My electronic portfolio is made for music lovers who jump from genre to genre. All are welcome here, as long as you are open and willing to test different waters in the musical world. I have included three of my WP’s; one on Kacey Musgraves’ album “Golden Hour” which was designated as my desert island disc. It was meant to be an album that if we were stranded on a desert island that we could listen to over and over again and never get tired of. It is also meant to have some sense of value in relationship to self and how those emotions are tied to songs on the album. The next piece included is on the Denver Brass as a live review. We were instructed to attend a performance at any music house or hall and write a live review. We were asked to take notes and after the concert, go immediately home and write your review while it was still fresh in your mind. I attended my concert at the Newmann Center. Lastly, one covers Harry Styles’ career success. I am an extreme follower of Harry Styles and wanted to share how I thought his career correlated with his released music. We were asked to make a playlist of all the songs (8-10 in range) that we felt encapsulated the musicians career. I decided to revise my pieces on Harry Styles and Kacey Musgraves because I got some peer feedback asking me to delve deeper into their careers and music. I had a few grammatical errors as well, which were important to look over for the audience. I think these revisions have made my pieces stronger and more thought provoking. I also think they add my personality more than they did before, which is key when writing about music.
My shared experiences when reflecting on different types of music have not only given me a newfound passion for music writing, but have also been extremely empowering. Before taking this class, I had a hard time conveying who I am and what I have been through. But I have found that music can tell my story for me. In one of our first readings of the quarter, an author told us to never lose sight of ourselves when writing about music. And that has stuck with me for the duration of the quarter, and will carry on the rest of my life. I felt determined to share my experiences with peers to help portray that struggling is okay. I want to convey the message that asking for help is and should be normalized and does not make you any less weak. The most courageous thing to do is to help yourself. There is strength in vulnerability.
My portfolio reflects on the eccentric vibe that is true to me. I wanted to make sure that with every piece of my writing, I was still there; by writing about music I learned so much about myself and how I want to portray myself to others when writing. In order to be an effective music writer, one must be able to delve into their own pasts and relate that back to their audiences. I had never gone about writing in a personalized manner before, and by challenging myself to do so, I think I grew immensely as a writer. I find the more I share about me, the more people realize that they are not alone. And if I can share my passions, experiences, and opinions to lead someone to safety, then I will continue to do so. I want to demonstrate safety to everyone everywhere.
To future students in this ASEM course, I would suggest giving everything you can to this class. It has been one of the most influential classes that I have taken in my college career. It taught me courage, self-love, motivation, and most importantly, how to write about music successfully. I would ask that you fully immerse yourself in the readings, there is so much to learn from these writers and Dr. Benz. I have never felt so supported, educated, and loved in an environment before. I would also suggest that you lean on your classmates for help; they have given me the best tips in order to be successful in this course. Evaluations and peer editing were my saving grace. And also, do not be afraid to share about yourself. It is so empowering, especially when you are surrounded by classmates who only want you to succeed.
Jules' Jewels 