A Great Composer Essays -- essays research papers

Inspiration may be a form of super-consciousness, or perhaps of subconsciousness—I wouldn’t know. But I am sure it is the antithesis of self-consciousness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only one man could claim the title as probably the greatest composer in American history for writing so many unforgettable works: Aaron Copland. He lived a life inspired by many things as well as inspiring people all across the nation, and it really led to the opposite of being drawn into himself, as he described in the quote above. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 14 in 1900. He was the youngest of five children to Sarah and Harris Copland. A musical spark came out in Copland already at the age of 11 as he began piano lessons with his sister. His musical talents needed tutoring from a higher level of teaching and so he studied with a professional piano teacher, Ludwig Wolfsohn, at age 14. Copland said later, â€Å"No one ever connected music with my family. The idea was entirely original with me. And unfortunately the idea occurred to me seriously only at 13 or thereabouts—which is rather late for a musician to get started,† (Charles Mo ritz 190). He graduated in 1918 and was able to devote all his time to writing and composing music. Wanting to further his knowledge in music, he was taught harmony and counterpoint by Rubin Goldmark. Understandably, the two men shared different views and Goldmark completely disagreed with Copland’s styles, so to demonstrate his own stubbornness, Copland came back to Goldmark with a piece he wrote entitled â€Å"The Cat and The Mouse,† (Charles Moritz 191). Copland would then attend the newly established American Conservatory at Fontainebleau in Paris, and he was honored in being the first American student of the amazing teacher, Nadia Boulanger. After three years he returned to New York without any knowledge of how a composer got his works published or performed, nor how he planned on keeping himself financially stable. Copland ended his troubling when he was given a grant of from two Guggenheim Fellowships, and some women who found an interest in his compositions that gave him some donations so he could devote all his time to writing. His first major work upon returning to America was â€Å"Symphony for Organ and Orchestra† which he wrote just for the few performances of Nadia Boulanger; the first one in Carnegie Hall in 1925 and another in... ...rs Alliance. He was continually given many awards, like an Academy Award nomination for film score of â€Å"North Star†, an Academy Award for best original musical score in â€Å"The Heiress†, the Pulitzer Prize in music, the New York Music Critics Circle Award for â€Å"Appalachian Spring†, the Gold Medal of the American Academy Institute of Arts and Letters, the MacDowell Colony Medal of Honor, winning the RCA Victor Composer’ Competition with â€Å"Dance Symphony†, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (America’s top civilian honor), the Kennedy Center Honors, the Congressional Medal of Honor, the National Medal of Arts (given to him by President Reagan), the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit from West Germany, the Howland Memorial Medal from Yale University, and the Department of Music at Queens College of the City University of New York was renamed Aaron Copland School of Music. After 1970, Copland continued lecturing and so me conducting as he gradually stopped composing. He died at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Tarrytown, New York on December 2 after 90 years of musical genius and American glory. His ashes were scattered at Tanglewood, but the legend of Aaron Copland resides in us all forever.

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay

Sir William Haley once said, â€Å"Education would be so much more effective if its purpose were to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they don’t know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it†. If students were guaranteed to leave school with knowing of what they don’t know and the desire to continue learning, the method of learning will be correct. Today’s education system does not give students the opportunity to enjoy what they are learning. The banking method, where students are empty vessels which educators must deposit knowledge into, deprives them of creativity and the desire to learn. No child is given the chance to shine and be unique. Students today are simply being placed on a conveyer belt, sorted, and then labeled according to their so called intelligence. We need an education system that provides a slower learning method, a method where you focus on what is being learned instead of zipping through it, and the freedom to make mistakes as this will electrify and stimulate students to fulfill their potential. We must recognize students as individuals and keep in mind their diverse backgrounds. In â€Å"Lives on the Boundary,† Rose states, â€Å"The canon has intended to push to the margins much of the literature of our nation: from American Indian songs and chants to immigrant fiction to working-class narratives† (100). The messages that are received from the text are crucial. The students need to be able to relate to what they have before them. One of the problems with today’s education system is we are given material to read, memorize, and expected to repeat it back at the snap of a finger. But without the ability to relate and connect with the material, the learning doesn’t take place. Everything that is read or being said is just going through one ear and out the other. By adding relatable texts, you add life to learning. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life,† Jon Spayde states, â€Å"people cannot learn what they do not love† (69). When students are reading or learning about a subject they love, they are inspired and motivated to learn more. This alone can benefit the learning process for students. It becomes much easier to grasp concepts learned in class. Today’s education system does not allow all students to thrive in their own way. It is fast paced with limited space for creativeness. We are given large amounts of information at a time and attempt to move as quickly as possible through all that we can. There is never â€Å"time† to stay longer on a topic. The instructors try their hardest to keep the pace, but this way of teaching does not benefit any student. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life†, Jon Spayde states, â€Å"†¦we are focusing far too much of our energy and resources on fast knowledge, ignoring all the richness and meaning slow knowledge adds to our lives† (68). When the focus is on just getting through the material, we are skipping over the value and richness of slow knowledge. Instead of zipping through a lesson because it needs to be done by a certain day to move onto the next, the focus needs to be on what is being learned than making a time requirement. Spayde also states, â€Å"You can figure out what you can do pretty quickly, but the ethical understanding of what you ought to do comes slowly†. We need to adopt the slow learning method, without it we are missing out on more than we think. There is so much more to learning than getting through the material, the purpose of it is to benefit and gain from it. With slow knowledge we will achieve this. One of the most important changes that needs to be done is the view on mistakes. In the article, â€Å"How to Make Mistakes,† Dennett states, â€Å"Mistakes are not just golden opportunities for learning; they are, in an important sense, the only opportunity for learning something truly new†. When fear is being put into a student to never make a mistake, their education is stunted. They lose the ability to explore and take the chance of being wrong because they are repeatedly punished for being incorrect. When a mistake is made, students will learn where they went wrong and will then grow from it. The key to progress is making mistakes. The reason we are in school is to learn, but with this opportunity taken away from students their ability to learn is ripped from their grasp. Daniel C. Dennett also states, â€Å"You should seek out opportunities to make grand mistakes, just so you can then recover from them†. Instead of using all of their energy to attempt to be perfect and run from being inaccurate, every student should look for every opportunity to be wrong. Without errors, the students can not accomplish much. If you look at Todays’ education system is in desperate need of change. No student is given the opportunity to show what they are fully capable of. Instead they are told what they can do. They are simply labeled and placed where they â€Å"should be†. But when students begin to pursue their mistakes and soak in the richness of slow knowledge, they will begin to truly learn. Maria Montessori once said, â€Å"If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of man’s future. For what is the use of transmitting knowledge if the individual’s total development lags behind? †. If many students are having difficulty learning in the method we have created ages ago, why not change it? The time is now and there is no time to waste. We must refocus this outdated system to insure that the students will have a secure future and keep the standard of living that we have today.

Behavioral Programme Assignment Essay

Our esteemed bank was established on 11 May 1921 and went public on 11 November 1921 in the name of Nadar Bank Limited at Ana Mavanna Building, Thoothukudi. Later we renamed as Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited. We had only 4 branches until 1947. The bank has now 388 full fledged branches and 732 ATM’s all over the India. In order to serve the rural areas, the bank extended services more in non-metro areas. Out of 388 branches, 344 branches are located in Rural, Semi Urban and Urban areas only. GROWTH: We are one of the oldest private sector banks which is continuously making profits and paying highest dividends. This was possible only with the dedicated employees at all levels who are energetic and are enthusiastic in the growth and prosperity of the bank. This made the bank to adopt the official motto: â€Å"Totally Motivated Bank† Achievements and Awards : The financial express in its survey on India’s Best Bank 2013 has ranked our bank No.1 among the Old Private Sector Banks. TMB has been rated 2nd Best Bank in Small Banks category by Business World under India’s Best Bank 2013 TMB has received the Best Banker award in Customer Orientation and Human Resources. TMB has received ASSOCHAM India 9th Annual Summit cum Social Banking Excellence Awards 2013 – India’s Best Private Sector Bank 2013. FUTURE VISION OF TMB: Looking Ahead: The vision of the bank is to develop the bank into a much stronger bank with  the higher level of modernization to handle the business volume. Noble thoughts and high ideas of the team of management charged with dynamic spirit of action will take the bank to a greater height, achieving growth in strength and exhibit the bank as a model bank in the Banking industry. The bank has set itself a high standard, be it in operation, customer service or compliance to regulation. Technology upgradation and March towards Hi-Tech Cyber Banking are the current mission of the Bank. VISION STATEMENT: â€Å"To be a progressive bank with strong brand equity, Enhancing the value for all the stake holders through Excellence in performance and good governance† Medium Term Goal: Aiming to increase its total business to Rs 1 lakh crore in the next four years and to expand our branch network outside Tamil Nadu. At present we having a total business of Rs 41,000 crore in 2013-14, and planning to open a large number of branches in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the next 3 years. Our endeavor is to have 30-40 branches in each of these states. We are targeting a total business of Rs 50000 crore in 2014-15, and aiming to have a network of 800 branches in four years. â€Å"Our medium-term goal is to make TMB a pan-India bank. After the expansion of branch network in the southern states, we will focus on widening our footprint in the northern and eastern regions of the country. ASSIGNMENT II CISCO WORK CULTURE Today’s organizations face increasing demands for responsiveness, adaptability, innovation, speed, and responsible corporate citizenship. No organization can afford to dismiss the potential benefits of having a diverse and inclusive culture. So for Cisco, building an inclusive and diverse organization is an ongoing and essential business imperative. It truly believe it is their responsibility to: Empower our teams Eliminate biases Create an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. Commitment They aim to provide employees with all the resources, programs, and training necessary to achieve their business goals. They have been giving everyone an opportunity to operate at their best selves, and provide their customers with the best and most innovative products and services. How They Are Structured By partnering with their business leaders, human resource organizations, and key stakeholders and constituents, they have built a holistic diversity framework that is embedded in every part of Cisco. They have constructed an Inclusion and Diversity Coalition, a global team that advises and supports Cisco executives at the function and region level. Along with established inclusion and diversity ambassadors, it includes advocates in the field. The team helps to accelerate program execution by reinforcing inclusion and diversity communication and expectations. Cisco’s employee engagement strategy: Cisco’s employee engagement strategy has yielded several benefits through the use of collaboration tools. For example, the quarterly company meeting has gone through a total transformation. In the past, Cisco held the company meetings in a physical location, usually a local convention center near the headquarters in San Jose, California. Today the quarterly company meetings are virtual. Through the use of video and collaboration technologies, employees globally can participate in these meetings and interact with senior executives through a live chat (using Cisco Jabber ® technology). The entire event is recorded (along with chat transcripts and other documents) and shared with all employees. This approach has increased employee participation and provided a new venue for rich interaction between employees and senior executives, all of which have boosted overall employee satisfaction. Cisco uses a virtual format for other events as well such as the annual global sales experien ce (20,000-plus attendees) and strategic leadership offsite (3000-plus senior leaders). More than ever employees are conscious of their health and wellness, while employers are looking for ways to provide employees with high-quality healthcare options while keeping their costs under control. Cisco opened a state-of-the-art HealthCenter in San Jose for employees and has followed with centers at other sites. Through the use of technologies such as HealthPresence ® and unified communications, Cisco employees have access to some of the best healthcare systems around the world ASSIGNMENT III 3 Model Component of Commitment About the Model: John Meyer and Natalie Allen developed their Three Component Model of Commitment and published it in the 1991 â€Å"Human Resource Management Review.† The model explains that commitment to an organization is a psychological state, and that it has three distinct components that affect how employees feel about the organization that they work for. The three components are: 1. Affection for your job (â€Å"affective commitment†). 2. Fear of loss (â€Å"continuance commitment†). 3. Sense of obligation to stay (â€Å"normative commitment†). We can use this model to increase commitment and engagement in your team, while also helping people to experience a greater feeling of well-being and job satisfaction. Let’s look at each of Meyer and Allen’s three types of commitment in greater detail. Affection for Your Job (Affective Commitment) Affection for your job occurs when you feel a strong emotional attachment to your organization, and to the work that you do. You’ll most likely identify with the organization’s goals and values, and you genuinely want to be there. If you’re enjoying your work, you’re likely to feel good, and be satisfied with your job. In turn, this increased job satisfaction is likely to add to your feeling of affective commitment. Fear of Loss (Continuance Commitment) This type of commitment occurs when you weigh up the pros and cons of leaving  your organization. You may feel that you need to stay at your company, because the loss you’d experience by leaving it is greater than the benefit you think you might gain in a new role. These perceived losses, or â€Å"side bets,† can be monetary (you’d lose salary and benefits); professional (you might lose seniority or role-related skills that you’ve spent years acquiring); or social (you’d lose friendships or allies). The severity of these â€Å"losses† often increases with age and experience. You’re more likely to experience continuance commitment if you’re in an established, successful role, or if you’ve had several promotions within one organization. Sense of Obligation to Stay (Normative Commitment) This type of commitment occurs when you feel a sense of obligation to your organization, even if you’re unhappy in your role, or even if you want to pursue better opportunities. You feel that you should stay with your organization, because it’s the right thing to do. This sense of obligation can stem from several factors. You might feel that you should remain with your organization because it has invested money or time in your training. Or perhaps it provided a reward in advance, such as paying for your college tuition. This obligation can also result from your upbringing. For instance, your family might have stressed that you should stay loyal to your organization. Note: These three types of commitment are not mutually exclusive. You can experience all three, or two of the three, in varying degrees. Applying the Model at our TMB: Affection for Your Job (Affective Commitment): We are very fortunate in having dedicated employees at all levels who have been energetic and working with untiring zeal for the good growth and prosperity of the institution for the past 92 years. The name and fame of the bank are in a large measure, due to the efficient and diligent service of the highly loyal staff members and officers. This has enabled the Bank to adopt the official motto â€Å"Totally Motivated Bank†. Most of the employees in TMB are committed towards our organization. This has been proven through the  profits earned and dividends paid to the stake holders. Without the positive commitment of affectionate this would not have been possible. In TMB, employees treat themselves to be a part of the family. With this unique feature TMBian’s move forward and make the organization goals and achieve great heights. Fear of Loss (Continuance Commitment): It’s important to do our best to grow affective commitment, and reduce our team’s reliance on continuance and normative commitment, so that we can lead a team of people who feel passionate for their roles. In TMB, we having some Team members with continuance commitment, which not only impact their growth but also impacting other Team enthusiastic employees, or even lower the morale of the organization. To encourage positive changes, we will link people’s goals with those of the team or organization. If appropriate, we align our team’s roles with their skills and interests, with techniques such as Job Crafting . It’s important to help people find purpose in their work, which will help them to come out from the above commitment. Sense of Obligation to Stay (Normative Commitment): In our organization, some officers from STEP programme feel a sense of normative commitment since our organization has invested a lot in their training and development. Since they have been contracted for 5 years, they could not able to switch job even if they got better opportunity. To overcome this we are likely to develop affective commitment through explaining them about their growth in this esteemed organization and make them to feel & experience positive emotions at their work. Further, we will encourage these people to thrive, and to enjoy the work that they’re doing. We make sure that we give praise regularly, and create a healthy workplace , so that these kind of people will be happy and productive. ASSIGNMENT IV Change is a common thread that runs through all businesses regardless of size, industry and age. Our world is changing fast and, as such, organizations must change quickly too. Organizations that handle change well thrive, whilst those that do not may struggle to survive. The concept of â€Å"change management† is a familiar one in most businesses today. But, how  businesses manage change (and how successful they are at it) varies enormously depending on the nature of the business, the change and the people involved. And a key part of this depends on how far people within it understand the change process. One of the cornerstone models for understanding organizational change was developed by Kurt Lewin back in the 1950s, and still holds true today. His model is known as Unfreeze – Change – Refreeze, refers to the three-stage process of change he describes. Lewin, a physicist as well as social scientist, explained organizational change using the analogy of changi ng the shape of a block of ice Lewin’s Three-Step Model For Implementing Change Unfreeze: This first stage of change involves preparing the organization to accept that change is necessary, which involves break down the existing status quo before you can build up a new way of operating. Key to this is developing a compelling message showing why the existing way of doing things cannot continue. This is easiest to frame when you can point to declining sales figures, poor financial results, worrying customer satisfaction surveys, or suchlike: These show that things have to change in a way that everyone can understand. To prepare the organization successfully, you need to start at its core – you need to challenge the beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors that currently define it. Using the analogy of a building, you must examine and be prepared to change the existing foundations as they might not support add-on storeys; unless this is done, the whole building may risk collapse. This first part of the change process is usually the most difficult and stressful. When you start cutting down the â€Å"way things are done†, you put everyone and everything off balance. You may evoke strong reactions in people, and that’s exactly what needs to done. By forcing the organization to re-examine its core, you effectively create a (controlled) crisis, which in turn can build a strong motivation to seek out a new equilibrium. Without this motivation, you won’t get the buy-in and participation necessary to effect any meaningful change. Change: After the uncertainty created in the unfreeze stage, the change stage is where people begin to resolve their uncertainty and look for new ways to do  things. People start to believe and act in ways that support the new direction. The transition from unfreeze to change does not happen overnight: People take time to embrace the new direction and participate proactively in the change. A related change model, the Change Curve , focuses on the specific issue of personal transitions in a changing environment and is useful for understanding this specific aspect in more detail. In order to accept the change and contribute to making the change successful, people need to understand how the changes will benefit them. Not everyone will fall in line just because the change is necessary and will benefit the company. This is a common assumption and pitfall that should be avoided. Time and communication are the two keys to success for the changes to occur. People need time to understand the change s and they also need to feel highly connected to the organization throughout the transition period. When you are managing change, this can require a great deal of time and effort and hands-on management is usually the best approach. Refreeze: When the changes are taking shape and people have embraced the new ways of working, the organization is ready to refreeze. The outward signs of the refreeze are a stable organization chart, consistent job descriptions, and so on. The refreeze stage also needs to help people and the organization internalize or institutionalize the changes. This means making sure that the changes are used all the time; and that they are incorporated into everyday business. With a new sense of stability, employees feel confident and comfortable with the new ways of working. The rationale for creating a new sense of stability in our every changing world is often questioned. Even though change is a constant in many organizations, this refreezing stage is still important. Without it, employees get caught in a transition trap where they aren’t sure how things should be done, so nothing ever gets done to full capacity. In the absence of a new frozen state, it is very difficult to tackle the next change initiative effectively. How do you go about convincing people that something needs changing if you haven’t allowed the most recent changes to sink in? Change will be perceived as change for change’s sake, and the motivation required to implement new changes simply won’t be there. As part of the Refreezing process, make sure that you celebrate the success of the change – this helps people to find closure,  thanks them for enduring a painful time, and helps them believe that future change will be successful. Applying the model at TMB : At our bank we have followed the Lewin’s Three-Step Model while implementing our New Logo: Unfreeze: Even though our Bank has been established in 1921, the logo was set for the bank only in 1962. Since the logo was not competent to match to the current generation of banking and also not expressed the future face of the bank. It has been decided to change the Logo. After having various meetings with our stake holders, at last our Management got approval from our stake holders to change our logo. Our Management has started the process for changing the logo of our bank after 50 years. We are well aware that changing our established logo should be approached with a great deal of caution and forethought. Only a new logo design makeover (executed correctly) can infuse our company brand with new excitement, new blood. We are the leading private sector bank with strong development in modern banking and need a logo that is more in line with, and appealing to, our vision along with modern banking facilities. Change: After got approval from stakeholders, our bank started planning on designing the new logo which should express our vision along with modern banking facilities. The organization has ready to take risk by changing the Logo. The Dispel rumors by answering the questions asked by any one the openly and honestly and also relate the need for change back to operational necessities. Our organization has announced a contest among the staff members for creating a logo which should reflects our vision and Modern banking and also to make the staff involvement. Which made everyone feel that it’s a right time to change Logo of our bank and will give new face to our bank. Refreeze: With help of our all staff members our bank has designed a new log which described our vision and modern banking. The magenta-and-royal-blue combo is a colourful showcase of the brand’s illustrious past, where the inherent DNA of our bank – customer orientation & commitment to excellence takes center-stage. The complementary colours and the clear-cut typeface underline our bank’s new philosophy of staying in tune with the current generation. What holds the logo together and helps break the clutter is the clever play on the letter ‘M’. An amalgam of two upward arrows, ‘the Positive M’ clearly symbolizes our bank’s new promise – to be one step ahead of life. our New logo was created. On 03.05.2012, we have launched New Corporate Identity (New Logo) for our Bank in a grand function at Thoothukudi by our Managing Director & CEO in the august presence of all the Directors of our bank. Change of our New Logo was communicated to people through various medium of communication. The New logo has brought a strong believe from the public that, our bank not only a have a traditional type of banking but also have the Modern banking.