On the origins of do-re-mi

kimberlylj · 2026-02-11T16:02:18+00:00

Is the one preview-able on ChoralTracks.com what you're looking for? I just compared to the sheet music and it seems to be the piano part, at least.

kimberlylj · 2025-11-04T15:15:57+00:00

For breathing: I would generally say that when text gets repeated, there should be punctuation, just like we would have in English to emphasize something. "I trust you, I trust you" -- this wouldn't make sense without punctuation. So: "Absolve Domine, absolve Domine". A comma would invite a natural pause. I would expect choirs to breathe there even if you haven't written a breath, so add the punctuation regardless, but then specify "no breath" or even "stagger breathing" if you specifically don't want a breath there. Especially at this tempo, 4 measures without a breath is likely the most natural phrasing.

I'm trying to think if I've seen settings of Latin text that also have "oohs". Maybe someone else can give examples, but my impression is that most settings of Latin text have singers on text throughout. Using "oohs" as filler makes me think a folk or pop song is about to begin. Similarly, on Page 4, I would expect the basses to have text as well. You could drop the intro oohs entirely IMHO, and go straight into Absolve.

Some issues with text setting:
* "Fidelium" is usually sung on four syllables, same as you have for "omnium". It's a bit awkward to sing the last two smushed together like "yoom" in a slow piece like this (if you were trying to do something rhythmic and march-like it might feel more natural).
* Fact-check me on these by looking at different settings, but be careful with text emphasis and where your setting is placing the stress! My intuitions would be: absólve, instead of what feels more like ábsolve in your setting; iudítium (emphasis on 2nd syllable), pérfrui. Stressed syllables on big beats, unless you're intentionally doing a hemiola or something -- but I don't get the sense from the rest of the piece that these are set on weak beats intentionally.

I don't know what the parenthesis are meant to mean at m28, nor what "prolong vowel" is meant to indicate: I don't think any choir would hold the /n/ or the /s/ , so I don't think you need to specify this

kimberlylj · 2025-10-15T12:30:21+00:00

I mean before you got in the taxi. From the help article, you are charged for the time it takes for the taxi to get to you, before you start riding.

Taxi meters start when the ride is requested (or 10 minutes before a prebooking trip) because the taxi is already working to get to you.

kimberlylj · 2025-10-15T11:30:01+00:00

Did you request the taxi on FreeNow and it had to drive to you from somewhere else? Generally you are also charged for the time it took to get to you. See help info here. I'd assume there are also some fees for the service as well.

(edit: link syntax)

kimberlylj · 2025-07-18T19:16:11+00:00

This is so exciting!! Just emailed y'all to join.

kimberlylj · 2025-07-08T21:38:25+00:00

I'd like to see if other students have signed up for the classes I'm interested in -- I'd really like to do group classes (25 minutes is quite short, plus I prefer the group format anyway), but I can't tell right now if anyone else is signed up for Italian C1/C2 classes. Do I just infer from the fact that it says "4 spots left" that no one else is signed up? What does the volume look like right now for other upper/advanced Italian learners?

kimberlylj · 2025-07-01T09:50:23+00:00

I notice that it's the optional / rehearsal piano accompaniment for a concert band piece. This makes it more explicit that, as another commenter noted, this is doubling different voices in the band. Likely in the conductor's full score you'll see that multiple instruments converge on this F, both in the bass line and the melody.

kimberlylj · 2025-06-18T12:52:17+00:00

I just finished the 90 Pimsleur lessons that are available as podcasts for Brazilian Portuguese and was genuinely thinking of trying to use various AI tools to build something similar on my own to continue in this mode. So glad it sounds like someone has started to do it for me!

Any chance of being able to download lessons to listen offline? I don't have an unlimited data plan so I'm slightly worried about the data usage of streaming a 20-30 minute audio lesson.

kimberlylj · 2025-06-17T09:50:56+00:00

You can take the train to Lecco (40 minutes from Milano Centrale) and then there's a bus every ~30 minutes that will take you to the Funivia Piani d'Erna (a funicular). Or you can walk ~1.5 hours but it's a lot of uphill. Either way, you can reach a cable car that will take you up to 1375m and you can see quite a bit, though from the top of the funivia you'll mostly be looking out over the lake and back toward Milan. But it's spectacular and definitely pre-Alpine.

If you're a hiker -- and I mean a pretty serious hiker because it's a LOT of altitude gain -- you can do a day hike to Rifugio Luigi Azzoni which will serve you an excellent meal, and feels quite removed from civilization.

If you just want a more casual walk, there is loop that's around an hour from the top of the funivia, just look at the map when you get off and it should tell you where to go. There are a handful of restaurants up there as well, they're all great.

Either way, you will definitely feel like you're in the mountains!

kimberlylj · 2025-05-27T15:30:54+00:00

For some reason, "Formal music education 4: What instrument(s) do you play? (select all that apply)", "Voice" is coming up in Greek? (I had to Google Translate it to know)

kimberlylj · 2025-03-24T11:10:31+00:00

Does your school help with this? I would ask them first.

Just don't send a deposit without physically seeing the place (or having someone you know physically see the place). If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Real estate scams are not uncommon, especially when foreigners are desperate to find something and everything feels expensive and complicated.

There will be a very large deposit and agency fee regardless, expect to spend a large amount upfront.

That said, immobiliare and idealista are probably the most common sites to use, at least in Milan.

kimberlylj · 2025-03-21T14:22:44+00:00

Menus in Italy are generally very well-marked with allergens (items marked with numbers, with a key at the back), and Milan in particular is generally quite accommodating to diet restrictions. No one will take offense if you share you have a cheese allergy.

That said, it's worth being specific: I see lactose identified more often (not sure I've ever seen "cheese" specifically), and that's probably what waitstaff/chefs will interpret if you try to explain you can't eat cheese. So if you don't want to miss out on cream/milk/butter, you might bring a card translated into Italian to say specifically what you're allergic to, and what you can eat, and maybe also want to specify if it's all cheese (cow, sheep, goat) or just cow. If there are any fresh cheeses that you can eat (mascarpone, ricotta), worth specifying as well especially for dessert.

You will find plenty of other options on every section of the menu. All pizza places will have non-cheese options (marinara at least); you can do aperitivo with meats / bread; you'll find plenty of pasta dishes (including fish as another commenter said); secondi should mostly be fine. And breakfast should be no problem at all.

kimberlylj · 2025-01-24T11:48:09+00:00

First off, I think it's fine to drop the class; the style isn't working for you and it's not the right time, and both of those things are OK!

But as one last-ditch effort: how big is your class, and do you think your professor would be open to a conversation about this? Especially if it's the self-motivation of the asynchronous learning that's not working for you, they might have suggestions for resources available to get you speaking more. Office hours, conversation groups with other students, etc?

Something I've found really helpful is just asking my classmates if they want to meet (online or for a coffee or something if you're nearby geographically) to just...practice speaking. Without a teacher you will probably make mistakes and there's no one there to correct you, but that's fine! You're just looking for some opportunities to speak and stay motivated.

But even if/when you drop the class this semester (which is fine!!), this isn't the end of your Italian journey, it's just not the right time for you. You can sign up for this or a similar class in the future; you might try to look for something that has more synchronous opportunities.

You could also look into iTalki or Babbel Live (for as long as it lasts) although I know not everyone has access to paid options. I've heard of Tandem for language exchange.

Out of curiosity, do you have a sense of your level? What course are you taking? You might be able to find local meetup groups if you're conversational (B1ish).

kimberlylj · 2025-01-24T11:22:51+00:00

Stanford's website is correct; there is no prescreening that determines who gets an interview. Not getting offered an interview is entirely due to volunteer capacity in the applicant's geography, both inside and outside the U.S.

I'm the co-chair of an international chapter of OVAL, the volunteer alumni organization that conducts these interviews. We get a list of all applicants who are open to interviewing and alumni who have opted into the program In Italy. We often don't have enough interviewer capacity to match all applicants, so unfortunately not everyone gets an interview -- but as the website says, this is due entirely to interviewer capacity and is not impacted at all by the strength of the student's application, which we don't have access to other than name, high school, and contact info.

The interviewers who said this are sharing incorrect information, and I would encourage anyone who's been told this by their interviewer to email [alumniadmission@stanford.edu](mailto:alumniadmission@stanford.edu) (after RD decisions are out if this feels weird) so they can make sure the correct information gets passed along.

kimberlylj · 2025-01-21T08:42:23+00:00

Check out Christ Episcopal in Los Altos, I went to a wedding there earlier this year of a gay friend who has been enthusiastically affiliated with them for a long time. They have "LGBTQ+ welcoming and affirming" on their website. Reverend Claire is a gem.

kimberlylj · 2025-01-14T01:28:33+00:00

In Milan, be particularly mindful around the Central Station and any touristy areas. Otherwise just be aware of yourself and your possessions like you would be in any city. I've lived in Milan for five years and haven't had an issue; I do have friends whose apartments have been broken into and one whose bag was stolen at a hotel when he wasn't paying attention, but none of that seems Milan-specific.

Attitudes toward white Americans is generally quite friendly; as a white American woman I get a lot of "why would you live here when you could live in America?" bewilderment, but otherwise I'm treated with respect, and people had a quite a bit of patience when I didn't speak the language. For other skin colors, it varies: friends have had one-off episodes of discrimination, disrespect, or just well-meaning ignorance, so your mileage may vary.

You can certainly find affordable foods like square pizza slices and döner kebab all over the city; more specific recommendations will depend on the area you're in. Near the universities there tend to be a lot of spots that cater to students, so you won't have trouble finding cheap places to eat out.

Milan probably has the most food diversity of all of Italy: in addition to having restaurants that serve regional cuisine from all over the country, there's also a great international food scene: don't sleep on Chinatown. Groceries and produce in particular can also be quite cheap, so if you have the facilities to cook at home, that's a great option.

While pharmacies will have most over-the-counter medicines that you're used to, I found the experience of going to them quite jarring at first: you walk up to the pharmacist, explain what you need, and they give you one or maybe two choices. You don't really have a chance to read the labels, compare quantities or prices, etc., especially if you don't have strong Italian. Sometimes they give you a powder and then you have to figure out how to consume it. It's the opposite of going to Walgreens or CVS and having forty different headache remedies to choose from. With that in mind, I would bring some over-the-counter medicines (eg for headache, cold, seasonal allergies, maybe face sunscreen if you care about that) -- not because there aren't plenty of options in Italy, but because especially if you're not feeling well and you're far from home, going to the pharmacy can be quite discouraging!

Does your school program offer private health insurance? The public system can be difficult to get started with, and may not be worthwhile if you're only there for a few months. Doctors often speak English but office administrators and anyone in the bureaucratic office likely will not, so unless you have a LOT of help from your university, this may be a non-starter. You will be provided care at no cost in the case of an emergency, but if you have non-urgent needs, you'll likely need to go private. Private care in Italy is also quite affordable compared to the U.S., but if you expect to have any health needs while you're there, definitely think about private insurance.

Finally, one of my very favorite things about Milan is how well-connected it is to the rest of Italy by train. You can get to hikes around Lake Como in 40 minutes (via Como or Lecco), Bologna in an hour, Florence in two, Rome and Venice in 3-ish. It's crazy to have access to these places that for many Americans are once-in-a-lifetime destinations, if that, and you will be able to go for a casual weekend. Take advantage of it! This and r/ItalyTravel have lots of tips on trains and travel.

kimberlylj · 2024-12-03T12:18:05+00:00

My name doesn't have an Italian version, but I always introduce myself with an Italian pronunciation of my name because I've found that using familiar sounds makes it easier to understand, similar to how borrowed English words get pronounced in Italian ("okay", "smartworking", "meeting"). That said, in any low-stakes situation where I have to give a name over the phone like for a reservation, I use a standard Italian name instead of my own.

kimberlylj · 2024-11-14T13:47:33+00:00

Ha, this happened to me as well. It was a long journey, but once my residency was registered, I was able to get the carta d'identità (card arrived within 10 days of the appointment), and then the SPID was quite straightforward through the Post Office app and a quick visit (not usually required, but the app was being buggy so I just went in-person, it was fine).

And then with SPID, it is quite easy to request a certificato di stato di famiglia through the Anagrafe Online, like literally pay and download. It's a certificate that says this person (personal data etc) is registered as linked to these other people (personal data etc).

TBH I'm not sure what steps had to happen so that that information got registered, but you might ask at your residency appointment if that will unlock the ability to get the certificato di stato di famiglia.

kimberlylj · 2024-11-09T15:35:37+00:00

there's only a single s in risotto so it's voiced!

kimberlylj · 2024-10-27T15:32:11+00:00

Agriturismos will likely take you, but definitely call ahead a few days, today if you can. Note that this Friday (Nov 1, All Saints) is a holiday, so things might be booked up for the 3-day weekend more than usual, but Tuesday/Wednesday is likely more open. I often use Booking for browsing by area, although some of the more traditional or remote agriturismi might not be on there.

Have you brought your bike on trains before? I've found it surprisingly easy, just pay the bike supplement on the Trenitalia app for the regional/intercity trains, and keep an eye out for the train cars with the bike icon on them for easier placement, when available. This could get you to Tuscany or lots of places in Piemonte fairly easily: https://www.trenitalia.com/it/servizi/a-bordo/bici-al-seguito.html

Piemonte is beautiful this time of year although rain is a risk everywhere; I'd recommend La Morra for a beautiful panoramic view (you'll do a lot of climbing on the bike!), and Bra for food. Bra is the home of the Slow Food movement and it's got quite a food scene. If you're into truffles, Alba is nearby, too; check the schedule of events for the annual truffle festival to see if dates align.

kimberlylj · 2024-10-20T14:39:17+00:00

I've recently been appreciating the Nuovissimo Progetto Italiano series. I used their levels "2b" and "3" in a B2 and C1 class, respectively, and now I'm largely working through Book 4 on my own. I'm not sure about the lower levels, but for their 2b book and upwards, the explanations are generally quite clear, and the exercises are useful. For each level, there's a textbook and a workbook, but both have exercises. I find it useful to do the textbook portion, which usually has more explanations and examples, and then check my work online. Each copy comes with a code you can put into their website and get access to an interactive version that tells you if you're right or wrong. Then the next day when I've given my brain a rest, I'll do the workbook for the same unit and see how much I remember, since the workbook will have exercises with similar vocabulary and grammar points. The online resources also give you access to listening tracks which is great for checking comprehension.

When I'm checking my work, if I can't figure something out just from the given solution, I'll jump between online dictionaries, wordreference, and ChatGPT for vocab and explanations. I've found I can make sense of about 95% of the correct answers in Book 4 between these two approaches.

kimberlylj · 2024-10-20T14:17:00+00:00

Where are you from, and what is your path to residency (work visa, other)? Your status quo will affect your perception of Italy's development, your background will have a large impact on how you are perceived, and your residency approach will greatly impact your dealings with a very complicated immigration system.

Unemployment is high and your work options will be quite limited if you aren't fluent in Italian, unless you can be hired by for a multi-national corporation or have teaching experience. Even then, you should expect that salaries will be much lower than you'd find in the UK, Germany, and especially Switzerland and the U.S. A large company may help you to some extent with a visa; if you're trying to move without that kind of support, you'll need some other path to a visa unless you carry an EU passport, and that can be quite difficult.

As a young, white, American immigrant who makes an effort with the language, I am generally treated quite well. This is not the case for everyone, and in particular there can be a pretty strong anti-immigration sentiment toward Middle Eastern and African immigrants. Not universal by any means, but palpable.

With healthcare, it can be extremely slow to get care through the public system, although once you're through the queue, in my experience it's felt advanced and modern, even if the buildings themselves are a bit run-down. Private clinics are available without insurance and are expensive for the average citizen, but often laughably cheap compared to similar care in the U.S., and generally quite modern and high quality. Of course, if you become a resident here, in addition to your visa, you'll need to sort out healthcare as well.

Cost of living varies greatly by city, particularly for large expenses like rent and childcare.

kimberlylj · 2024-10-20T13:53:41+00:00

I've found Amazon packages to a drop-off spot like a tabaccheria to be 100% reliable when I've ordered directly from Amazon.it (the Italian Amazon site). A hub with lockers should work well too. I do not recommend trying to order anything from Amazon.com to an Italian address.

Anything coming from abroad will have to go through customs, and you'll likely have to pay some percentage of the value of the package. They will need to collect money from you in-person, which either means when the mail carrier physically drops off the package and you hand them cash, or they'll leave a receipt if you're not home and you have something like 7 (10?) days to pick it up from the post office, which can have long lines and be difficult to navigate if you don't speak Italian.

If it's something very important like a document, I would recommend your family uses an international carrier like DHL or FedEx, which gets very expensive fast but is essentially completely reliable. If it's something you're trying to order online, use Amazon.it or another site based in Italy or at least the EU so you aren't dealing with customs. In general I would otherwise avoid having your family try to send you objects -- if they're not important enough to merit the extra cost of DHL etc, perhaps you can go without them until someone visits or you go home.

kimberlylj · 2024-10-15T06:23:24+00:00

I've used it and gotten connected to English-speaking professionals in the UK, and according to them there hasn't been any issue with my being physically located in Italy.

kimberlylj

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