#(it's not really eras tour but I know tumblr only uses the first five tags to get the word out and 'eras tour' is a popular tag right now)

[santay]

MASSIVE TAYLOR SWIFT CD SALE! INCLUDES NEW ITEMS

Hello, and happy holidays! I'm Chloe, a big Swiftie, and even bigger CD collector. I've been collecting for the better part of thirteen (!!) years now, and in that time, have managed to end up with a... few... duplicates in my hoard. It's time that those repeats go to new Swiftie homes, where they will hopefully bring as much joy to you as they once did to me, and what better time than right before the holidays? So before I post everything (which will be under the cut) I just kind of want to give an overview of how this will work. A sort of FAQ, if you will.

1. To claim an item, you will need to message me. And yes, I do mean mean "message," not "ask." This way ensures not only that Tumblr won't eat your request, as it loves to eat inbox mail, but also so that I can then have a conversation with you about where to send the item(s). 2. I will only accept Venmo/PayPal as forms of payment. Venmo is the preferred method, because they don't charge any sort of fees, but I am aware that Venmo is not available internationally, and PayPal is the safest alternative. Shipping for one single item across the US is about $5, so that's all I'll ask for it. 3. I will ship internationally, but you must prepare for delayed delivery. Since it is the holiday season, I cannot guarantee that anything sent overseas will arrive before Christmas. Please keep this in mind before ordering. Furthermore, in this case, I will ask for the cost of postage in a second payment, and then will provide you with a tracking number in return. 4. If you are buying more than one item, I will combine shipping. Because I cannot possibly guess the cost of shipping for multiple items, I will send a second invoice for the cost of shipping, along with a tracking number for your package. 5. No returns/refunds are allowed. All sales are final, as the whole idea behind this is for me to lighten the load. I have multiple pictures of each item (most of which will not be posted here to avoid making this post even longer), and will send them your way upon request.

Items will be marked as SOLD as they are purchased, so make sure you are checking the post on my blog and not just via reblogs before inquiring! All purchases will be mailed out within three business days of receiving payment. I will also message you to let you know exactly when they go out!

Thank you for taking the time to read this; merry Swiftmas!!

ITEMS FOR SALE

Taylor Swift (Promo Version) SOLD

Beautiful Eyes EP (Walmart Exclusive) SOLD

Fearless Platinum Edition (Target Exclusive) - $25 - TWO AVAILABLE This version of the album comes with additional DVD content--specifically, it's two of the songs she performed at Clear Channel Stripped! The case has some minor cracks and the "sticker" is just a reprint for identification purposes, but both discs and all inserts are in really good condition! The second copy is basically identical, but I can send pictures if you're interested in seeing it specifically.

Speak Now (Starbucks Exclusive) - $30 Nothing on the CD is different from other US versions of this album, but this one, sold exclusively at Starbucks back in the day, comes with a fancy "O-ring" slipcover! Not many were made, so it's considered to be on the rarer side.

Speak Now (Walmart Exclusive) - $15 This version was sold exclusively to Walmart and contained a cute little coupon for Covergirl products! Unfortunately, this copy did not come with the insert, which is why I'm selling it off. The only notable differences between it and any other standard copy of Speak Now are the catalogue number and UPC. All the songs are the same.

Red SOLD

Red (Starbucks Exclusive) - $30 This Starbucks exclusive "digipak" version of Red folds in the middle, much like a vinyl record! It does have a small fold in the cover (see the first photo), but the CD and booklet are in perfect condition. This copy was sent to me with the second disc from the Target version of Red, so it will also be included with this purchase. You're basically getting the deluxe version in a cool, rare case haha. :)

Red (Costco Exclusive) - $30 Yes, there are a few minor case cracks on the front side (thanks, kitties), but the album is still sealed and comes with its insert! What sets this rare version aside from its peers is the hype sticker on the front, and the inclusion of a flyer that, while no longer valid, once allowed you to download 3 additional Taylor Swift songs for free!

Red (Deluxe Edition) (Target Exclusive) SOLD folklore: "meet me behind the mall" edition - $15 This version was sold exclusively on Taylor's website! Though it's no different than the one you can get at Target content-wise, it does have a different catalogue number and UPC, so if you're into that sort of thing, this is a steal. Plus, it's brand new!

folklore: "in the weeds" edition - $20 I'm only charging a little extra for this one for two reasons. One, it is a little more sought-after, so if it doesn't sell here, it's going to eBay. Two, it's the EU version (which means nothing content-wise, just catalogue number and UPC-wise), so it cost a little more to get it to me. This one also was a website exclusive, and it's sealed!

TTPD: Down Bad (Acoustic Version) - $10 Back in June, this was one of two versions of TTPD posted exclusively to Taylor's website. My post office lost my order, so I ended up contacting the store to get a new one sent out. Months later, the package mysteriously arrives! Here's your chance to own that surprise CD!

TTPD: Guilty as Sin? (Acoustic Version) - $10 This CD was also part of the lost package! It too likely has mysterious teleportation powers*, and for the fine price of ten bucks, could also magically show up at your house soon! *This statement has not been proven as fact by the author.

TTPD: The Manuscript (Collector's Edition) - $30 This one was sent to me by mistake when ordering another item from the webstore. They let me keep it, but I don't need it. Again, their loss is your gain! It's also sealed!

More to come in the following days as I downsize, but this is a good place to start, yeah? Please reblog so this reaches as many genuine Swifties as possible! Thank you in advance!!

[rose-of-pollux]

Quiz thing

Tagged by @belphegor1982​

When did you last sing to yourself?

This morning, and it was Queen’s “I Want it All.”

If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about anything, what would you want to know?

“What are my finches actually saying about me?”

Rest under the cut--

What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

Getting my master’s degree in biology/my thesis project on finch learning.

What is the first happy memory that comes to mind, recent or otherwise?

Traveling in New York City with @ksturf​, seeing Anastasia on Broadway and catching 100 Unowns.

Do you have a bucket list? if so, what are the top three things?

Not really.  I want to publish a thing, though.

Do you feel you had a happy childhood?

I think so!

When did you last cry in front of another person?

Ummm... I honestly don’t remember.

Pick a person to stargaze with you and explain why you picked them

...Does the person have to be living?  My answer depends on that. XD

Would you ever have a deep conversation with a stranger and open up to them?

No, but it’s been my experience that strangers like opening up to me for some reason. *shrug emoji*

When was your last 3am conversation with someone, and who were they to you?

Back when I was doing my master’s, my procrastination habit had come back to bite me hard, and I had left a first draft of a term paper on crocodilian behavior til the night before it was due.  It was @ksturf​ who got to hear me screeching into the void at 3AM as I got the thing done (time zone differences made it not as bad for her).  That is the last time I ever stayed up that late.

(The kicker to this is that 1. I was one of two people who turned the first draft in on time, and 2. My professor said that it was “Such a wonderful first draft and very clear that I spent so much time and effort on it” that I didn’t need to revise it and would get an A on it.  Lesson learned: it’s easy to bluff your way through a term paper--even at 3AM--if it’s something that genuinely interests you)

What is your opinion on brown eyes?

...I love them.  And I would say that even if I didn’t have them myself--because ^he does.

Pick a quote and describe what it means to you personally

"...I’ve enjoyed a lifetime of adventures around the world...” -- Robert Vaughn.

Honestly, it means so much to me--he lived such a full and fulfilling life, and if I even accomplish a fraction of the things he was able to do, that will be time well-spent.

What would you title the autobiography of your life so far?

The Life and Times of a Scatterbrained Writer

What would you do with one billion dollars?

Keep/save enough to live comfortably (maybe slightly frivolously--gotta have my Nintendo games and fandom merch), make sure my best friend also lives comfortably, some for my family, and give whatever we don’t need to those who do.

Are you a very forgiving person?  Do you like being this way?

Hahahaha... No, but I am very good at hiding it.  Should I be better?  Yeah.  Will I?  *shrugs*  Who knows...

Would you describe yourself as more punk or pastel?

Pastel, I guess?

How do you feel about tattoos and piercings?  Explain

Tattoos aren’t for me, nor are piercings other than ears.  And I have such a low pain tolerance that I probably wouldn’t have gotten my ears pierced if my mother hadn’t had it done when I was a toddler (my mother was a traditionally-raised Hindu who had only emigrated to the States from India a few years prior, and toddlers getting their ears pierced is a tradition going back literally thousands of years; getting a nose piercing as a mark of adulthood is also a tradition going back thousands of years, but my response to that was a firm #NOPE, and that was the end of the conversation).

Do you wear a lot of makeup? why/why not?

Nooooooo, I hate it, I hate the way it feels on my face.

Talk about a song/band/musician/lyric that has affected your life in some way

So, Rockapella, Genesis, and Queen are three bands that I’ve known since childhood--in the case of Queen, I didn’t know it was them until I was much older (“We Will Rock You” was my hometown’s unofficial fight song for sporting events, so I’ve heard that song since elementary school--usually coupled with “We are the Champions”), and even then remained a casual fan until I watched Bohemian Rhapsody last year and just went headlong into loving them.  Freddie Mercury was an absolute legend, and finding out that he had ties to India like I did was an absolute thrill.

Rockapella were my first music loves--saw them on the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego game show, rediscovered them years later, and never left them again.  I’ve conversed with two of the Carmen-era members online, and met two others in person.

Genesis has been my musical fixed point, along with Bryan Adams.  I’ve just constantly been listening to them throughout my life.

The Monkees brought me to tumblr and subsequently led to my meeting people here that I’m still in touch with, even if I’ve drifted away from the fandom.

And Zach Adkins holds a special place for me, as well, seeing him as Dmitry in the Anastasia musical with @ksturf.

List the concerts you have been to and talk about how they make you feel

So, I have seen Rockapella in concert 3 times, the Monkees twice, and a solo Nez concert once.

The Nez concert was in 2013, before the more recent... clouds covered the sun, shall we say?  I had a wonderful time at the time, and many good memories, and I feel awful that things have come to this--especially when a good portion of it seems to not be in Nez’s control at all.  It’s a dang shame, but I’ll cherish the memories I have.

The two Monkees concerts were in 2012 and 2014.  The 2012 “Gazpacho tour” was truly a remarkable thing--honestly, I don’t think anyone saw a tour coming after Davy had passed, and suddenly, here it was--and I remember the night before the official announcement, when Nez had teased us and everyone here was going absolutely bonkers over the possibility, before he broke the news before the official announcement.  And then, the concert itself... there was something magical that night, undoubtedly--Micky having us, the audience, sing Davy’s signature song, “Daydream Believer,” saying that it belonged to us now.  It was so sad and wonderful at the same time.  The 2014 tour had a more upbeat and celebratory feel to it, sort of the promise that the daydream was still alive.

The first two Rockapella concerts were before my Carmen Sandiego Renaissance; they just happened to be performing in my hometown twice, so I went to see them because “Oh, these guys!” (though only two of the guys from the Carmen era were actually still with the band).  I had a great time, but it was nothing like the third time, when I went because I had rediscovered how much they’d meant to me (and drove over an hour in a snowstorm to see them.  Abysmally foolish?  Yes.  Do I regret it?  Absolutely not).  The third time was also when I got to meet the two Carmen-era guys (and the new guys) after the concert, which was... more amazing than I can ever describe.

Who in the world would you most like to receive a letter from and what would you want it to say?

I would have loved to have received a reply to the fan letter I had sent Robert Vaughn just two months before he had passed.  Obviously, I learned after the fact that he probably had been too sick to reply, but a reply I would have wanted would have been... just him knowing that he knew how much I admired him, and how much better he had made the world.

Do you have a desk/workspace and how is it organized/not organized?

Hahahahahaha, no.  I’m the most disorganized person in existence.  Any computer stuff I do on the couch.

What is your night time routine?

Dinner, toss around story ideas, make sure the finches are roosting/turn their light off, eventually sneak into bed as quietly as I can so as not to disturb the finches.

What’s one thing you don’t want your parents to know?

How unhealthily I eat some days...

If you had to dye your hair how would you dye/style it and why?

Nooooo, I wouldn’t want to...

Pick five people to go on an excursion with you. who would you pick and where would you go/what would you do?

...I don’t do groups well; I’d just pick @ksturf and we’d go back to New York City.  Or maybe Hollywood this time, who knows?  Sightseeing and things--catch some Pokémon, too....

Name three wishes and why you wish for them

I wish:

I had enough money so that I and those I care about could live comfortably (self-explanatory)

That I could understand what birds were saying, and they could understand me (as someone who did a thesis on bird learning and behavior and has been trolled multiple times by multiple birds [including my own], I have personal questions I want answered).

That Robert Vaughn was still here (again... self-explanatory)

What is the best Halloween costume you have ever put together?  If none, make one up

I put together an awesome Carmen Sandiego costume in like... 2011?  Everyone knew exactly who I was.

What’s one thing you would never do for one million dollars?

...There are a lot of things I would never do for a million dollars.

What’s your Starbucks order, and who would you trust to order for you, if anyone?

Dragonfruit refresher with lemonade.  @ksturf is the one I trust.

What is the most important thing to you in your life right now?

Well, I just wrapped up my one-year position as a lab tech, so finding where I go from here is pretty much the biggest thing right now...

[heyitskylie13]

My Journey to Try to Meet Tay

So, I put together this thread on Twitter not long before my first Rep Tour date (Columbus, OH 7.7.18) and it got quite a bit of attention in the Swiftie fandom (as of right now, I believe the original thread is up to 113 retweets and 242 likes, which is A LOT for little old me). I am trying to get @taylorswift & @taylornation to see it, and maybe...just maybe....this story can finally get its happy ending before I am finished with my rep tour dates. I figured in order to increase my chances of getting it seen, I’d write it all out here on tumblr as well, and maybe some of you very sweet fellow swifties will reblog, tag Tay, etc. I’d truly appreciate it. My next show is Atlanta Night 2, and then I will be in Nashville as well.  Here we go, an overview of all of the times I have gone out hoping to meet @taylorswift: 

1) 2007 - Country Concert Festival Fort Loramie, OH - I was 15 years old, and Taylor was the earliest act of the day and only had like a 30 minute set. I begged my parents to let me go with my boyfriend at the time just to see her play. There were only like 3 people in the crowd who knew her songs! I’d been following her Myspace (LOL) so I knew already that she loved interacting with her fans, and I waited by her tour bus opposite side of a gate for over an hour before a security guard eventually told me that she was not going to be coming over, that I was pathetic for waiting so long, and that I need to leave. I started crying, and my boyfriend made us go. 

2) 2008 - Country Concert Festival Fort Loramie, OH - Taylor got invited back! A slightly later slot, but it was on Sunday which a lot of people don’t stick around for (the festival actually has since cut the day entirely). My high school bestie and I were there though with a poster baring Tay’s lyrics and screaming every word to the songs she played. I don’t have photos of our posters because some drunk girl stepped on it after we had accidentally dropped it and ended up ripping it pretty bad. We waited by the buses after her set for quite awhile before we were eventually told by security that she had to catch a flight to NY or something and wouldn’t be coming out.

3) 2009 - Defying Gravity Tour - Taylor was opening for Keith Urban and a group of my friends and I got tickets to just to see her! I got to meet Mama Swift for the first time, but didn’t meet Tay. I wasn’t really surprised because there were so many of us in our group, and this was before her headlining days so we didn’t even really know if there’d be a chance or not.

4) 2009 - CMT Awards Nashville, TN - I bought tickets when it was announced that Taylor would be performing, and drove to Nashville from Ohio (with my older sisters accompanying me because I was only 17 haha). I got to meet a lot of celebrities actually outside of the venue beforehand, but not Taylor, and my phone also died before the show so I didn’t get any photos. 

5) 2009 - Fearless Tour Columbus, OH - Nothing crazy happened this day, really, but it marked the beginning of Natalie and my’s ongoing Taylor concert bond! Taylor also came this close to us during “Hey Stephen” and touched my hand as she was walking back to the stage! 

6) 2009 - Fearless Tour Indianapolis, IN - A random guy-friend of mine ended up with an extra floor ticket to the show and invited me so of course I said yes! I saw Mama Swift again, and she actually remembered me and “all my jean skirt, cowboy hat friends” from Cincinnati (the keith urban show!) -- I was shocked, and she is so sweet that she upgraded us from our back-of-floor seats to the pit! 

7) 2010 - Fearless Tour Cincinnati, OH - My friend and I arrived to the venue at like 10 A.M. the day of the show, and we brought a scrapbook we had made for Taylor. It ended up raining and still we stood outside (trying to protect our book lol) for nearly five hours across from the tour buses/loading area. Eventually someone from Tay’s team came out and gave us pit passes and took the book promising to get it to Taylor. I still have no idea if she ever saw it. 

8) 2013 - The 13 Hour Meet & Greet Nashville, TN - This is the hardest day to talk about of them all...We came from Ohio and walked around the event ALL DAY (totaled about 10 hours) trying to be picked by Taylor’s team members and we watched fans meet Taylor all day from this close to us. We never were picked, and eventually we left/gave up once they announced the last meet & greet wristbands had been handed out. It was honestly heartbreaking because this event had our hopes up so high, but Taylor is truly an angel for meeting SO many people that day, and I don’t fault her at all. Plus, we did get to enjoy a free acoustic set!! 

9) 2011 - CMA Fest Nashville, TN - At an event this big, we truly didn’t expect to meet Taylor, but we still had an incredible time supporting her as a CLOSING act of the festival!! 

10) 2011 - Speak Now Tour Indianapolis, IN - We had SOOO many glowsticks haha but it worked somewhat! Taylor’s team came up to us in our literal nosebleed seats and gave us pit passes! It was an amazing experience, but we still didn’t get to meet Taylor. 

11) 2011 - Speak Now Tour Cleveland, OH - This concert was the VERY NEXT NIGHT from the previous entry in this story! Two out of three of us (Natalie and I of course) made a back-to-back trip from Indianapolis to our hometown (2 hours each way) and then to Cleveland immediately (4 hours each way) to see Taylor again in our same get-up from the night before. We had floor seats this time, and there were these two precious little girls in front of us who kept standing on the chairs in order to see and getting scolded by security. It was breaking my heart that them (or their parents who kept trying to hold them but they were heavy as like seven year olds) couldn’t truly enjoy the concert. Since we knew what the setlist would do, we told the family about Taylor’s “b-stage” songs she’d sing later closer to us. I saw Andrea and told her what was going on, and she said I looked familiar haha I gave her a brief overview of shows I’d been to and when we’d met and she said, “so of course, you’ve met Taylor” or something along those lines and I truthfully said “no I haven’t.” She had me go get the family and brought all of us into the sound-stage/b-stage private area for Taylor’s set there and for the rest of the show. The family was so excited and when Taylor came down from the stage, she hugged those little girls on her way out to the crowd and when she was hugging these other girls in front of us, she extended her arm to half-hug us at the same time. I CRIED A LOT.

12) 2013 - Red Tour Columbus, OH - At this point, we tried to up our costume game lol we went for the “22�� music video look. We were pretty happy with it! We didn’t get noticed by anyone for anything at this show, though. Nothing crazy happened, but as always any night at a Taylor Swift show is magical and memorable <3 

13) 2015 - 1989 Tour Louisville, KY - OOOO Lucky #13 ;) This really was a lucky show. We went to the @taylornation booth and they were impressed by how many shows we’d each gone to, and when I told them all about my Master’s Degree Thesis (I wrote it entirely on Taylor just a few months prior, and had just earned my graduate degree about a month before this show!). They were really intrigued by this and kept asking for all sorts of details lol when we left the booth, we barely made it far away before one of the girls from TN was chasing us down. My heart was beating SO FAST. She asked if we’d like to enjoy Taylor from the pit that night instead of our ticketed upper-level seats. OF COURSE! We didn’t get offered Loft ‘89 that night, unfortunately, which once we’d been upgraded we didn’t expect. Although, some girls nearby us did get upgraded and then later given Loft as well. Props to them! This was still one of my favorite show experiences and memories, especially because I heard the “Clean” speech for the first time and I REALLY needed it at this time in my life. A lot of tears were shed. 

14) 2015 - 1989 Tour Gillette Stadium, MA - We won tickets to this!! Couldn’t believe it. Four of us got to go, and we drove TWELVE HOURS (it actually ended up being like 14 after traffic and stops etc haha) to go to this. This was one of the costume get-ups I am the most proud of. When we got to the TN booth, there weren’t any of Taylor’s team working it (I guess it was stadium employees taking pics idk). We did our best to stand out during the show, but we didn’t get to meet Taylor. I actually heard that there may not have even been a Loft that night, but there had been at the previous night Gillette show.

15) 2015 - 1989 Tour Columbus, OH - We loved our outfits for this, we were BAD BLOOD AF!! We didn’t get noticed in any way this night, though. Taylor was still amazing as per usual and it was my last time seeing the 1989 Tour. We did, however, cry on the drive home feeling defeated yet again....

16) 2018 - Reputation Stadium Tour Columbus, OH - Just recently added this one because I’m one show into the Rep Tour and have still not met Tay. My first show of the rep tour required me to drive 6 hours from Nashville (I moved here in 2016), but I was so excited that the drive there flew by! I’ve really been working hard to get noticed on social media this era (as you’ve seen everything above wasn’t working for me). I thought maybe this twitter thread was finally enough to get attention from Taylor/TN, so I honestly got my hopes up more than I should’ve about getting a DM for pre-show. I’m still not totally sure what was going on, but it seemed that there wasn’t as many pre-show DM’s as usual and maybe the process is changing (or the holiday impacted it idk still really). Not that I thought I was a shoe-in or anything for a pre-show M&G, but the situation did make me feel like my shot of meeting Taylor now was definitely low. We were absolutely in AWE of every aspect of this show, though, let me tell you. I wasn’t disappointed in any way by Taylor’s production. Wow. Just wow. We also were unexpectedly right next to one of the B-stages so Taylor was so close during that part of the show! I cried my eyes out to the “Long Live” & “New Year’s Day” mash-up because of my new long live tattoo and because NYD has significance to me and my relationship. Unfortunately, I ended up feeling AWFUL like a majority of the show though (like sick) and it got worse about halfway through.I spent a lot of time trying not to throw up or miss any of Taylor performing, and I toughed it out, but it wasn’t the way I wanted to experience the show. I ended up having to sprint past everyone with Natalie’s help to make it to a bathroom and throw up and I felt awful our whole hour drive back to Natalie’s house. It’s honestly probably good I didn’t get picked for post-show rep room because of how bad I felt! ANYWAY I’m still sad it didn’t happen for me, but I am hopeful that it wasn’t the right time and my time with Taylor is still coming.

CONCLUSION: I am not in anyway ungrateful for the @taylorswift experiences I have had thus far. I know I have gotten more from Andrea and @taylornation than many have. Some people haven’t even gotten to see Taylor live! I know that, BUT my DREAM since before section #1 here has been to meet Taylor and thank her in person for everything she’s helped me get through. So if it’s possible in anyway to make this happen so I can tell her that, show her my tattoos she’s inspired, tell her about my thesis, etc....it’d mean the world to me.

[hoonface]

11 QUESTIONS GAME THINGY

Tagged by the beautiful @s-lay-ing !! Thank you so much for tagging me and I hope you get to know me better through all these games! (I’m sorry if I missed one or two omg I’m gonna go check after this) and it was so fun! I really enjoy getting to know everyone a bit better and I hope you like my...eccentricities? This was so fun to do, and thanks again! 

Tagging: @wonuthewhale @healinghoshi @jisoosmeoli @jisoominghao and my new friend, @vitaminniedk !!! And of course anyone else who wants to do this because I would absolutely love to get to know you all better <3  

Here’s the thing: either you answer the questions I answered OR you answer the questions I made at the bottom, as simple as that. Then create another 11 questions IF you wish 😅

a8, here we go:

• What are your five favorite songs from your bias group? Seventeen: Mansae, Adore U, Very Nice, Pretty U, Healing & Smile Flower

• What are your five favorite songs (kpop) not from your bias group?

Bangtan’s Not TODaY

BlackPink’s As If It’s Your Last

Hey Mama – EXO CBX

Love Paint – Nu’est Cause that song is SO GOOD YALL ARE SLEEPING ON TALENT

BTS’ Lost

Honourable mentions: Twice’s TT CAUSE ITS SO CATCHY, Infinite’s The Eye (lord my first thoughts on Sungjong were “Yoon Jeonghan when he had blonde long hair”, Jin’s Awake.

• What are your five favorite non-kpop songs? oh goDDDD YOURE DIGGING UP MY PAST XDD

You just want ATTENTION YOU DON’T WANT MY LOVE – Charlie Puth’s Attention

Cake By The Ocean – DNCE ( I don’t know it’s just catchy leaf me alone)

Of course you can’t have Justin Bieber not here even though I don’t really like him himself XD – Cold Water

Jess Glynne’s Hold My Hand

Immortals – Fall Out boy

• Who is your bias and why do you like them?  LEE JIHOOOOOOOOON OH MY GOD okay.

I love baby because as much as I love all thirteen of my dorks, I can’t imagine having anyone else as my bias. Yes, I had stanning issues and I admittedly still do, Choi Seungcheol is still my main bias wrecker after lol what 11 months? You can’t just forget your first bias. Anyway, because. Lee Jihoon makes my heart so soft, every time he’s adorable, he doesn’t even have to try. He makes me so happy and he’s just such a hard working person and what is there he cannot do? Like what 5 instruments? Studied classical music? Dances like an adorable little fluff bumblebee BUT IS ACTUALLY OKAY BUT HIS BODY MIGHT BE SMALL BUT HIS CHARISMA IS NO JOKE AND YOU ARE NOT LIVING IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD HIM RAP. He’s just so talented, I mean like violin with EDM and Jeonghan’s voice, he’s just such a genius. I have never heard so much music that I love and admire and appreciate so much and it just feels like a blessing to love him. I mean like you mean I get to love him? For free? Like there’s no catch? Are you kidding me? I still can’t believe he’s real and we get to love him. He’s just I just love him. I can’t really explain why, but I can tell you that as much as I do love all 13 of my sunshines, I can’t imagine not being Jihoon biased. As much as I am in danger of becoming Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and anyone else trashed, at the end of the day I still love Woozi the most. I hope that word vomit of fangirling made sense.

• What do you usually wear for winter/autumn/spring/summer? What’s your “style”? My style is “black.” Like actually, I wear a LOT OF BLACK AND yeah hoodies, jumpers, sweaters, pullovers, leggings and sometimes jeans, the like.

• For your bias group, what was your favorite hair style/era for each member? Seungcheol: hmmmm well I really liked the black hair he did during Caratland and the brown hair he had during Weekly Idol.

Hannie: fight me on this, but I think Jeonghan looks like a majestic gorgeous angel with any hair colour. I mean like okay Adore U Killed me so hard because WHAT THE HELL. HOW CAN HE BE SO DAMN PRETTY IM CRYING BRB MY HEART IS BLEEDING ok im back anyway I also really love the short brown/red hair he had like in between Going Seventeen and Al1 hold up let me get a photo to bless you all:

Josh: I NEED JOSH’S MANSAE HAIR BACK. NOT NECESSARILY FOREHEAD UP BUT LIKE FOREHEAD WOULD BE APPRECIATED BUT LOOK AT HIS FLUFFY ORANGE HAIR IN MANSAE DANCE PRACTICE I NEED THAT BACK AND ALSO JOSH WITH BROWN HAIR. I know im not stating eras LOL

Jun: honestly, like now? I really like his hair now. Junhui always just looks 1000103293%

Hosh: now as well? I really like him with black hair, he looks cute af LETS NOT FORGET THE BROWN HAIR TOO

Wonwoo: THE HAIR HE HAD AT CARATLAND. ADORE U CAUSE BLACK HAIRED WONWOO OH LOOOOOOOORDDDD AND HIM WITH GLASSES SUCH CUTE

OOJI: this is such a hard decision. Yes, I do miss his blonde small ponytail sticking out from 17 Project, but his PiNK FOREHEAD HAIR IN ADORE U IN THE SMALL OVAL GOOOODDDD and I also KASDHKASDHKASDHKASHDKJASDH HIM WITH BROWN HAIR YALL IM FANGIRLING SO HARD LIKE IM WAVING MY HANDS AS IF SOMEONES WATCHING ME OKAY LEE JIHOON DURING THE ASIAN ARTIST AWARDS AND HIM WITH THE BROWN HAIR AND THE FRINGE I HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT

DK: his Adore U hair. Thank you.

Mingyu: ok Mingyu was my second bias after Seungcheol and tbh Seungcheol wasn’t my bias for long but it feels like it was long because I died a lot because of him and not just at the time he was my bias like for example, last night when It was revealed HIS HAIR IS SILVER WYD SEUNGCHEOL anyway but the Mansae era ^tm goD THAT WAS A BLESSING and him with brown hair is really cute too but I also really like him with black hair heck basically almost everything

The8: tbh like now? I didn’t really like his metallic greeny silver hair he had near Adore U and his ramen head wasn’t the best XD but lord MINGHAO IS KILLING ME THESE COUPLE ERAS

Seungkwan: THE FREAKING UM ROSE GOLD WHY DID PLEDIS NOT KEEP THAT LIKE ACTUALLY OH MY GOD THE FIRST CRAZY IN LOVE STAGE ASDHSKJADHSKJDH IM SO PISSED PLEDIS DIDN’T KEEP THAT

Vernon: hiS BLACKKKKKKK OR THE Q & A MV HAIR ALSDHASDKJAS

Dino: now. He looks so damn good and I can’t say I miss his astro boy hair back in Mansae XD

• How did you “discover” kpop and how did you discover vixx? OK SO IT WAS A FATEFUL AUGUST 25TH 2016! A THURSDAY AFTERNOON AFTER SCHOOL! I hopped onto my computer after school. So like theres this Korean girl group at my school that walks around sometimes singing songs or just yelling at each other in Korean XD and at first I was like …kpop? DON’T KILL ME FOR THIS BUT LETS BE REAL EVERYONES FIRST THOUGHT ON KPOP IS GANGNAM STYLE. And so since I do like watching choreography very much, I searched on YouTube, hardest kpop dances. One of the videos there showed Mansae hide ver. Of the dance practice and I was like oh this looks nice and its catchy too *makes mental note to youtube that later* *youtubes it* it starts to play the MV and I was like is this song I was looking for? And then I got to the chorus and I’m just like ALSDHJLASDKJLSKAJKLJ and I BASICALLY CRASHED INTO THE FANDOM OVERNIGHT AND IT WAS SO FUN BECAUSE I GOT TO SLOWLY DROWN MYSELF IN EVERY MEMBER LOL and Vixx? Uhhh I just heard about them somewhere XD but Shangri-la sounds really nice, it sounds like Chinese music but it’s in Korean, I like it. • What does your phone case look like? Fun fact about me: I actually don’t have a phone case. My parents are the type to not spend money on “useless things” and a phone case is one of them (well for me anyway) and I have a vintage iPhone 4S, and all the cases that I do have are from my relatives or something and I don’t like the cases XD there’s this one black one that I would use except I can’t turn it off cause the off button part of the case is really hard. So yeah! No phone case and it makes it even thicker ._. oh yeah I lost my phone lmao

• Do you normally browse Tumblr on your phone or on pc? PC. Depends if my phone/tab has been confiscated or not tbh XD but normally PC so I can save photos and it’s a lot faster.

• How are you doing? Got any plans for the day/night? eh. Alright I guess, tonight all I have to do is practise piano and because I just started school again, there’s no homework~~~

Now, my questions:

1_ a girl group choreo you’d love to see a boy group do

Tbh I don’t watch girl group choreo (NOTE: I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST GIRL GROUPS AND THEIR CHOREO I JUST DON’T WATCH IT FOR SOME REASON BUT I LIKE BLACKPINK AND YEAH) I’d like to see Seventeen dance to Boombayah XD THAT HAIR SWINGING HAHAHAHA I WANT JEONGHAN DOING THE HAIR SWINGING THING 2_ a boy group choreo you’d love to see a girl group do

Any girl group dance to Mansae pls and thank you 3_ sm, jype, yg and pledis do a world tour individually and set up their concerts on the same day, different venues obviously: which one would you attend? (as in smtown, happy pledis etc)

Definitely Pledis. Actually tbh its not Seventeen I won’t go, cause I only stan one group and wouldn’t spend money on a concert showing a group I don’t stan. 4_ a kpop song that is a guilty pleasure for you? Uhhh tbh I don’t really have any guilty pleasures in kpop, but I mean like I guess TT? Even though I wouldn’t feel guilty listening to that? 5_ a dream kpop x western artist collab? …I would like to see Seventeen collab with one of their idols :D 6_ monster/lucky one or lotto? Pretty u or very nice? Beautiful or shine forever? (Repackage edition B) )

I haven’t heard Lucky so I’m going with Lotto. WHY ARE YOU ALL SO MEAN HOW COULD YOU MAKE ME PICK BETWEEN PRETTY U AND AJU NICE kahsdkjsh …lord this is so hard- pass. I haven’t heard Shine Forever, so Beautiful. 7_ what’s the sickest you’ve attended school/uni/work etc?

Sickest? Uh I have been sick enough to stay home but I went to school because I’m a responsible girl who takes schoolwork seriously. Or was it cause it was exam period lol. 8_ adore u or shining diamond? mansae or rock? pretty u or chuck? very nice or healing? boom boom or smile flower? don’t wanna cry or crazy in love? (I’m running out of questions 😂)

Adore U, Mansae, Pretty U, Healing, Smile Flower, Don’t Wanna Cry. (that was s ohard omG) 9_ are you some sort of patriotic? (Not the “fuck the rest of the world we’re number one and we’ve never done anything wrong” kind, but idk, do you identify with your country? its customs, traditions etc?)

…I don’t even know what patriotic means omg I feel uneducated. Ahh…um no not really XD 10_ have you watched studio ghibli movies? If so, which one is your favorite?

I watched Spirited Away when I was very young I think and I watched it in Japanese with Chinese sub which I cannot read ._. 11_ if I traveled to your country, which places would you recommend me to visit?

…honestly there’s nothing that good in Australia XDD but I guess if you like steak, go for it? And the Gold Coast and we have a couple theme parks, Sydney Opera House I guess? To see where seventeen SHOT THEIR HEALING MV AKSDHASKJDH and Luna Park? Tbh I haven’t been that much around Australia I am a crap tour guide I apologise sincerely.

[2700fstreet]

CLASSICAL / 2017-2018

SPHINX VIRTUOSI

PERFORMANCE / DEMONSTRATION

So, What’s Going On?

What happens when 18 powerful string musicians come together as one? Well…you get a powerhouse chamber orchestra thanks to Sphinx Virtuosi.

At the annual Sphinx Competition, Black and Latino middle school, high school, and college-aged string musicians compete among the best young soloist musicians in the country. The chosen soloists will perform in this small orchestra which typically consists of less than 25 players. Often chamber orchestras perform Baroque (pronounced buh-ROHK) and early Classical-era music—the smaller number of instruments is often more authentic for these styles than a full orchestra—or modern music written for a smaller orchestra. And Sphinx Virtuosi does it all!

One of the most unique things about Sphinx Virtuosi is that they play without a conductor. Working together, the group uses eye contact, a deep understanding of the music, and being “in tune” with one another to combine their sounds into a master work. Oh, and practice (and practice, and more practice!) plays an important role, too.

During the performance, the group will play masterpieces (famous classical pieces you may recognize by composers like Bach, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, and Mozart). It will also branch out to represent masterworks from other languages and styles, including modern-day compositions.

Sphinx also offers an overview of the concerto grosso. Historically, the concerto grosso is a type of Baroque musical composition. The Baroque era was a time period of artistic and musical development from 1600–1750 that included complex forms, bold ornamentation and embellishments (in terms of modern pop music, think Mariah Carey trills), and an overall dramatic feel. Johann Sebastian Bach is probably the most well-known composer of this period. In the concerto grosso, the melody and musical themes are passed between solo instruments and the full orchestra or chamber group. The Sphinx performance looks at the concerto grosso from the Baroque to modern times, performing a composition in that form composed just for this group.

Learn more about The Sphinx Story:

Learn more about the concerto grosso:

Who’s Who

Sphinx Virtuosi is made up of 18 Black and Latino string musicians. After winning the Sphinx Competition, they train with the Sphinx Organization to prepare for professional careers as solo musicians. The musicians also come together each fall to perform for the public. They consider themselves cultural ambassadors, bringing music across the country, and performing at Carnegie Hall every year.

Watch Sphinx Virtuosi participate in a “Random Act of Culture” at the Detroit Renaissance Center:

The group was founded in 1996 to build diversity in classical music, and provide opportunities for music education and instruction to underserved communities. You might think of them as a bridge, connecting minority communities and the classical music establishment. The organization raises money to provide instruments to schools across the country. And since the organization was founded, the number of Black and Latino musicians in professional orchestras has more than doubled.

This year, the Sphinx Organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a program titled Concerti per Venti (Concert for Twenty).

Search the hashtag #SphinxStories to read stories from artists, alumni, friends, and family connected to the Sphinx Organization.

PHOTO by Kevin Kennedy

Check This Out…

The performance and demonstration will feature a collection of music through the ages. As the chamber orchestra performs, listen for differences between historic and modern pieces. What is the same in the way the music sounds and is played? What is different?

Sphinx is made up of instruments from just one of the orchestra families—the string family. String instruments are made of wood and held together with glue. They come in many sizes, from small to huge, but all include four strings, a bridge that supports the strings, and a hollow “box” through which sound is amplified. Strings are played by dragging a bow across the strings (arco) or plucking (pizzicato)—the strings vibrate to produce a musical tone.

The violin is the smallest and highest pitched string instrument. It is held between the musician’s chin and left shoulder, with the bow held in the right hand. As the highest instrument in the family, it frequently plays solo parts and the melody of a piece.

The viola is a little bigger than the violin, with a deeper, mid-range sound—kind of like an alto singer in a choir. It is held in the same way as a violin and its music is written on an alto clef, denoting the range between a soprano (high) and bass (low). It often plays a supporting, harmonic role in orchestral music.

The cello is lower than the viola and has a deep, rich sound. It is held upright against its musician, who sits with it between his or her legs. The cello rests on an endpin, which can be adjusted to the height of the musician playing it.

The lowest string instrument is called the double bass, or bass for short. Held upright like the cello, the bass is played by a standing musician. Its sound is so low that its notation, or notes written on the staff, is actually written an octave higher than it sounds. Otherwise, an entire bass piece might be written below the bass staff. A full double bass is about 6 feet tall.

Want a quick listen to the whole string family? Do it here:

Watch and listen how…

During the concert, listen for how each member of the string family sounds, and how it is played. Are there more of one type of instrument than another?

This 20th anniversary tour had a special piece of music commissioned—a fancy word for custom-made—for it. Award-winning Latino composer Jimmy Lopez wrote Guardian of the Horizon: Concerto Grosso for Violin, Cello, and Strings. Guardian of the Horizon is a metaphor for the strength, wisdom, and resilience of Sphinx. Jimmy wrote about his inspiration in the program notes: “I began to think of Greek Mythology and Oedipus (hence the title of the first movement) but then I started to think of it the way ancient Egyptians did, as a manifestation of Hathor, Goddess of birth and death, or as “Horus in the Horizon,” guarding the rising and setting sun, and finally, as holding the keys to the gates of wisdom. In my work, the Sphinx guards the passage to the afterlife, but the aspiring soul must first answer a Riddle, and only then can it be allowed into Crossing the Threshold.”

Guardian of the Horizon pays homage to the concerto grosso. Listen for the violin and the cello solos—at times they dramatically come together, and at others, they act as “rivals.” What is happening in the music when this occurs? Do you feel like you can “hear” the story?

PHOTO by Nan Melville

Think About This…

Sphinx Virtuosi believes in changing lives though the power of diversity in the arts. The group also hopes to engage young and new audiences with lots of different types of music. What new sounds do you hear from Sphinx? How are you inspired by the music?

One of the ways Sphinx hopes to advance diversity is by performing seldom presented compositions by composers of color, like Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, George Walker, Michael Abels, Astor Piazzolla, and Jimmy Lopez. Why do you think it’s important to hear modern works by composers of color along with traditional classical masterpieces? What stories do you think these modern masterpieces might tell?

The Sphinx of Giza, the inspiration behind the name of Sphinx Virtuosi, is an ancient Greek mythical creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion, sometimes with bird-like wings. In the Egyptian tradition, the sphinx is a living creature with a ferocious strength. In both traditions, the sphinx is a guardian to the entrance to the temple. Learn more about the Sphinx of Giza. How do you think the Sphinx represents what you know about Sphinx Virtuosi?

Take Action: The Power of Diversity

Sphinx Virtuosi’s mission is transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Sphinx focuses on diversity in race, culture, and musical representation. What does the power of diversity mean to you? It might be similar to Sphinx’s expression or totally different.

Snap a picture or take a video showing how you represent or encourage the power of diversity and post it to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat, or any other platform. Then, tag five friends and ask them to share what it means to them. Use #powerofdiversity as your hashtag.

Explore More

Go even deeper with the Sphinx Virtuosi Extras.

Bonus!

Now for something really cool, check out this string section rendition of Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk” by Eclectic Colour Orchestra:

–

PHOTO (top) by Nan Melville.

–

The Fortas Chamber Music Concerts are supported by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.

Support for JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy is provided by Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, Chevron, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, and Target.

© 2017 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts