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JohnCLJansen

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So for some reason I keep updating these journals every so often, even though I don't post art anymore. Not that I haven't been busy. I just finished a masters degree, and have been set loose into the quote "real world", unquote. The world is my oyster now, right? Is that what they say?

I'm working as a full time adjunct professor at SUNY Fredonia, in Western New York. I'm doing this while looking for/deciding if I even want to do a doctoral program. There's a lot of pros and cons...and I've been in school a long ass time. I'm thinking about saving up my money so I can do the stereo typical backpacking through Europe to quote, "find myself", unquote. 

Provided anyone is reading this...what are you reading lately? I've stayed up on Walking Dead, (though...I might be done. I don't now if I can go on after the most recent death) but since I disappeared into the depths of academia, I've admittedly fallen behind on comics. I had also been reading Y, and Cerebus. (As a side note, I'm curious if Walking Dead will go on as long as Cerebus did.) Are there any new comics I should grab? 

Also I just built an instrument called a daxophone. Just throwing that out there.
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I. Am. Alive.

I live in Western New York.

I teach music. I study music. I write music.


I have some projects coming up soon.
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I thought it was time for my annual journal entry on here.

I just graduated from Grand Valley State University with my music composition degree. I'm still recovering the from the whirlwind that was my last semester. I took 18 credits. I prepared a grad school portfolio and applied to, traveled to, and interviewed at 5 different grad programs in 4 states. I put together an hour and a half long concert of my music, performed by various groups of my talented musician friends. I went on tour with the New Music Ensemble--I drove 4000 miles in a van through the American Southwest, where I and the ensemble performed at 5 national parks. I saw the most breathtaking sights I have ever seen, and all with the greatest people I've ever known. I think if everyone could see what I got to see, there would be far less problems in the world.

I got accepted to 4 of the 5 schools I applied to. I declined all of them. Why? No one had any money for me. Meaning I would have had to go 20K+ in debt further than I already am. 70K in one instance. It pained me a lot to have come so far and still say no. I'm trying again next year, but I've decided I'm only going to grad school someplace where I can get a full ride. I believe I have found that school, but time will tell if they will have the funding to do it next year.

In the mean time, I've got a lot more time. It's been many years since I haven't been taking 12 credits of classes (I even took full loads during the Summer.). In short, I'm able to have a lot more creative flexibility, and it feels really great. I'm gearing the next year to writing and recording a new composition portfolio. But I'm also working on sketches and short stories. Maybe I'll try to be a person too.

I've started doing Julia Cameron's "Morning Pages." Meaning, I wake up and before I do ANYTHING else I write three pages of stream of consciousness writing. So far, it's incredible. I'll post more about my success with it later.

Anyway. Writing was a really important part of myself for a long time. I remembered that when I took a creative writing course last year and turned out a few shorts. I don't want to stop again. I love it. Same with drawing. I have characters and stories in my head all the time--always have.
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Hey all,

I'm thinking about making monthly journal entries from now on. In the past they've tended to be sporadic, but I'm thinking a monthly schedule would be good. Does anyone actually read these? I don't upload much art anymore...I'd like to upload drawings but my scanner broke so...yeah...

So it's the end of Summer...I start my last year as an undergrad, on Monday. I'm applying to graduate school for composition. I really have my work  cut out for me in the next 4 months in order to meet deadlines. It's all about the portfolio, so I will be gathering ensembles of players together to play and record my pieces. I have an advantage over most because I have a degree in recording already; I'm capable of making very high quality recordings.

I've had a lot of very big doors open for me recently. I don't want to say anything yet but, I've got some really exciting projects planned for the next year!

Also! I found a way to fit a creative writing course into my schedule for this next semester. I was 17 the last time I took a creative writing class. Some of you remember...pirate stories. Sometimes having upwards of 18 credits, entirely of music, can be really draining--I'm hoping it will provide a creative outlet that will give me a break from music music music all day. So stay tuned for installments that I may post. I'm not sure how the format of the course is going to work, but if I can I have a very specific story in mind I'd like to explore.

My website is close to launch. I wrote it myself, in notepad!!! Yeah I need a girlfriend...I will probably post a link in my next journal...even though it's a music site...and this is a visual art site...hah...I really feel like I have two selves at this point.

Okay that's all for this month.
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Hi all,

Where am I at? I'm a year away from finishing my bachelors degree in music composition, and am currently sorting through grad school apps. I'm trying to get into a few good schools in New York that have a reputation for new music. My composition professor at GVSU brings in many people from New York to give lectures and other things, which has been really inspiring and has only added for my desire to make it to New York.

Most of my time these days is spent writing music. Most recently I was hired to write for a special art gallery event, which was a terrific experience. If any of you are curious to hear what I am doing, please visit my Sound Cloud: soundcloud.com/john-c-l-jansen…

Also, here is the specific piece from the aforementioned art gallery event:
 
soundcloud.com/john-c-l-jansen…

Also, here is an abstract guitar/field recording piece I made yesterday:

soundcloud.com/john-c-l-jansen…

I'm almost finished building my website, which I will post up here when I am finished. I've still been doing recording work too...I'm close to having a decent home studio, and I am an assistant engineer at a studio in my hometown.

Despite all of this I still do visual art too. I think at some point I will reach a point of synthesis between all of my skills. I will do my best to post up some of my projects soon, but recently I am delving headlong into character animation (In all of my non-existent spare time). I'm really, really, excited about what the next few months will bring.

I hope you all are doing well!!
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