Performance Appraisal – Running Over Town-Terry Popple, A Little Time- Beautiful South, and Sweet Georgia Brown- B.Bernie/M. Pinkard/K. Casey

The three pieces I have studied are: 1. Running Over Town-Terry Popple 2. A Little Time- Beautiful South 3. Sweet Georgia Brown- B.Bernie/M. Pinkard/K. Casey I have decided to perform Running Over Town for my performance piece. This song is a country- rock. The main feature of this piece is the changing mood of the song. The drum kit makes an impact with the well- placed fills and the different beats used. The fills used paradidles and double strokes. The song has a good ABAC structure. The use of a rim click and the bell of the cymbal adds to the feel of the piece and makes it stand out. When I performed this I added three stroke ruffs in the fills and adapted them to how I thought would sound best. This is what the composer tells you to do in the piece Using a drum kit, bass guitar, lead guitar and a keyboard gives the song a fairly thick texture and a range of instruments. The dynamics used on the drum kit emphasise the main parts of the song, where the theme changes and where the song is developed. In this piece I think that the range of my instrument is fully explored because a variety of fills are used. Also, more than one voice is played. These voices are: * the cymbal – as well as hitting it normally the bell of the cymbal is used * the snare drum – it is hit with the snare on and a rim click is also played * the hi-hat – it is played closed and open. Therefore the drum kit has been explored and various different sounds are produced. Three special performing techniques are used in this piece. The first is the opening of the hi-hat which produces a splash sound which cannot be made anywhere else on the kit. The second is the playing of the bell of the cymbal which adds to the different sounds coming from the cymbals. Lastly the rim click is used which helps convey the mood and theme of the piece. This piece is originally composed for the drum kit and has not been arranged for it. My instrument relates to the others in the ensemble by playing the rhythm and keeping the time. It adds to the texture of the piece and influences the whole sound when all the instruments play as one. It is vital to the piece as it would not sound right with out it because someone needs to play the rhythm. The links between my performance piece and the others that I have studied is that they all use rim clicks throughout the song to enhance the sound of the piece. This is also a performing technique that is required to give the desired effect while playing the piece. In my performance piece I also had to splash the hi-hat, use varied fills, play on the bell of a cymbal and add dynamics. All these are performance techniques that the composer has decided to use. The first two pieces use regular eighth note grooves with a backbeat on 1 and 3. This is common of rock music. But the third piece is a jazz piece which uses an advanced jazz groove which involves triplets, as all jazz grooves do. The expectation of the pieces affects the way they are composed. If the audience was expecting a slow piece performed by an orchestra then the composer would have to change his or her ideas and add more instruments. For example, the composer might slow the piece down and replace the drum kit or guitar with a string section of the orchestra. The pieces would also be performed differently in that the performers may feel like playing the piece faster because the audience prefers energetic music. All of my chosen pieces are notated in the same way but not composed in the same way as they are all different styles of music. The first piece is a country- rock piece so is played with a jerky guitar and has quite a fast tempo (allegro). Also it has a piano playing the main melody. The second piece is rock and sounds a lot like the first but it uses string instruments instead of the guitar and it also uses a keyboard to play the melody. Unlike the others the song has two singers. At the beginning it sounds like the first piece as it uses a keyboard, a rim click and a groove similar to the drummer in the first piece. The third piece is a lot different as it is a different style of music. It is a jazz piece so the drummer uses a jazz groove which is played using triplets unlike the two other drummers. A keyboard is used in this piece but is used in a different way to the others, and it doesn't play the melody all the way through. There is a double bass in this and a saxophone along with a keyboard and a drum kit. My Performance When I performed my piece under exam conditions in front of the two music teachers I think that it went well, because when I played the grooves in the piece I played them smoothly and correctly. Also, when I performed I played confidently and made few mistakes although, to keep the rhythm perfect I thought that I would have played better with the backing track so I could hear when the rhythm changed by listening to the other instruments. I also think that I added the dynamics well and played at the right tempo. The fills that I added also fitted the piece and added extra to the overall sound of the piece. I think my performance was played as the composer intended it to be played as I had played along with a backing track while practicing and this helped me to play the right sort of style. I also think that this was played in the same style and theme as the composer had intended. There were a few special features in my performance piece. There was a rim click which was used in a certain groove which enhanced the piece as it suited the country style. Along with this I played the bell of the ride cymbal. Another technique I used was splashing the hi-hat. This is when you take your foot off the hi-hat and play it with your hand as the hi-hat is being released. I think that I handled the difficult bars with ease as I decided to play a piece that I could handle instead of one that I would make mistakes in because it was too hard. I might have improved the piece by playing it with headphones to help me keep in time as I didn't have the backing track on and therefore I could have enhanced the sound because I would be playing with a better rhythm and style. Overall, I think I performed my piece well and gave a memorable and convincing performance, but there is room for improvement. Composition Brief My composition brief is to compose a piece that shows the different uses of a rim click in three or more genres of music. I also hope to show that the drum kit has been explored in my composition and that it has been used to its full potential. I am going to use rim clicks in: basic quarter, eighth and sixteenth note rock grooves; shuffles; Latin and jazz grooves. Along with the grooves I am going to add some fills. I am also hoping to add dynamics and texture to the piece as at the beginning it will start with only one hand playing the kit and then increase to using all my limbs. I am going to use techniques that I have studied and liked. This brief relates to the pieces that I have studied as it uses a rim click which is what my three chosen pieces have in common. I am going to expand, develop and explore this technique in my composition. This is in all the three pieces I have studied but I particularly liked it in the first piece (Running Over Town). I am going to use this technique in jazz and shuffle grooves which both revolve around triplet feels. I have used the jazz grooves from the third piece but have made them simpler and added my own style to them. The rock grooves are played straight and do not need as much care as the other grooves. These I have taken from the second piece I have studied as I think that they are very affective. Also, the Latin bossa nova groove does the same thing. This is just something I want to add because I think that it will give the composition a wide range of genres. I intend to use a few special techniques in my composition which include using ghost notes (which is when you play a note quieter than the others), a rim click, splashing the hi-hat and hitting the bell of the cymbal. Using these techniques would help me fulfil my composition brief as it would show how the drum kit is being used at its full potential.

Should You Speak Your Mind on an Important Point If You Know It Will Upset Your Manager

Should you speak your mind on an important point if you know it will upset your manager or should you hold back your thoughts in the name of making a good impression? Explain your answer. Response: Speaking from experience, as I am currently a consultant and have been a Fielding Director, Program Manager and a team lead as well as spending 20 years in the U. S. Navy; this question hits very close to home. I have made a living on speaking my mind and being completely honest.I am well known for always telling the truth whether it gains me something or not. However, I have learned in the last 10 years since I have retired, speaking your mind is great but there is a time and place for it. The first and foremost is don’t ever embarrass your boss. It’s ok to speak your mind but make it the correct time and place because if you embarrass your boss, even if you are correct in what you are saying, you are wrong for doing it.I have learned over the years that speaking your mind, while it may upset your boss at the beginning, if you do it with professionalism it will always work out. You also have to learn to sometimes agree to disagree. Meaning if they heard what you said but still are not going to go in the direction you feel it should go, learn to let it go. So my response is yes; it’s ok to speak your mind at the risk of upsetting your boss but learn to pick your battles and never embarrass your boss.

Critique of a qualitative research article Essay

Critique of a qualitative research article - Essay Example 4. The study shows no any stated hypothesis. 5. The study was an original one and not a replication of past studies because it was the first study to apply longitudinal and repeated measures design in children. This is unique because previous studies were done through the cohort design. Through the unique approach, the study added new information to what was already from previous studies. First, the study found that self-determined health judgment reduced significantly over the 6 month period after intervention. This decline portrayed a change from intrinsic to extrinsic direction unlike previous studies that used the cohort design, which found the change to move from extrinsic to intrinsic direction (Chen & Kennedy, 2009). 6. The study participants in this study were children aged 8 to 9 years and their mothers. In selecting, the study participants, children and their mothers were supposed to self identify as either white or Latino. The second criterion was that the child should be in good health, which meant that the child should not have any acute or life threatening medical condition. In addition, the child was supposed to have the ability to attend to daily activities such as attending school. Thirdly, the mothers we required, in addition to speaking Spanish, English or both, were also required to be able to read in either of the two languages for them to be able to fill questionnaires that were written at fourth to sixth grade levels. Finally, both the child and mother were required to reside in the same household (Chen & Kennedy, 2009). The independent variables in this study were; one, consistent use of media rules in families under investigation. The other independent variables were age, ethnicity, and poor affective responsiveness in the family. The dependent variable was the level of children involvement in risk taking behaviors. The study fails to provide a definition of each of the independent variables, as well as the dependent variable (Chen & Ke nnedy, 2009). 7. The sample population was made of study subjects of the White and Latino origin. There were 16 sites that offered a total of 34 groups with about 4 children in a group. There were a total of 122 children aged 8 to 9 years and their mothers. The number of the white participants was 58 while the Latinos were 64. The randomly selected sample comprised of 58 girls, who represented 47.5% of the participants, and 64 boys, which was 52.5%, of the study participants. The groups were well balanced in terms of ethnicity and gender (Chen & Kennedy, 2009). Based on the objective of the study, which was to research on school age children to reduce their risk taking behaviors and increase safety behaviors, I feel that the study also ought to have included teachers who teach in the schools attended by the children under investigation. Therefore, the study was to some extent not comprehensive because teachers spend more time with the children than the mothers and are much aware of children behaviors. By targeting two ethnic groups; the Whites and the Latinos, the population appears not to be a generalizable one because there are varying factors among ethnic groups that would determine the level of exposure to risky behaviors by children. Therefore, ethnicity being one of the variables under investiga

Sainsbury's Financial reporting Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sainsbury's Financial reporting - Coursework Example The company has a joint ownership with Lloyds Banking Group and also has joint ventures in properties with The British Land Company Plc and Land Securities Group Plc (Reuters, 2011). In financial year 2010 the main joint ventures of the Group were The Harvest Limited Partnership, BL Sainsbury Superstores Limited and Sainsbury Bank Plc. In all these ventures the company has a share of 50 percent. The Directors of the company are accountable for the preparation of Annual Report, Remuneration Report and relevant financial statements as per the applicable regulations. The financial statements of the Company and the Group are prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) (J Sainsbury Plc, 2010). Analysis of accounting policies a) At the end of each financial year and also in the event of any impairment indication, there is a review of the carrying value of the tangible and intangible assets by the Group to identify any impairment losses. If such indica tion is revealed then the recoverable value of the asset is calculated to determine the amount of impairment loss. If the cash flows from the assets are not independent of the other assets the Group determines the recoverable amount of the cash-generating-unit (CGU). When there exists objective evidence regarding impairment loss on receivables and loans, then the carrying amount of the financial assets is reduced to the present value of the anticipated future cash flows which is obtained by discounting the financial asset using the original effective rate of interest. For 2010 the total impairment shown in the books of the company is ?23 million. This has been with respect to assets like land & buildings and fixtures &equipments. The depreciation on the assets is provided on the basis of straight line method based on the bases of 50 years or term of the lease in the case of leasehold properties and freehold building and period of 3 to 15 years for fixtures & equipments and vehicles. Good-will is shown as an asset in the balance sheet of the Group in the respective period. It is tested annually for impairment and in the event of an indication of impairment the value of good-will is carried forward at cost minus accumulated losses on impairment. The losses on impairment are shown in the income statement in the year in which it occurs. The impairment loss in respect of the â€Å"equity instruments are not reversed†. If in a following period there is a rise in the fair value of the debt instrument classified as â€Å"available for sale† and this rise can be attributed to the happening of an event, after such loss has been shown in the income statement, then it is reversed through the company’s income statement. As per IAS 36 relating to ‘Impairment of Assets’ for impairment testing each store is treated by the Group as a CGU (cash generating unit). Tesco Plc also applies the same accounting policy for the impairment losses. Like S ainsbury the tangible assets of Tesco such as plant & equipment and property are reviewed as per IAS 36 if indications are found that the carrying amount of the asset may not be realised (Tesco, 2010). b) Sainsbury reported â€Å"Derivative financial instruments† of ?20 million in its balance sheet. The business activities of the Group make it vulnerable to financial risks that may arise in the case of exchange rate fluctuations and adverse movement in the interest rates. These risks are managed by the company using derivative instruments

Houston Astros and Enron Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Houston Astros and Enron - Assignment Example As a prominent sports team with a large fan base, it is a force to be reckoned with in the sports of American baseball which is perhaps the most popular team sports in the United States and also a major part of the American culture as a pastime when families bond together. When its sponsor Enron Corporation suddenly collapsed back in 2001, the Houston Astros found themselves in the embarrassing position of being endorsed by an organization which symbolized corporate greed. It is the aim of this brief paper to examine the options available to the said sports team and as an illustrative case study on how to properly handle a seemingly public relations disaster. Discussion Professional sports today in America and elsewhere in the world is characterized by the increasing intrusion of commercialization through corporate sponsorship in the form of company advertisements and marketing promotions. American sports organizations are privately-owned teams and as such has to be managed well like any business enterprise and has to turn a profit for its owners. In this regard, many of such sports organizations have turned to corporate sponsors to earn much-needed additional revenues to offset higher expenses in the form of maintenance of its home stadium and to pay the often-exorbitant professional players' fees. In other words, the sports team owners are in a quandary of sorts, as they have to sacrifice the purity or sanctity of sports in favor of commercial ads to make their sports teams a viable on-going enterprise. There is a prevalent practice of selling the naming rights of a stadium to a corporation for a huge fee. Problem Definition – in the case of the Houston Astros, they had sold the naming rights for their new ball park to Enron Corporation for a 30-year period to the tune of $100 million and in turn, Enron was given all the rights to put up advertisements, banners, and all sorts of the paid endorsements accruing to the Houston Astros sports team, such as the opportunity to put Enron's name on all interior and exterior signages to include even the uniforms of game-day staff. A part of the deal included spending for a luxury suite and season box seats (Jensen & Butler, 2007, p. 28). When Enron collapsed, the sports team had to find a way to dissociate themselves from it. Case Analysis – the sudden collapse was an unprecedented event in American business history for it was the largest bankruptcy filing ever and worse, Enron represented the corporate scandal involving dubious accounting practices, insider trading, and other types of malfeasance. The Houston Astros found themselves in the uncomfortable position of being associated with the company most hated by Americans who lost their jobs, pensions, and life savings. Evaluation of Case Facts – the naming rights that Enron Corporation entered into with the management of the Houston Astros was a valid business contract but the extremely bad name or reputation that Enron soo n earned after its collapse when sordid wrongdoing came to public knowledge made it untenable for the sports team to continue with the contract because it is now a public relations crises in relation to its valued publics, in particular its avid sports fans. Consideration of Alternatives – Houston Astros has to find a way to get out of the now-useless contract with Enron as the corporation is in no position to honor its end of the bargain in terms of annual installment payment for the naming rights of the stadium. The sports team has to resort to the courts to discharge it from its obligations

Science, enlightenment and politics, which was most important to your Essay

Science, enlightenment and politics, which was most important to your world - Essay Example Similar undercurrents of progressive thought were seen in the New World as well, most notably from such intellectuals such as Tom Paine and other proponents of American independence (Porter & Teich, 1981). The Enlightenment has had a profound impact on the cultural evolution of Western Europe in particular and the whole of the continent in general. A landmark piece of scholarship that turned the tables in favor of scientific reasoning is Newton’s analysis and description of natural physical phenomena. The immediate impact was discernible in written literature of the day, due to the scope of this medium of art (Brians, Paul, 1998). On the other hand, it took longer for ideas of the Enlightenment to penetrate into art forms such as music and painting due to the emphasis on traditionally acquired technique in these art forms. The Age of Enlightenment also gave birth to the neoclassical school of art, which found its highest expression in the Literature of the day. All forms of literature, ranging from prose, narrative verse, poetry, plays, etc were infused with newly discovered scientific truths and newly evolving systems of natural philosophy. Such luminaries as Alexander Pope, Phyllis Wheatley, Voltaire and Jonathan Swift among others were at the forefront of this paradigm change in socio-cultural expression. A special mention has to be made on the role of the Novel in this epoch making age. The broad scope of intellectual discourse offered by the Novel was utilized very cleverly and ingenuously by such writers as Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richarrdson, Henry Fielding, Aphra Behn, Fanny Burney, etc (Paul Brians, 1998). Given the revolutionary change in the cultural landscape that the Enlightenment affected, it is easy to see its relevance to the world of today. The field of enquiry where the ideas of the Enlightenment made radical changes was in the realm of political thought and systems of civil

US HISTORY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

US HISTORY - Essay Example The north purchased raw cotton and converted it into finished goods using the cotton grin, leading to disparity between the two. As a result, substantial differences in economic attitudes were realized. Since the period of the revolution, differences emerged between those arguing that the federal government needed to have more control and those arguing for greater states’ rights (Huston 173). The thirteen states formed a rather loose confederation with quite a weak federal government. This weakness enabled the leaders to come together when problems arose and create in secrecy the U.S constitution. Most people felt that this constitution ignored the rights of states to continue being independent. This resulted to the idea of nullification, and when this never worked out they moved towards secession. Growth of the abolition movement was another cause. The northerners become more polarized against slavery in which the southern depended so much on slaves for their cheap labor. Some key events such as the publishing of Harriet Beechers Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and others held individuals responsible for harboring fugitives even if they were on non-slave states. Following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, South Carolina issued its declaration of secession and believed that Lincoln was antislavery and favored the interest of the northern people hence living the southerners out (Huston 181). The fight between slave and the non-slave state proponents took center stage, and this was the main reason for this civil war. This led to wars even in the floor of the senate when antislavery discussions were being