Master of Fine Arts

A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a graduate degree that typically requires two to three years of postgraduate study after a bachelor's degree (BFA—though the term of study varies by country or university. The MFA is a creative degree usually awarded as a terminal degree in visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts—or in some cases, theatre management or arts administration. Coursework is primarily of an applied or performing nature with the program often culminating in a major work or performance.

A master of fine arts program generally requires a bachelor's degree prior to admission, but many institutions don't require that an undergraduate major be the same as the MFA field of study. The most important admissions requirement has often been a sample portfolio or a performance audition.

The Master of Fine Arts differs from the Master of Arts in that the MFA, while an academic program, centers around practice in the particular field, whereas programs leading to the MA usually center on the scholarly, academic, or critical study of the field. Additionally, in the United States, an MFA is recognized as a terminal degree for practitioners of Visual Art, Design, Dance, Photography, Theatre, Film/Video, New Media, and Creative Writing—meaning that it is considered the highest degree in its field, and is a minimum qualification to become a full-time professor at the University level in these disciplines. There are exceptions to this standard in the Arts, notably in the case of music performance, where the MFA is not seen as a terminal degree in the context of the more standardized DMA degree.

Fine art

In Western European academic traditions, fine art is art developed primarily for aesthetics or beauty, distinguishing it from applied art that also has to serve some practical function.

Historically, the five main fine arts were painting, sculpture, architecture, music and poetry, with performing arts including theatre and dance. Today, the fine arts commonly include additional forms, such as film, photography, conceptual art, and printmaking. However, in some institutes of learning or in museums, fine art and frequently the term fine arts (pl.) as well, are associated exclusively with visual art forms.

One definition of fine art is "a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aestheticand intellectual purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness, specifically, painting, sculpture, drawing, watercolor, graphics, and architecture." In that sense, there are conceptual differences between the fine arts and the applied arts. As originally conceived, and as understood for much of the modern era, the perception of aesthetic qualities required a refined judgment usually referred to as having good taste, which differentiated fine art from popular art and entertainment. However, in the Postmodern era, the value of good taste is disappearing, to the point that having bad taste has become synonymous with being avant-garde. The term "fine art" is now rarely found in art history, but remains common in the art trade and as a title for university departments and degrees, even if rarely used in teaching.

And I

"And I" is a song written by American R&B singer Ciara, and produced by Adonis Shropshire for Ciara's first album, Goodies (2004). It was released as the album's fourth and final single on August 30, 2005 (see 2005 in music) in North America.

The song was originally the third choice for the fourth single. Ciara has mentioned in an interview that "Thug Style", "Hotline" or "Pick up the Phone" would be the fourth single, but when Ciara suggested "And I" to executives at her previous record label LaFace, they were unhappy because they wanted "Next to You" to be the fourth single.

Chart performance

At the time of the U.S. release of "And I", Ciara's collaboration with Bow Wow, "Like You", and her collaboration with Missy Elliott, "Lose Control", were at the height of their popularity. "And I" peaked at 96 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and 27 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, which were poor positions compared to those attained by the first three singles from the album Goodies. It was not released outside North America because of this, and it is Ciara's least successful single.

West (Mark Eitzel album)

West is the fourth solo album by American Music Club singer/songwriter Mark Eitzel, released by Warner Bros. Records in 1997. It includes songs co-written and produced by R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck from October 15 to October 17, 1996.

Track listing

All songs written by Buck and Eitzel, except where noted:

Personnel

Night on the Sun

Night on the Sun is an EP by alternative rock band Modest Mouse, released in 1999 as a Japan-only album, and again in 2000 as a 12" vinyl in the US and UK . The tracks on the Japan's Rebel Beat Factory label were taken from The Moon & Antarctica demos that were sent to Epic Records. The four tracks on 12" ended up on 2001s Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks. Extra percussion on I Came As A Rat (Long Walk Off A Short Dock) was provided by Ben Massarella and bass on You're the Good Things was played by Ben Blankenship .

Reception

Pitchfork Media compared the EP favorably to the works of The Velvet Underground, noting that the recording contained both characteristics of their earlier work as well as the musical direction taken after their major-label debut album, The Moon & Antarctica

Track listing

CD Release