Disney Music Theory
  • Blog
  • Twitter
  • Copyright Disclaimer
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Twitter
  • Copyright Disclaimer
  • Contact
Picture

Life Updates + Future of This Blog

1/6/2020

2 Comments

 
Hi friends,

I hope you're well!

As you may have noticed, I have not been very active on my blog these past few months.

There are personal reasons for this, but first and foremost, I would like to say the most important thing:​

I value and appreciate your interest in this project so very much, and I look forward to resuming with regular posts when I'm able to do so. Meanwhile, I will continue to post on an as-the-muse-inspires me basis, while I figure out how to get my life in order.
​

OK, so, now for the personal updates that may help to explain my radio silence:

1. I got my Ph.D.!

I'm officially Dr. Zerin! In December 2019, I successfully defended my Ph.D. in historical musicology at New York University! Although it took me 8 years to complete my program, it's been 12 years since I first began researching my dissertation topic. So this is a real relief and achievement. I'll let you know when I've got a full PDF of my dissertation online for people to read. :-)

2. I came out as transgender

My Ph.D. diploma won't say "Samuel Elliot Zerin" on it, but rather "Samantha Elisheva Zerin." A few weeks ago, I came out publicly as transgender. As you can imagine, the months leading up to this announcement were both exciting and intensely stressful. But I am truly humbled by the overwhelming support I have received from my family, friends, colleagues, and community. If you would like to follow my transition/journey, I invite you to follow me on Twitter @ShuliElisheva.

3. I started a blog for my poetry and music

I have a new blog, where I've been posting my poetry and musical compositions under my pen name "Shuli Elisheva". This project began in June 2019 as a way of processing my emotions as I struggled with my gender identity and transition. With a few exceptions, I write all my poetry first in Yiddish and then translate them all into English. My musical compositions include both vocal and instrumental music. I plan to continue with this creative project on an as-the-muse-inspires-me basis; it's not only helping me continue to process my gender transition, but also to fulfill my deep craving for a creative outlet.

4. I'm looking for a day job

I'm looking for a steady day job to help pay the bills, so that I can continue my social media projects without constantly worrying about money. Ultimately, my goal is to make a living from sharing my research and teaching online. Although I have been exploring ways of doing this for a couple of years now, I've had to constantly battle a tension between (1) wanting to create an authentic and engaging presence and (2) needing money ASAP. Unfortunately, the latter has often hindered my ability to do the former. SO, I am hoping that once I have a steady day job, I'll be able to focus on truly being me in my social media work. Meanwhile, freelancing in a variety of areas is helping me piece together some income (blogging, tutoring, video editing, translation work, adjunct teaching, etc), but this has been neither sustainable nor predictable for me.

What about the blog?

I'll continue to write in this blog as I have time. In fact, having just watched the first episode of Galavant this morning (SOOOO GOOD!), I'm mulling over ideas for a post about Alan Menken's melodic style. But I don't want to pretend any more that I've got a regular blogging schedule.

Of course, I'll let you know as plans for the future settle.

Thanks again for your interest,
and all my best from Rhode Island,
​

Sam

2 Comments
Diego Avila link
7/27/2020 02:24:29 am

Hi! Just wanted to say congratulations on you Ph.D. and everything else that’s going on in your life! I really like this blog and really appreciate what you’re doing with it! It has helped me so much learning and understanding music theory in a way that’s simple and accessible. I try to catch your zoom lessons whenever I can and I really like them! Just wanted to leave a nice comment saying thank you for what you do! :)

Reply
Samantha
7/27/2020 05:07:16 am

Hi Diego! Thank you so much! Your comment is the first thing I saw when I checked my email this morning, and it truly brightened my day. :-)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Composer: Alan Menken
    Composer: Danny Elfman
    Composer: Elton John
    Composer: Frank Churchill
    Composer: Kristen Anderson Lopez And Robert Lopez
    Composer: Leigh Harline
    Composer: Lin Manuel Miranda
    Composer: Lin-Manuel Miranda
    Composer: Mack David And Al Hoffman And Jerry Livingston
    Composer: Matthew Wilder
    Composer: Mel Leven
    Composer: Michael Giacchino
    Composer: Randy Newman
    Disney Junior
    Life Update
    Movie: 101 Dalmatians
    Movie: Aladdin
    Movie: Beauty And The Beast
    Movie: Cinderella
    Movie: Coco
    Movie: Dumbo
    Movie: Frozen
    Movie: Frozen 2
    Movie: Hercules
    Movie: Hunchback Of Notre Dame
    Movie: Inside Out
    Movie: Lion King
    Movie: Little Mermaid
    Movie: Moana
    Movie: Mulan
    Movie: Newsies
    Movie: Nightmare Before Christmas
    Movie: Pinocchio
    Movie: Princess And The Frog
    Movie: Snow White
    Movie: Tangled
    Movie: Toy Story 2
    Show: PJ Masks
    Song: It's A Small World After All
    Theme: Anti-Semitism
    Theme: Parks
    Theme: Requests
    Theme: Survey Analysis
    Theme: Villains
    Theory: Absolute Music
    Theory: Chromaticism
    Theory: Counterpoint
    Theory: Foreshortening
    Theory: Gestures
    Theory: Harmony
    Theory: Intervals
    Theory: Meter
    Theory: Modal Mixture
    Theory: Modes
    Theory: Modulation
    Theory: Motifs
    Theory: Neapolitan
    Theory: Notation
    Theory: Orchestration
    Theory: Ostinatos
    Theory: Performance Technique
    Theory: Polymodality
    Theory: Polyphonic Melodies
    Theory: Production
    Theory: Rhythm
    Theory: Sequences
    Theory: Silence
    Theory: Timbre

    Author

    Samantha Zerin has a PhD in historical musicology from New York University, and has taught music theory at NYU, Brown University, and the Borough of Manhattan Community College. She is also a composer and poet, and teaches private students. To learn more about Dr. Zerin and her work, you can visit her main website, www.CreativeShuli.com

    Archives

    July 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly