The music program of William Jessup University has faced financial challenges in recent years, largely stemming from a drop in student enrollment and operational costs from my “alleged” mismanagement of department resources.
Rumor has it that we are trading in our Yamaha pianos for Kawai counterparts, which are considered in some circles to be just as good as Yamaha. Vice President Phillip Escamilla disappeared like a fart in the wind and President John Jackson abruptly resigned, so I guess anything is possible now.
Budget cuts and financial rumors are now widely circulating amongst the music student body. Meanwhile, the music department tries to downplay the blowback by holding meetings to allay student body concerns. Some of the leadership is being dishonest when it comes to the gullibility of the Jessup music students.
My beloved recording sessions at Skywalker Ranch are now a fading memory in the rear-view mirror as we move forward and it is going to take some time for me to get used to the new reality that it really sucks not to have money. Even visits to Sony Music have been put on the chopping block.
Our efforts at recording the diminishing UCO are going to be more distinctly plebian. Shoot, soon my UCO is going to be the equivalent of the rejects in the Chamber Orchestra run a by man that is every bit my superior.
The budget cuts are so real that fall and spring UCO tours have been cancelled. The Christmas Concerts and Night of Classics might get cancelled as well. The only concerts still happening are the church ones because we need the money those saps provide. C’mon be honest. You know that you would do the same. A guy has to do what a guy has to do in order to survive.
The good news is that my salary checks continue to be faithfully deposited into my bank account. I am so glad that I am not paid weekly weakly.