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| Downtown Rochester |
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| Subway station |
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| Graffiti and Rochester |
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| Graffiti |
Creepy (yes). Dark (yes). Worth it (yes).
As well as having a number of top schools in the area, Rochester is home to a multitude of festivals. The biggest of which being the International Jazz Festival, in June. The event is held at various venues throughout the city and is a must-see for anyone in the Rochester area.
Highlights of this year's festival include:
325+ shows.
Three sold-out headliner shows.
Successful introduction of newest venue, Squeezers at the Inn on Broadway.
Scholarships awarded to two high school students, providing financial assistance so that they can attend the Eastman School of Music in the fall.
39 regional groups or individual artists (not including students) performed at the festival.
More than 75 free shows (including college and high school students) were presented for families and people of all ages to enjoy.
Four shows were recorded live by WXXI for future broadcast on PBS television stations across the U.S.
Jam sessions were packed nightly.
Making Rochester an international destination for music reinforcing its rich cultural arts heritage, resources and reputation.
Generous donations of 21 musical instruments at the festival to Rochester Education Foundation, including violins, a saxophone, clarinet, and more in addition to instruction books, and accessories - all to benefit City school students.
Rochester General Health System gave out 5000 pedometers free to attendees to measure their steps and promote walking for good health.
I Love NY showcased attractions to promote the region's other interesting tourist destinations to people visiting during the festival.
Next year's festival will return to Rochester for another nine days, June 19-27.
Personally, I had the joy of watching selected MCC students perform alongside jazz professor John Nyerges. To a full audience, the band performed well known jazz standards and student composed pieces, all of which widely appreciated.
Music (jazzy). Friends (aplenty). Corn dogs (nowhere to be found).
325+ shows.
Three sold-out headliner shows.
Successful introduction of newest venue, Squeezers at the Inn on Broadway.
Scholarships awarded to two high school students, providing financial assistance so that they can attend the Eastman School of Music in the fall.
39 regional groups or individual artists (not including students) performed at the festival.
More than 75 free shows (including college and high school students) were presented for families and people of all ages to enjoy.
Four shows were recorded live by WXXI for future broadcast on PBS television stations across the U.S.
Jam sessions were packed nightly.
Making Rochester an international destination for music reinforcing its rich cultural arts heritage, resources and reputation.
Generous donations of 21 musical instruments at the festival to Rochester Education Foundation, including violins, a saxophone, clarinet, and more in addition to instruction books, and accessories - all to benefit City school students.
Rochester General Health System gave out 5000 pedometers free to attendees to measure their steps and promote walking for good health.
I Love NY showcased attractions to promote the region's other interesting tourist destinations to people visiting during the festival.
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| MCC Ensemble |
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| MCC Ensemble |
Personally, I had the joy of watching selected MCC students perform alongside jazz professor John Nyerges. To a full audience, the band performed well known jazz standards and student composed pieces, all of which widely appreciated.
Music (jazzy). Friends (aplenty). Corn dogs (nowhere to be found).
Advice - Summer Classes.
Summer classes are hard. Forget that niggling thought in the back of your head that tells you they won't be. It is 15 weeks of work crammed into 5 weeks of classes. Do the math. Everything you're doing is horrendously fast-paced.This summer I am taking an advanced English composition class in which I have to turn in a minimum of two fully planned and thought-out essays daily and complete various reading assignments, your knowledge of which being tested within class time. I am also taking an intermediate level Math class. American Math is much harder than British Math. They start complex topics at a much younger age and expect all students to continue their Mathematics education throughout all schooling. I haven't done Math for over 4 years. Admittedly, the Math course I am currently taking isn't the hardest course out there but to complete the subject in a third of the normal allotted time is tough.
I have classes in the morning and the evening which leaves a substantial amount of time in between the two to write, study or read whatever task I have to complete for the following day, as well as time to make sure I have some form of life outside of classes.
Having said this, summer classes are an easy way to complete a portion of the prerequisites necessary. It is impossible, and I can't stress this enough, to complete and obtain a decent grade in an associate's degree in two years without summer classes. I don't care what advisors or admissions personnel say, it is NOT possible without summer classes. For anyone looking into college in America, plan to take summer classes. Don't think you can go without, you can't. Simple as. Take the basics in summer, like your composition classes or your non-credit classes then focus on completing the more challenging topics during the lengthier semesters.
Back on the blogging bandwagon permanently now, I promise. A large part of why I so embarrassingly failed at blogging the past few weeks has been due to the start of the summer classes. Adjusting to such a sudden change in routine has always been difficult for me and I finally feel like I'm at the point where I can juggle classes, blogging and have some form of a social life. So, apologies for the delays, folks, but here goes..
If you ever research Rochester and its annual events, the two ever dominant are the International Jazz Festival (which I will, hopefully, be attending later this month) and the Lilac Festival. The Lilac Festival is a family and environmentally friendly festival that celebrates all that Rochester and surrounding areas have to offer. The event itself is held at Highland Park, which is a picturesque setting filled with gardens, rolling hills, open spaces and, quite obviously, all things lilac. All events feature impressive arrays of foods and drinks as well as talented performers from across the globe. There are still events going on in the area linked to the Lilac Festival. If you can, do not miss this opportunity to see some fantastic musicians.
The Lilac Festival is a necessity for anyone in the Rochester area. The highlights for me were definitely Rusted Root and corn dogs (I would eat these daily). Note to the mother: We must find these or at least ingredients to make these when I'm back in the homeland!
May 2014.
Lilac Festival.
If you ever research Rochester and its annual events, the two ever dominant are the International Jazz Festival (which I will, hopefully, be attending later this month) and the Lilac Festival. The Lilac Festival is a family and environmentally friendly festival that celebrates all that Rochester and surrounding areas have to offer. The event itself is held at Highland Park, which is a picturesque setting filled with gardens, rolling hills, open spaces and, quite obviously, all things lilac. All events feature impressive arrays of foods and drinks as well as talented performers from across the globe. There are still events going on in the area linked to the Lilac Festival. If you can, do not miss this opportunity to see some fantastic musicians.
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| Lilac Festival |
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| Highland Park; Buddies |
More blog posts on a regular (-ish) basis from now on!
A good time had with friends (yup). Excellent music (yup). New food discovery (instantly adored).
ALSO, check out this blog full of excellent by a pal of mine (you won't regret it!) - nchikey.blogspot.co.uk.
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| Vocal ensembles |
MCC Vocal Concert.
May 2014.
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| Soundcheck |
Featuring multiple solos from ridiculously talents students, the vocal ensembles truly impressed. Sure, there were moments of weakness among every group but the overall atmosphere presented, especially by the final two groups overshadowed any of these.
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| Vocal ensembles |
As usual, any decent concert must be followed by a lengthy drink and food session at a local establishment. The group, this time, being split between Buffalo Wild Wings and TGI Fridays, it can be safely said that the night was seen off in style.
Vocals (killed). In-audience dancing (nailed). Drinks (demolished).
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| Vocal Jazz Videos of various ensembles: |
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