Duke Ellington Essays (752 words) - Duke Ellington,

Duke Ellington Duke Ellington By the time of his passing, he was considered amongst the world's greatest composers and musicians. The French government honored him with their highest award, the Legion of Honor, while the government of the United States bestowed upon him the highest civil honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He played for the royalty and for the common people and by the end of his fifty-year career, he had played over 20,000 performances worldwide. He was the Duke, Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Ellington was born into the world on April 28, 1899 in Washington, D.C. Duke's parents Daisy Kennedy Ellington and James Edward Ellington served as ideal role models for young Duke and taught him everything from proper table manners to an understanding of the emotional power of music. Duke's first piano lessons came around the age of seven or eight and appeared to not have that much lasting effect upon him. It seemed as if young Duke was more inclined to baseball at a young age. Duke got his first job selling peanuts at Washington Senator's baseball games. This was the first time Duke was placed as a "performer" for a crowd and had to first get over his stage fright. At the age of fourteen, Duke began sneaking into Frank Holliday's poolroom. His experiences from the poolroom taught him to appreciate the value in mixing with a wide range of people. As Duke's piano lessons faded into the past, Duke began to show a flare for the artistic. Duke attended Armstrong Manual Training School to study commercial art instead of an academically-oriented school. Duke began to seek out and listen to ragtime pianists in Washington and during the summers, where he and his mother vacationed in Philadelphia or Atlantic City. While vacationing in Asbury Park, Duke heard of a hot pianist named Harvey Brooks. At the end of his vacation Duke sought Harvey out in Philadelphia where Harvey showed Duke some pianistic tricks and shortcuts. Duke later recounted that, "When I got home I had a real yearning to play. I hadn't been able to get off the ground before, but after hearing him I said to myself, 'Man you're going to have to do it.'" Thus the music career of Duke Ellington was born. Duke was taken under the wings of Oliver "Doc" Perry and Louis Brown who taught Duke how to read music and helped improve his overall piano playing skills. Duke found piano playing jobs at clubs and cafes throughout the Washington area. Three months shy of graduation, Duke dropped out of school and began his professional music career. In late 1917, Duke formed his first group: The Duke's Serenaders. Between 1918 and 1919, Duke made three significant steps towards independence. First, he moved out of his parents' home and into a home he bought for himself. Second, Duke became his own booking agent for his band. By doing so, Ellington's band was able to play throughout the Washington area and into Virginia for private society balls and embassy parties. Finally, Duke married Edna Thompson and on March 11, 1919, Mercer Kennedy Ellington was born. In 1923, Duke left the security that Washington offered him and moved to New York. Through the power of radio, listeners throughout New York had heard of Duke Ellington, making him quite a popular musician. It is also in that year that Duke made his first recording. Ellington and his renamed band, The Washingtonians, established themselves during the prohibition era by playing at places like the Exclusive Club, Connie's Inn, the Hollywood Club (Club Kentucky), Ciro's, the Plantation Club, and most importantly the Cotton Club. Thanks to the rise in radio receivers and the industry itself, Duke's band was broadcast across the nation live on "From the Cotton Club." The band's music along with their popularity spread rapidly. In 1928, Ellington and Irving Mills signed an agreement in which Mills produced and published Ellington's music. Recording companies like Brunswick, Columbia, and Victor came calling. Duke's band became the most sought after band in the United States and even throughout the world. Some of Ellington's greatest works include, Rockin' in Rhythm, Satin Doll, New Orleans, A Drum is a Women, Take the "A" Train, Happy-Go-Lucky Local, The Mooche, and Crescendo in Blue. Duke Ellington and his band went on to play everywhere from New York to New Deli, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London. Ellington and his band played with such greats as Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Louis Armstrong. They

How to Land a Column Writing Gig

How to Land a Column Writing Gig In the midst of scouting regular paying assignments, writers often neglect to consider the benefits of column writing. Regular columns bolster your confidence as a writer and provide credibility to your career. Weekly and monthly columns appear in a variety of publications and need writers. Columns provide established deadlines that keep you writing regularly and give you a boost when the paycheck arrives. Here are a few tips on how to find one suited for you. 1.  Ã‚     Read Local Publications Local and community publications are the easiest to break into, particularly if you have limited writing experience. When we moved to a new town recently, I browsed local magazines at the Chamber of Commerce and began reading every circular that hit our mailbox. Upon finding a monthly publication with articles I enjoyed, I queried the editor with suggestions for a column that matched the publication’s style and content and included links to previous articles I’d written. She suggested we begin a trial period of six months before determining if it was a fit. I’m thankful to report I’ve been writing for them for more than a year. 2.  Ã‚     Pay Attention to Magazine Details and the Needs of the Editor Querying an editor of a local women’s publication after noticing a change in the content helped me land my first column gig. I had been reading Women’s Inc. for more than a year when I noticed the Wellness column disappeared. I wrote the editor to inquire and learned the regular columnist had left the position. After I submitted a few samples, she asked me to write a guest column. Shortly after, I was hired as a monthly columnist. 3.  Ã‚     Capitalize on Your Expertise Find publications that have general content related to your interests and suggest a unique angle or subject matter that matches your expertise. Although I was not published when I queried Women’s Inc., I had a master’s degree in Psychology and Counseling. Once I proved I could write satisfactorily, it was a perfect fit for both of us. 4.  Ã‚     Network with Other Writers Online writing groups, critique groups, and writer’s conferences are great places to meet other writers who can help you find opportunities suited for your particular writing. Be bold in asking more established writers for help. Years ago, as an avid reader of Lifeway publications, I met an acquaintance at church who I learned wrote for the national organization. Longing for the chance to write for one of their magazines, I summoned my courage and called her on the phone to seek her advice. She invited me to lunch to learn more about my writing dreams. Soon after, she alerted me to a Lifeway blog and an editor seeking writers for my niche- blended families. I immediately contacted him and submitted a few posts for free before landing a regular paying column. I’ve now been writing a monthly column for Lifeway’s publication, Parenting Teens, for four years. 5.  Ã‚     Don’t Shy Away from National Publications With a few writing clips to show, national publications might be attainable. Many editors - particularly of national magazine - prefer a writer submit six columns as part of the â€Å"interviewing† process. Again, use your expertise, network with other writers who can offer advice on the publication you’re interested in, and determine an editor’s need to find one that’s a match. As one who began my writing career as a monthly columnist, I found identity as a writer after seeing my name in print month after month.   Exploring the world of column writing offers exciting opportunities that keep your creative energy flowing and enhance your writing career in the process.

Earned value management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Earned value management - Coursework Example Work should be broken down into small elements that are appropriate for planning, scheduling, budgeting, progress measuring, cost accounting, and management control. According to Paul & Young (2006), earned value management is aimed at measuring the progress of an activity against a clear baseline. There are three main values calculated for an activity in earned value management. These include; the planned value (PV), the actual cost (AC) and the earned value (EV). To start with, the planned value is referred to as the budgeted cost of the project’s work scheduled. The portion of the cost approved is used for a given activity within a specified period of time. Suppose there is an activity that entails installing of a new server after purchasing. If for instance, it will take one week according to the plan and cost $30,000 for the hardware, labor hours and the software that is involved. The planned value in this case will therefore be $30,000 for that week. The actual cost (AC) on the other hand is referred to as the actual cost of work performed. According to Ray (2006), actual cost precisely refers to the total costs incurred in completing the entire work on an activity for a given period of time. This cost ought to correspond to the budget for the planned value in terms of equipment, material, labor, and the indirect costs. If an activity of installing electricity in a business building costs $80,000 after its completion then the actual cost is $80,000. The earned value (EV) is referred to as the budget cost of work performed (Gary 2001). This is the value of a project that is actually completed. Let’s say for example, a project has a budget cost of $200, and by a given time it is 40 percent finished. The earned value is therefore $80 but scheduled value at that point is $100. This