SMT or BUST

So far you've endured lots of SMT posts. I've given you the girls. The sites. The drinks.

And now, a few words about the conference itself.















One of the reasons I went was for the Graduate Student Workshop about music theory pedagogy, lead by Oberlin's Brian Alegant. We worked for 2 months to prepare for it - creating homework exercises, syllabi, exams, etc, for a 4 semester curriculum in undergrad theory. During the workshop itself we discussed things like kids with problem attitudes, different types of grading methods, aural skills in the "written" theory classroom, and the purpose of music theory class in the first place. It was great! The above picture is an ad to apply for next years workshops, which will have a different theme.

















Another highlight was getting to see my friend and former TA, Jason, give a paper (he's ABD at CUNY now, and teaching at UMass Amherst). That's his head, poking out from the big head much closer to my lens. This was, unfortunately, the best picture I got, but I find it oddly appropriate. What was less appropriate: a well-respected, older, white gentleman theorist picking his paper apart in front of the whole audience. But Jason held tough. He didn't endure the previous 6 years of grad school for nothin'.
















This is the ballroom where they had the keynote address by Susan McClary, a controversial theorist/musicologist who, among other things, has written about gender in music theory. I think she's a good role model for someone like me. As you can see, I was sitting next to KG, the resident feminist theorist at IU.





















I wish I'd gotten a better picture of her. They kind of abruptly cut her off before we could have a Q&A.















I like this picture because backs of these guys' heads. On the left we have Jason again, and on the far right we have the one and only Drew Wilson from my masters class at IU. I was so excited to see him there! (and to see him later on, from the front).
















I love the weird lights in this room.

And I love McClary's speech. I wish John had been there to witness it. I won't go into details now, since I'm not as articulate as she is and it's a delicate subject, but I'd recommend her books, Feminine Endings and Conventional Wisdom, or her articles on Carmen.

I also can't wait until next year, when SMT and the American Musicological Association conference is held jointly in Indianapolis. Woo!