It’s midday and I am shuffling through some homework of my Music Literature class…no…we don’t read books about music. Rather, we listen to music spanning from the 10th century (with Gregorian Chant) to modern music and analyze each piece based on the elements of style. One of today’s pieces is a John Cage piece for prepared piano (you attach a bunch of things to a piano and it creates different sounds): Sonata number 5 from his Sonatas and Interludes.
Anyway, on to the point of my blog today. Spring has sprung at Rhodes! I am finally in my shorts and able to study outside…it’s great after all the cold weather from the winter. I’ve been able to get out every day and enjoy the scenery of Rhodes and Memphis and really have some fun. I took a picture of some of my friends from my Religious Studies class going biking right before Rites of Spring.
Rhodes also hosted Rites to Play this past weekend. Rites to play is set up by the Kinney Program and gives the community a chance to come to a free carnival-style day on the lawn at Rhodes. The AO”Pies” set up a pie in the face booth, there was cotton candy, a walk on water booth, snow cones…it was great.
If you have read my other recent blogs, you know that I am a Bonner Scholar. I do a lot of my service work this semester in a community school close to Rhodes. A friend and I teach basic music appreciation to grades PreK through 5th and really enjoy what we do. Below I posted some pictures of some of the kids we get to interact with and the space that we teach our larger classes in. The past few weeks we have been introducing them to the different instrument families by letting them experience the instruments hands on. It’s a great, uplifting feeling to be able to share something you love so much with kids.
 
For first-years: Rhodes offers a cornucopia of opportunities for you to get involved in. For me, it’s music, service, and leadership. For you, it could be something totally different. The website talks about tons of stuff that we have available on campus, but more importantly, there are tons of things that are not listed that you can do as well. Don’t get bogged down by the idea that Rhodes is all about academics…all work, no play. You will be living in Memphis at a college that is very involved in its community and its students. Get out there and have some fun…but remember…that paper is due at 5!
Today’s link is a bit “nerdy”… This article talks about the diet of prehistoric man and how it links to today.
Have a great week and…Happy Spring!
Signing off,
Tyler
No comments yet.