 14th. Additionally, the ANIM students will have a chance to hear the NEC Philharmonia perform in Jordan Hall, one of the first opportunities for many of these students to ever hear a live classical concert. The ANIM residency will certainly be a great time for cultural exchange, wonderful music making, and inspiring collaboration.

penguin CONCERTSBy DJ Cheek!

Since moving to Boston last September to begin my Master’s studies at NEC, I’ve been overwhelmed with the sheer volume of concerts, lectures, masterclasses, and workshops that happen everyday at school and around Boston. Trying to balance active learning through practice, rehearsals, and study with passive learning as an audience member, in the classroom, and in other academic settings is a tricky endeavour. Often as students, we must make difficult decisions about what merits our time on any given day. Should you prepare for an upcoming lesson? Should you attend a friend’s recital? These decisions are hard to make, but these three upcoming performances at NEC provide us with an extraordinary chance to broaden our horizons! Special thanks to Tanya Kalmanovitch, Kim Kashkashian, Hannah Nicholas, and Kristopher Tong for their guidance and assistance in the writing of this preview.

NEC Residency: Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM)FEBRUARY 13 , 6 P.M . , BROWN HALL | FEBRUARY 14 , 8 P.M . , W I L L IAMS HALL

The Epoch Times

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By DJ Cheek!

NEC Residency: Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM)

WHAT IS IT? Music for Food, founded by viola faculty member Kim Kashkashian, is a chamber music series that enables musicians to dedicate their time and skills to address the issue of food insecurity. Kashkashian cites the “growing desire on the part of musicians for a way to give back,” saying that Music for Food provides a chance for artists to effect social change and be good citizens.

WHAT YOU’LL HEAR: The concert pairs two chamber music works by Antonin Dvorak (the Miniatures for Two Violins and Viola, and the G major Bass Quintet, op. 77) with a duet by Ivan Tcherepin. Each concert this season is anchored by a large Dvorak chamber music work, including the Piano Quintet, the String Sextet, the Bass Quintet, and the E-flat major String Quintet. Paired with these masterworks is a very vocal and lyrical duet performed by NEC faculty James Bus-

well and Carol Ou. Kim Kashkashian will be joined by faculty members Lucy Chapman, Dmitri Murrath, and Donald Palma, guest artist Marcy Rosen and NEC Artist Diploma graduate Yura Lee in the Dvorak works. WHY IT’S COOL: Astonishingly, 23% of children in Greater Boston live with food insecurity, meaning they don’t know where their next meal will come from. By collecting monetary and canned food donations instead of admis-sion, and because all participating artists are volunteers, 100% of concert proceeds goes directly to the Greater Bos-ton Food Bank. Now in its third season, Music for Food provides artists and audience members with a direct, effec-tive way to address social inequality in their local community while experiencing great chamber music masterpieces.

Music For Food: Fight Hunger with Classical MusicFEBRUARY 18 , 8 P.M . , BROWN HALL | ADMISS ION BY MONETARY AND FOOD DON AT IONS

Community Music Works

KIM KASHKASHIAN, FOUNDER AND PERFORMER

WHAT IS IT? Borromeo Quartet violinist Kristopher Tong says “the germ of the idea [for the Guest Artist concert] originated with a similar initiative the Emerson Quartet had at the Hartt School of Music in Con-necticut. The legend goes that Wu Han [the spouse of Emerson cellist David Finckel] was one of the winners!” Although the members of the Borromeo Quartet aren’t exactly on the lookout for a future spouse, the concert does provide a fantastic chance for the group to perform works for larger ensembles, and for NEC students to gain valuable insights into the life and work of an acclaimed string quartet. From the student’s perspective, the chance to study and perform timeless master-pieces with a quartet renowned by the Boston Globe for their ‘musical fervor’ is invaluable. As for the quartet, violinist Tong put it simply, “Anytime you can bring a fresh perspective into the ensemble it has the potential to be very rewarding. Different people and perspectives remind us of what else is possible.”

WHAT YOU’LL HEAR: The Borromeo Quartet will perform alongside guest NEC students chosen through the Guest Artist Award. This concert will include the Dvorak Bass Quintet, op. 77, featuring guest bassist Nate Martin, and the Brahms op. 18 Sextet in B-flat major, featuring students Louise Grevin and DJ Cheek. WHY IT’S COOL: Although the repertoire for the February 25th concert was chosen based on the instruments of the award winners, there is certainly a connection between the two works on the program. Brahms was one of Dvorak’s earliest promoters, and while both composers wrote chamber music with careful deference to tradition, they also har-bored deep interest in folk traditions and musical idioms. The Borromeo concert will be a unique opportunity to see the spirit of cross-generational collaboration at work during a concert of amazing music.

Borromeo Quartet + NEC Student ArtistsFEBRUARY 25 , 8 P.M . , JORDAN HALL

DJ CHEEK, STUDENT GUEST ARTIST

Kate Lemmon

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penguins GET CREATIVE

BY TONG WANG

15 WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM

penguins GET CREATIVEDew-drops feed rose buds

In the Garden of Eden

Heaven on our minds

A woman curtsies

As spring blossoms in her eyes

And love quakes her heart

An athlete dies young

The living carry the strong

As souls drift down Styx

Fireflies dance by

Under a summertime sky

As day folds to night

Blue birds fly away

Chocolate satisfies me

Streams of consciousness

life,so unfulfilledso misunderstoodneeding comfortneeding strength

day after daypassing by and bylike a river, a soft windslowly finding meaning

suddenly, a glimpseyou see different facesa mother, a father,a friend, your other half,an acquaintance, a stranger

What do these creatures hold in their hearts for us?

they holdkindness, beauty,freedom, truth

and above all things, they holdwhat completes who we arethey hold

LOVE.

Haikus LoveBY TJ CIENKI BY 11-YEAR-OLD JULIA PARTYKA

16 FEBRUARY 7, 2013

(meet the)

penguin PENMENjoin us @ NECpenguin.com!

My instrument: Flute | My hometown: San Antonio, TX. Go Spurs! | My web-site: www.kateLphotography.com | Before I came to NEC, I attended: Eastman School of Music | Favorite drink at Pavement: London Fog, mmmhmm. | Fa-vorite thing to do on the weekend: Hang out at Trident on Newbury. Amazing food + books. | If I had a million dollars, I would: Print the Penguin in all color!! My favorite musical performance was: Seeing the CSO play Beethoven 5 live in Chicago | Why I love writing for the Penguin: I love connecting the community!

KATE LEMMON, editor/photographer

Year in school: First-year Master’s | Instrument: Viola | Studio: Kim Kash-kashian | Favorite dish at Pavement: Chia sandwich with veggie tofu spread on whole grain read | Favorite restaurant: Veggie Galaxy in Central Square, Cambridge | Before I came to NEC, I studied at: Oberlin Conservatory as a student of Peter Slowik

DJ CHEEK, writer

My instrument: Bassoon | My hometown: Arlington, Texas | The craziest thing I’ve ever done was: Donuts in a Toyota Prius at 2AM | The coolest thing I’ve ever done was: Drink at Temple Bar in Dublin following a tour of the Guinness brew-ery | Before I came to NEC, I attended: Northwestern University | Who do you admire most? My former teacher, Christopher Millard | If I had a million dol-lars, I would: Hide | The funniest thing I’ve ever experienced was: Avenue Q on Broadway | Favorite dish/drink at Pavement: Bad coffee with good company

STEPHEN GARMAN, writer

My instrument: Jazz Voice is my major, but I also play piano. | My website: http://akenya.bandcamp.com (my other websites can be found there, too). | My hometown: Chi-City, baby! | Before I came to NEC, I attended: The Chicago Academy for the Arts. | Who do you admire most? My mother, for more rea-sons than I could ever name. | Why I love writing for the Penguin: I’ve always loved writing and I love the idea of a school paper that represents its students’ interests and projects. This is the perfect way of combining those loves of mine.

AKENYA SEYMOUR, writer

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Why I love writing for the Penguin: I love writing and the Penguin gives me an opportunity to do that. More importantly, writing for the Pen-guin allows me to share my thoughts and ideas and reach out to the NEC community at large | My instrument: Voice/Tenor | Most people don’t know that: I also play flute | The best class I’ve taken at NEC was: The Entrepreneurial Musician | My hometown: Holbrook, NY | Who do you admire the most? Michael Kaiser, President of The Kennedy Center

ROB CINNANTE, writer

What I love about NEC: Everyone holds doors | Favorite thing to do on the weekend: Spend time outdoors with friends | Most people don’t know that I: love drawing moons and sausages | The craziest thing I’ve ever done was: Climb up high in a tall, thin tree with 3 other guys | My favorite musical per-formance was: Guerilla Toss @ Death By Audio. | One of my favorite quotes is: “We shall see but a little way if we require to understand what we see.” -Thoreau | Website: fleshandbloodandmeatandbones.blogspot.com

BILLY MCSHANE, illustrator

Why I love writing for the Penguin: The students decide what goes into it and it is a great creative outlet that serves as a vacation from music! | Why I love NEC: I have met so many wonderful teachers, coworkers, colleagues, and friends who have helped shape my life. | On the weekends I: love to participate in what the Spanish call “the sweetness of doing nothing.” | My favorite quote is: a tie be-tween “Every tadpole becomes a frog” and “’We’re all mad here’ said the cat.’” I admire: My mother-- she is my greatest source of strength and inspiration.

TJ CIENKI, poet

What I love about NEC: BIG FAMILY! | Favorite restaurants in Boston: Bangkok City Restaurant and Citizens Public House. | My website: juliapartyka.com | My instrument: Voice | Most people don’t know that: although I was born in the USA, Polish is my first language. | My hometown: NYC! | The craziest thing I’ve ever done was: cliff dived 40 feet into a waterfall. | My favorite quote is: “already am, always was, and I still have time to be.” - from Here Am I by Anis Mojgani | If I could go anywhere in the world, it would be: All over the world.

JULIA PARTYKA, poet

Why I love contributing to the Penguin: I love drawing and I want to be involved | What I love about NEC: the people!| Favorite thing to do on the weekend: play volleyball, eat, and hang out with friends! | My instrument: piano | My hometown: Edmonton, Canada! <3 | Most people don’t know that: I am a fairy! | The best class I’ve taken at NEC was: CI Improvisation Ensemble | My favorite quote is: “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.”| Who do you admire most? Mr. Norman Krieger, a substantial teacher and pianist at USC :)

TONG WANG, illustrator

Special thanks to Dean Hegland for her guidance in the making of this issue!

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THE PENGUINN E C ’ S S T U D E N T - R U N N E W S P A P E R

PLEASE, write for us!

NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12 @ 7 P.M. IN THE STUDENT LOUNGE

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR MARCH:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST

penguin . newspaper@gmail.com

Are you feeling a sense of unpredictability in the atmo-sphere? Are your days tinged with aloof undertones, overwhelming eccentricities, or the constant conflict of whether to walk on the path of righteousness or drift into the weird and ever-probing unknown?

It may be due to the fact that Sun has once again made that transition into the constellation known as Aquarius. Yes, our water-bearing humanitarians’ time has come again. Known for their inventiveness and for being ahead of the curve, Aquarians usually are drawn to ca-reer fields such as politics, science, and the arts. Though their path is not always clear, to them or to others, they manage to find their way due to their general charisma and captivating intellect. Or maybe because they’re able to tap into the beyond, far beyond where most of us are willing or able to go.

Fun Fact: Did you know that our very own New England Conservatory is an Aquarius?! That’s right! NEC official-ly opened February 18, 1867. Guess that explains both the innovation and quirkiness that ensues here.

ZODIAC OF THE MONTH: AQUARIUS (1/20-2/18)BY AKENYA SEYMOUR

PLANETARY RULER: Uranus

RULING HOUSE: 11th

DIRECT OPPOSITE (DETRIMENT): Leo

POSITIVE TRAITS: Independent, Forward-thinking, Creative, Witty, Philanthropic, Amiable

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Eccentric, Rebellious, Sarcastic, Stubborn, Egocentric, Detached

FAMOUS AQUARIAN MUSICIANS:Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer)Django Reinhardt (Jazz Guitarist)Etta James (Blues and R&B Singer)Antonio Carlos Jobim (Bossa Nova Pioneer) Stan Getz (Jazz Composer/Saxophonist)Bob Marley (Reggae Singer/Songwriter)Alicia Keys (R&B and Pop Singer/Songriter)Justin Timberlake (Pop Singer/Dancer)Dr. Dre (Hip-Hop Producer/Mogul)

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This Valentine’s Day...

...Be a little less awkward. The SAC is sending out valentines

FOR YOU. Stop by anytime to make a card! Message us on Facebook and we’ll make it for you! Just tell us who to give the card to and we’ll put it in their mailbox.

February 11-14

Y O U R( f r e e )

A DHERE!

Email your submission to

penguin.newspaper@gmail.com!Spots offered first-come, first-served.

March ads due February 21st.

You may have seen me in the halls or at your last concert- Susan Reed, NEC Board Member, former NEC Prep faculty, and more importantly, former NEC student. I lived in the dorms, I too searched for practice rooms, and I got stuck on the Jordan Hall stage during my first orchestra seating audi-tion. Where did that door seam go?

I am Chair of the College Student Affairs Committee (CSA). We meet four times a year to brainstorm ways to make your NEC life better. The committee is made up of students, faculty, administration, and board members, each bringing their unique perspective to problem solving and exploring new ideas.

Do you have a question, a concern, or a good idea? If so, contact your student representatives and have your voice heard. Your 2012-2013 representatives are Mallory Zakeosian, Andrew Chilcote, Yijuan Geng, and Kate Salfelder..

WHAT: NEC: Underground is a benefit concert that seeks to showcase the hidden talents, projects, and interests of our student body and to raise money for students in financial need. WHEN: Monday, May 13, 2013, Brown HallSilent auction at 6 p.m. | Concert at 7 p.m. WHY: Many of us in the NEC community have abilities, inter-ests, and projects aside from our main focus of study. This is an opportunity to present those unique and hidden talents, strength-en our bond and sense of unity within the NEC family, and show our external community who we are and the magnitude of what we can do. The funds raised from this project will go directly into a scholarship entitled Students 4 Students.

N E C :U N D E R G R O U N D

we need your help!If you’re interested in performing, donzating prizes, joining

the committee,or volunteering in general, please email akenyamusic@gmail.com for more information!

THE PENGUIN

20 FEBRUARY 7, 2013 | WWW.NECPENGUIN.COM

penguin SNAPSHOTSSubmit your photos (even iPhone shots!) to penguin . newspaper@gmail.com