beginnings

I have begun this blog in hopes of making a substantial resource for my rants on  popular musical/musicological topics, my current research themes, findings within the pages of my primary sources, maybe teaching stories, or additional links of fun rabbit holes.  For five years now, I have kept a personal blog- one almost diary-esque creation documenting my life.  And though it has been helpful for my introverted nature to allow others to see what is happening in my life, sometimes it feels as if it is a "let's talk about what's stressing me out today!" venue.  So I'd like to have a more historical blog.  Something that might actually contribute to society.  Lofty idealism most certainly, but hey, that's what I'm famous for!

My description of this blog gives a word/definition I've created.  I seem to like to make up words.  It began with "singingly" (playing a melodic line in a singing fashion).  I branched out into "etuding" when telling friends I was scanning/researching back issues of The Etude.  My professor even got into the act when helping create my thesis title with "archetyping."   But Etuding, and all of its derivatives/implications/symbolism has stuck with me, grown into something more.  I feel as if I am the Etudian of which the magazine wrote.  I feel like every day, I am etuding or have "etuded" (not quite as harmonious a word though).  I am studying that which was once studied.  And it's my job to teach others of these studies.

In two days, I leave for the big gathering of American musicology scholars.  I hope to perhaps pass on this website; it will create an accountability for me to continue this new endeavor-- check out my blog with updates on findings from my research.  Maybe somehow I'll have some followers by the end of this week.

This blog must begin with a singular image.  One Etude cover that I use as my profile picture (albeit cropped) at the moment.  To me, it is one of the most beautiful images of piano girl iconography I have uncovered.  I'm very passionate about this image, about what it represents and what it meant in its day.  And I hope to share some of that in the very near future here.