changes that I'd do to my study program.

Hi!

In this case I will talk about a very important theme for me and the people who study with me. The highs and  lows of music theory study program and specially, the things I´d change in this.

         With respect to the workload, I can not speak much because I go in first year, but this year I carry I could say that the works and the tests have been quite good, with their clear purposes and the appropriate times to realize them, not at all Cases obviously, which is the only matter in which time is a complicated subject, however, this has to do with the way in which each one manages his time. On the other hand, I think the duration of the race, compared to others in the faculty, is quite good, since it is not too long as other artistic careers, but it lasts the same as a "traditional career" (4-5 Years approx)

         The methods of study vary greatly depending on the teacher, since there are some who teach very well and are very good guides, but I think that the faculty should better regulate the method of each, since there are many teachers who do what they want and not Take into account the objectives of the course, affecting student learning.

         The most sensitive issue for me is the infrastructure and the use of technology, since both are very limited in this faculty due to the scarce funding that receives. The rooms are occupied very fast, the instruments are old and few, and the use of technology limited by the few equipment. This is one of the main problems facing the faculty.

                Finally, with respect to the curriculum, I would only change some things to complement learning, such as music and movement, which I consider very important, in addition to removing some subjects that are quite "unnecessary”. That's my personal opinion.

Summer Holidays

When I was child, most of my summer holidays consisted on going somewhere, either the beach, other city, etc. I really liked that, because in this travels I met a lot of citys and towns in Chile. However, the last summers have been much less moved than in the past. Now, my vacation time is practically an “extra” study time. I like to take advantage of this free time to advance in the studies of an instrument and, specially, take advantage to read a lot of music scores, Thing that during university time I can’t do. That’s a good summer for me, a summer where I can study what I want and what I want.  

Clearly, one ends up getting bored if the routine is very boring, so this summer I especially like to dedicate to playing more than to studying. This summer I would like it to be an instance of growth rather than learning. For this, I would like to work playing in places (alone or accompanied) to develop a better performance. In addition, this summer a friend wants to record some of his songs, for which he invited me to play. Their idea is that we also play them live.

For this and much more, I look forward to the holidays, because although I have no plans to go somewhere, I have no doubt that I will not get bored this summer.

A Restaurant Review

Well, more than a place to eat this is a place to drink! (Without excluding the food obviously) I gonna talk about HBH, a pub restaurant ubicated in Irarrazaval, near Plaza Ñuñoa. 

I knowed this searching a good place to drink beer, and my brother show me this incredible place near my home. Here, they serve one of the best beers I’ve ever drink, an artesanal beer, own of the place, in the classical varieties: Lager, Ale and Stout. I had only one Word to explain this beer: Amazing! Apart from beer, they have a lot of harder drinks, there are good, but no as much as the beer, and the truth, they are very expensive for his quality. If you come here, you have to drink beer

With respect to food, there are not too many options to choose, which does not mean that it is not good. They have a lot of pizzas, sandwiches and one of my favorites, the classic of the place: the crudo.

I like this place so much because his food and drinks are good, the attention is great, the ambient is cozy and his prices aren’t so expensive compared to other nearby locations.

Street Art

Well, although I’ve never practiced a street art like graffitti, stencil or any type of installation,  I have always been very familiar with them. I have many friends and acquaintances who practice this type of artistic expression, so I could better appreciate each of these.

                Personally,  I like murals and, obviously, the music performances. In this ocation, I will especially refer to this type of expression, because it is what I know best.

                The music in the street is a hot topic in this days, because it is increasingly difficult to practice, and therefore, you have to be very good to survive. My favorites performances are the classical ensembles and the jazz bands, but also I’ve seen artists of other genres I haved liked a lot, like tropical ensembles, solo singers or solo instrumentalist. Also, I like the music interventionsaccompanied by dance and movement, or only dance, that´s so good too, because in the most of the cases they want to provide some social message.

In my infinites trips around the streets and public transport, I’ve seen and known many and incredibles musicians, specially a band that I apreciate: La Nelson Domínguez, a gypsy jazz ensemble, because I know the clarinet and I played with him. 

My Future Job

Hi there! 

         As most of my friends know, in a first time I wanted to study biochemestry in the university. I was really convinced until 2014, when definitely was reborn in me the passion of music. Sciences was my second favorite subject in the school, and for the general people, this are a more “traditional” career than arts studies. However, it happened what had to happen. I studied what I wanted since childhood.

           

            About my future, I haven’t thought about something totally stable. First, I want to have a professional base like professor or something similar, and be able to play alone or with a band, always in movement, as it could not handle stand still in one place. Also, I would like have experience in a orchestra, but not like only and definitive job, but rather as an opportunity to meet people and travel. Finally, I would try in music therapy, a branch that has caught my attention, and which could mix the two areas that I like: science and music.

         About the salary, I haven’t taken much notice him. Do not mean to millionaire with music, I need only to give me the right and necessary, as long as not miserable. The truth is that I did not project a stable manner in the future, I just project as someone who lives happily.

M.U.S.I.C.

It’s very difficult to me speak about of a too extensive theme like the music in my life, because this has stages, high and low and even  periods of total inactivity.

My first aproach to music was when I had seven years and leard to play piano. In this times, I didn’t have a defined musical taste, until the twelve years aprox, when I started hearinh jazz and hip hop.  I this years my favorite band was Violadores del Verso, a spanish rap group, At this days, it’s still of my favorite bands ever. Then, when I was older, I started to hear progressive rock with my school Friends, because call much our atention. Finally, when I started to play violin, i return to the classical music of my childhood.

Nowadays, I can say that my favorites genres are progressive rock, classical music, jazz and hip hop, without a special order. One of my idols and musical referents are Ian Anderson , flautist and vocalist of Jethro Tull. 

Jethro Tull- Black Satin Dancerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzxNBTCpYOI

Jethro Tull Thick as  Brick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-hnVeq9FTg

And my favorite violinist in the world, Itzhak Perlman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p2yzke_550

Without music, I don't  know what to do with my life,  maybe I would be a hobo or probably a very sad person. 

The best concert ever I've been

Hi dudes!

              

Well, one of the best concerts i’ve been was in 2014, a concert of Kase.O Jazz Magnetism, a spanish rapper artirs which is one of my favorite artists ever.  The concert was in Blondie centre, and I went with my best friend. It was amazing because, although the place was small, we could be very close to the stage and musicians. 

This band was a Project of the vocalist in which he recorded his old songs with an ensemble of Jazz, although some subjects has an air of soul and blues. It’s not a new topic in the genre, but the result was incredible. The songs sounds sounded fresh, with a new air, and they created a great athmosphere in the place. It wasn’t a tradicional rap concert. The people

 was very excited, but they stopped to listen to music.

This was one of the bests concerts I’ve gone, and a great memory that I have is when we where waiting to get in the place, and Kase O arrives in a car and greets us! Sadly, I couldn’t take a picture of this moment. 

A Country that I'd like to visit

A country that should definitely go is Italy, both for its ancient culture and its beauty, but also because here is the most important city of modern classical music: The city of Cremona, located in the north of the country.

This magical location is full of meaning and value to the music, because here was developed (and still is) the most important production of stringed instruments,  being home to the most famous luthiers since the seventeenth century, as were Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri .the instruments created from that time are still invaluable, and most of there are in museums and are rented by  famous performers.

I'd like to particularly know this region of Italy to learn more about the history of their music and their instruments, besides watching closely how the city operates, as their luthiers continue to work as it was 300 years ago, and, why not, maybe get some instrument in this area, which would be fucking amazing to me!

Pablo Mena