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EDWARD JACOBS

Author: Ed Jacobs

  • Saturday, May 23, 2020

    Between the online play we watched Thursday night, and a walk with an education-prof friend today, I feel much less scared, and more excited about finding ways to engage students in new ways over the coming year.

    In part, I think that my fear of not being able to use my own teaching tools–being present, attending to what’s being said both verbally and gesturally–is misplaced. Being present, attending to what’s being said both verbally and gesturally, is what i should be teaching, and that’s an interesting way of thinking about it, at least to me.

    An interesting article, lengthy and worth reading. I sure hope his thesis–“The post-pandemic future will entail partnerships between the largest tech companies in the world and elite universities.” Such “partnerships will allow universities to expand enrollment dramatically by offering hybrid online-offline degrees, the affordability and value of which will seismically alter the landscape of higher education.” “Hundreds, if not thousands, of brick-and-mortar universities will go out of business and those that remain will have student bodies composed primarily of the children of the one percent.”–doesn’t become reality, but there is sense to this prediction.

  • Friday, May 22, 2020

    Last night a production of Dear John, by Marcia Cebulska, went up on Zoom, directed by sis Martha. She’d assigned scenes from this play to two actors in a class she was teaching at IU; and they wanted to put on the full show. And, of course, Zoom was the medium of performance.

    The show was very good, indeed, and i look forward to chatting more with Martha about her approach to this particular challenge (Zoom). It’s odd, for sure to engage a show while focusing on two squares on one’s computer screen. The technical matter of only presenting two squares side-by-side while the audience’s squares are hidden is surely solvable (though I certainly don’t know how), but is it better to know there’s an audience, to hear their unmuted (if they choose; we remained muted) responses to lines, etc.?

    The actors’ movements are limited, of course to the webcams on their monitors; and if they’d found another way (cameras mounted on halos, e.g.) that would likely have been nauseating for the audience. So many challenges to consider, and I’m both proud of the actors and Martha for taking on this project, and glad to have this catalyst for thinking about such things. This particular epistolary play seemed the perfect vehicle for such a medium, really, and i think all involved (the weak link being Zoom, unsurprisingly) really did a great job.

    I will ashamedly admit, though, that through most of this production I was either distracted (video call from NY, never turn down a chance to see Jackson!!), or thinking more about how this presentation might relate to musical ‘performances’ than I was attending to the letters being exchanged as these two characters traversed their decades-long relationship.

    Answers are unclear to me. Technical latency issues in our ‘net systems are still such that live musical communication (i.e., “in real time”) isn’t feasible. Players can’t actually ‘play together’ in any texture beyond long, slow, sustained ones; fine for a minute or two, or if the listener simply wants to close their eyes and trip for a bit. But if music is to engage in a broader expanse of gestural and temporal imagination–like “Dear John” does–then players must be able to respond without millisecond delays. I’m told by Jason, who travels to Estonia each summer with his wife and kids to enjoy his in-laws home, that the ‘net backbone there is much faster and responsive, and doesn’t suffer the latency constraints of our system. Perhaps we’ll get there at some point soon.

    The current technical drawbacks will mean only writing for very small (solo; duos if in the same home) ensembles. And anything more than a solo will require consideration of spacial distancing. This can be an interesting problem to solve, and I think that the physical arrangement of musicians is always a crucial element of performance. This will likely also be a time of lots and lots of new pieces including solo & electronics of one sort (fixed media) or another (interactive, etc.)

    Another smile-inducing video is released by Cristin via Facebook…

  • Wednesday, May 20, 2020

    lots and lots and lots of rain…

    Good news from the beach where, after being uninhabitable since early September, 2018, we’ve actually got a walk-through scheduled for next Wednesday afternoon. Hard to believe and, frankly, our expectations for seeing good, quality work are lower than low but…if we can get back in there, deep clean, get our furniture out of storage, start fixing whatever mess the crews leave, we’ll be very happy.

    Numerous email exchanges today related to fall planning at work and, as seen on a ‘net meme, this summary seems spot on;

    -we don’t know much
    -what we know we can’t share just yet
    -everything is going to change
    -given the above, please make a plan.

    A good survey of current thinking at this moment.

    Turns out not everyone enjoys green beans…

    Walking’s right around the corner!

  • Tuesday, May 19, 2020

  • Monday, May 18, 2020

    A visitor to the yard during this morning’s rains brought smiles to our faces.

    A friendly visitor on this rainy morning.

    A very sweet and pleasant birthday party for Pattie’s sister was a real highlight of the day.  With the six attendees all distancing around a large table, it was so very nice to see them all looking well.  Jen and Ciaran came over to our porch for a drink/tea later in the afternoon, and we really enjoyed watching so many in the n’hood walking and jogging while the four of us caught up a bit on life. 

    As Jenny said, it’s just so hard to not greet people more personally, to reach out and hug; to meet someone and not shake hands.

    Those habits, not universal practices, but certainly the norm here in the U.S., aren’t the most healthy.  But the act of touching, of making physical contact, is a gesture of connection, on some level an act of empathy.  [To be sure, there are those who use such greetings as acts of power games, but those are people to be ignored in my mind.]  Perhaps we’ll come to shift to a bow, a graceful act of respect…but the physical connection says just that, we are connected.

    I miss that.

  • Sunday, May 17, 2020

    A blissfully boring day. 

    Chores around the house, yoga, writing, cooking. Readying to do some more cooking tomorrow for a social-distancing b-day party for a sis-in-law. What a relief to have a quiet day. 

    As soon as the weather is a little nicer (doesn’t have to be great, but hope for slightly warmer water) Pattie and I will rent some tanks and go for a few dives in a quarry about an hour west of here.  That’s something we’re really looking forward to, but want to do it before the coming Memorial Day weekend, if possible.

    Wasn’t completely able to avoid the reality of our time, though, as I did do little bits of thinking about fall teaching. And in reading this very persuasive essay, the fall’s appropriate teaching setting seems clear…one never knows how long administrators will think they’re fooling incoming students, but i sure hope they ultimately do the smart thing.

  • Saturday, May 16, 2020

    Such a wild week, especially with that unexpected lay-off hitting close to home.  Thankfully, those closest to his work, those who know how good he and his work are, were surprised and angered at the layoff. So supportive of him that they immediately recommended him for good and available positions.  Within 24 hours of their offer to help, an interview happened this morning and, pending approval up the chain, an offer is likely this week.  We’ll see if this place’s hiring is effected in a way that will prohibit or forestall this delay, but the job seems a good one, with good compensation, and we’ll keep fingers crossed.

    In the meantime, recruiters have been contacted and three of them are looking into openings in the south—specifically NC (Raleigh, Charlotte).  They’re sending messages that there are positions here in NC, but the process will take months, so all advise taking the position in hand, should the offer come in.

    All of this in the past 5 days.

    And here comes the first named storm of the season.  Hoping against hope that our Surf City place isn’t being finished only to be destroyed again.

    And constant news of universities laying off scary numbers of faculty, staff, administrators.  https://www.chronicle.com/article/Faculty-Cuts-Begin-With/248795

    So frightening, in so many ways, for so very many people.

    Truly a wild ride over these past few days.  Today, a text from a friend led me to a youtube video of some great funk, and a super-tight band.  That led me down a rabbit hole to King Crimson, Robert Fripp, Frank Zappa, Tower of Power, Led Zeppelin, and so many more great bands.  A fun time, I must say, though surprised at how quickly a few hours disappeared…

    The best news of all, a quick video shared by Cristin, as Jackson’s now not only crawling easily, but cruising!  We saw more of it on a video call with Joe this morning, and gosh that just makes our hearts sing.

    Jackson cruises–a (little) man on the move!

  • Friday, May 15, 2020

    Only smiles today, courtesy of Jackson in his 10th month,
    and his ever-ready photo-biographer mom Cristin!

  • Thursday, May 14, 2020

    A video-chat meeting with my department at school today.  Sharing some elements of the ‘plan’ for the fall, which involves 8-week terms each with half-courseloads for both faculty and students.  The claim is that this makes us more ‘academically nimble.’  Without even noting the implicit oxymoron at play here, I really have absolutely no idea what that phrase is supposed to mean, nor how this arrangement is a benefit.  But, at the same time, I don’t see this scheduling as any worse than a single extended (15-week) semester, as is the usual.

    The meeting involved an explanation of the plan to use/assign/trace practice rooms—these are 6’x8’ rooms with small pianos, for the most part.  Really would need a small army of people to disinfect every room after use for these plans to be workable.

    Classes would likely involve half the class attending 2x/week, and streaming the class to them the other 2x/week…then a fifth meeting purely online for all.

    Ensembles?  Nope, can’t happen.

    We can certainly do private instruction via video meetings and occasional larger conferences, but students really can’t work on any projects that involve larger groups of players in traditional arrangements.  This, I hope, will generate creative pursuit of writing for solos, writing in a way that incorporates some interesting spatial distancing, use of larger spaces, out door spaces, etc.

    As for the classes, though, I just can’t believe we’ll have any face-to-face experience, even as the university is explicitly making such plans. 

    The weather’s beginning to turn summery here now, with today in the higher 70s, and the next week heading into the mid-high 80s.  I do prefer to get on the yoga mat on our small mat, so this is a good development…until we get well into the 90s/low 100s.  enjoy the moment.

    And a slew of wonderful pictures of Jackson made their way to us–thank you Cristin! A few here…

    happiness is a warm dog…though not sure Ellie feels the same way

  • Wednesday, May 13, 2020

    The news came yesterday that a major American university—Northwestern, a private one—is taking drastic steps to deal with fallout from this pandemic.  This article notes that, among a number of very frightening actions, Northwestern is going to cut into their endowment.  That’s a step of last resort, as the golden rule is to never touch an endowment’s capital unless in an existential crisis. This is all a very clear indicator of just how desperate this very well-endowed institution is right now, and this is surely not a unique situation. 

    And then the news that the California State University system, the largest system in the US, with 500,000 students, is maintaining all-online classes through the fall; the same with several Canadian universities (McGill, UBC, others).

    This will spread, and undoubtedly his us here in the UNC system, I’ve no doubt at all.  So I’ve spent a chunk of time this morning searching for resources, software, ideas, etc., related to the teaching I’ll likely be asked to do when the fall arrives.

    Some possible, only slightly possible, good news on the job layoff front.  A call to a recruiter has yielded good news as this family pursues openings which would involve a move that Pattie and I would very much like to see happen.  Still many rows to hoe ahead in all of this, but we’re keeping fingers crossed for an easy transition, and one that might even point the way for us, as well, in the coming years.

    _______

    But the past few days have also brought an exchange which generates a smile that’s rare these days..

    What our creative lives involve (in the best of circumstances) is such a test of one’s ability to tolerate delayed gratification.  Writing, critiquing, correcting, editing, re-writing, re-critiquing, re-editing…and all over again.  The ‘final’ product delivered, and then the best part, the feedback from those who’ll bring it to life for the first time.  The workshop, if you like.  Followed by more editing.

    Sometimes the workshop is very brief; the piece delivered in time for a few rehearsals before the premiere, then the first performance.  In such cases the performers don’t have much time for reflection and feedback, as they’re focused on doing what’s needed to get to a performable state of preparation.  Then, after that performance, they’re on to their next performance-preparation.  In those cases we grab feedback from the notes the players have made on their parts, perhaps focusing a few important queries, if they are available to respond and recall.  Otherwise it’s really just hearing a recording of the performance and trying to allow for the sorts of things that just happen in performance settings, as well as recording quality, the room’s ambient sounds, reverb, etc.

    Other times, the workshop is quite extended, bringing lots of delayed gratification, in exchange for a great deal of feedback, opportunity for clarification and/or editing before a first performance.  Such is the case with a piece I finished almost two years ago, Anima/Animus for marimba solo. 

    This piece has yet to be premiered, as it’s important to me that the person I wrote it for is the one to premiere it—so I’ve not sent it out to anyone else as yet.  He’s had a rough time both personally and professionally over the past few years, especially now of course, and I’ve wanted this to be something he can look forward to when life permits.  Now, the Shelter Recordings project of my publisher—the same project that yielded a great recording of a violin duet, On Balance, a few weeks ago—has brought him an opportunity to earn a little $ in preparing a recording.  So, although he saw sketches of the piece as I was writing it for him, we’re now in the stage of him learning and getting to know the piece from the more intimate perspective of a performer preparing for presentation. 

    Thanks for that, Chris. You’ve made my year.

    : 0 )