Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Concert Orchestra experience Essay Example for Free

Concert Orchestra experience Essay I went to the UNT Concert Orchestra on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012. It was held in Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center at 8:00 pm. The Concert was led by Conductor Clay Couturiaux and featured soloist Christopher Deane, who played the Marimba. The first piece was Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a (1894) by Anton Arensky (1861-1906). The piece was written in 1894, in tribute to Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893). It was based on the theme from the poem Legend†, written by Richard Henry Stoddard (1825-1903). This poem portrays the crucifixion of Christ. Arensky admired Tchaikovsky so much that he used the theme of â€Å"Legend† for a set of variations in the second movement of his Second String Quartet. This piece’s style is a themes and variations. Its instrumentation includes Cello solo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (A), 2 Bassoons + 2 Horns (F) + Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses. The second piece was Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra, Op. 34 (1957) by Robert Kurka (1921-1957). This piece introduced the marimba, which proved to the musical world that it could contend with instruments that had been used in orchestras and also provide a unique sound to the traditional orchestras played in regular concerts. This piece’s style is solo concerto. Its instrumentation includes the marimba and the orchestra. The third piece was Pictures at an Exhibition (1874) by Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881). This piece was inspired by the paintings of the artist Viktor Hartmann (1834-1873). This piece’s style is an orchestral suite. Its instrumentation includes 3 Flutes (2nd and 3rd doubling Piccolos), 3 Oboes (3rd doubling Cor Anglais), 2 Clarinets in A and Bb, Bass Clarinet in A and Bb, Alto Saxophone, 2 Bassoons, Double Bassoon, 4 Horns in F, 3 Trumpet in C, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Timpani, Percussion (xylophone, triangle, rattle, whip, side drum, bass drum, cymbals, suspended cymbal), 2 Harps, Celesta, and Strings. I picked the pieces was Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a (1894) by Anton Arensky and Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra, Op. 34 (1957) by Robert Kurka. Both of these pieces were distinctly different than one another. The piece by Arensky depicts a sense of deep sadness and despair as a whole. It starts out containing elements of intimacy and moves towards a slow moving harmony. The structure of the music matched the structure of the original poem. The variations of sounds expressed many shifting moods such as a dialogue between instruments. Mood changed quickly throughout the piece and showed different parts of the melody, from increments of joy, to sadness, to a deep sorrow. The rhythm seamlessly continued throughout the piece acting towards each of the different themes described in its construction. The piece by Kurka produced a new and different type of classical music that is unique to the orchestra. The use of the marimba stood out from the traditional orchestral instruments. The first movement begins with an alternation between the marimba and the orchestra. Its upbeat sound resonates in a catchy chiming sound whose rhythm is clear yet unexpected. It provides a playful side to a usually stern and focused orchestra. As the second movement begins, it as if the marimba is communicating to the orchestra itself. As if it is trying to fit in with these classic types of instruments through its unique dynamics and resounding tone. It seems to clash with its orchestral counterparts. By the third movement, it seems as if all the instruments reach an agreement on the legitimacy of the marimba through its colorful and exciting solo. Although both pieces are completely different than one another, they both exhibit emotion. Arensky exhibits cruel sounding music that discusses the importance of religion and a series of events that affects a wide variety of people. It evokes a sense of despair that expresses a deep sounding melody. Kurka exhibits a different type of music that discusses the marimba’s rise to becoming a part of classical orchestra. Its colorful timbre expresses a joyful and unique melody that pleases the human ear. Anton Arensky (12 July 1861 -25 February 1906), was a Russian composer of Romantic classical music, a pianist and a professor of music. Pyotr Tchaikovsky was the greatest influence on Arenskys musical compositions. Indeed, Rimsky-Korsakov said, In his youth Arensky did not escape some influence from me; later the influence came from Tchaikovsky. He will quickly be forgotten. The perception that he lacked a distinctive personal style contributed to long-term neglect of his music, though in recent years a large number of his compositions have been recorded. Therefore, his values are seemingly non-existent because of the major influence of Tchaikovsky and absence of his own personal work. Throughout the performance I did perceive a strong sense of historical value and defines not who Arensky was, but his role model Tchaikovsky and how his music conveyed a strong sense of religious value. Kurka’s Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra was the first marimba work to enjoy both widespread public appeal and widespread recognition of having a high level of musical sophistication fit for the concert hall. It debuted during the modern style period. It provided important historical value by Kurka finally representing everything that early marimba composers set out to do in one piece: create a sophisticated and serious musical work that is both challenging to the performer and which has widespread public appeal. I perceived an ongoing struggle throughout the piece, but as the performance continued it conveyed the struggle the instrument had to do in order to become a prominent part of the classical orchestra. Citatation Keunning, G. (1999). Symphony of the canyons. Retrieved from http://lasr. cs. ucla. edu/geoff/prognotes/mussorgsky/pictures. html Strain, James. Vida Chenoweth. Percussive Notes 32. 6 (1994): 8-9. Print. Stevens, Leigh Howard. An Interview with Vida Chenoweth. Percussive Notes 15. 3 (2002): 22-25. PAS Online Archive . Weir, Martin. Catching up with Vida Chenoweth. Percussive Notes 32. 3 (1994): 53-55. Print.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Is Translations about Language or Politics? Essay -- English Literatur

Is Translations about Language or politics? Friel famously said of Translations, â€Å"it is about language and only language.† However, the political statement which Friel denies need not be active, but passive, as seeking an understanding of the situation must consider politics, however Friel actively avoids political comment perhaps due to the volatile situation in the 1980s when the play was first put on. D.H. Lawrence famously said, â€Å" Never trust the teller, trust the tale† and with that in mind, I wish to explore the reasons why audiences and readers may perceive translations as a political play. The action of the play over three acts shows the profoundly disturbing influence of the English domination over the Baile Beag community and its life. Lenin once said, â€Å"politics is who whom† considering who acts and who is acted upon. Exploring politics from this point of view, one is easily able to perceive the numerous political aspects of the play. One such clearly political aspect of the play is the colonial force arriving from England. A movement of armies from one country to another, is a clearly political act, â€Å"a gesture†, â€Å"to indicate a presence† as was Doalty’s movement of the Theodolyte. On the other hand, if the play is about language (as Friel says) then perhaps it is about language on two levels. On the one hand it considers language on an international level (for example, the Irish and English languages) whilst on the other it considers language on an interpersonal level, the way perhaps we â€Å"interpret between privacies† or our choice of individual words in our speech. There are numerous ways in which one may consider the play to be about national language. Many would consider language as ... ...haracters acting as a mouthpiece for Friel’s political points of view, and because of this, I believe Friel’s play must concern politics to some degree. In conclusion I believe Friel is telling a half-truth, when he says the play is about â€Å"language and only language.† This is true insofar as the only issue the play is directly and aggressively considering is the importance of language. However, I believe Friel knew all to well that anyone watching of reading the play would have to consider politics, at least on a social level, in order to fully understand the importance of the social and national issues in the play. Therefore, Friel’s play is neither a play solely about language (as he asserts) or solely about politics; the two are inextricably linked leaving us with a socio-political play which emphasizes the importance of language as a political tool.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Interpreter of Maladies Analysis

Jhumpa Lahiri’s, â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies,† tells the story of a family on a trip who consistently face communication issues and Mr. Kapasi, a much wiser man, who is expected to repair the problems of the family. Throughout the story, we learn about the dysfunctions of both the Das and Kapasi family. While some may argue that Lahiri does not believe in the power of communication, it is self evident that Lahiri does in fact believe in the power of communication.We know that he believes in the power of communication because he presents to us a family with no communication and all the issues that can be solved should they communicate with each other. Some people may argue that Lahiri does not believe in the power of communication, and that communication may kill a relationship. Communication is a sign of trust, you’re opening up to someone, and Mrs. Das did just that with Mr. Kapasi when she made her revelation. â€Å"Is it really pain you feel, Mrs.Das or is it guilt?†¦ properly insulted †(66). This quote suggests the ultimate end to their relationship, because we know after this quote she walks out on him and back to her husband. Mr. Kapasi was asking this question because he knew that Mrs. Das was guilty, he found out what was wrong with her and she won’t have it. This argument can be rebutted in the future of the story because we see that Mr. Kapasi still cares about Mrs. Das because he doesn't want her to be scared or in the end where Mrs.Das tells Mr. Kapasi to save her son from the monkeys, not Mr. Das. Lahiri presents to us the communication issues that the Das family has multiple times throughout the story and constantly uses it throughout the story as a theme. The conversation between Mrs. Das and Mr. Das shows us the lack of communication and even care the Das family has for their kids, â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Das bickered about who should take Tina to the toilet†¦ she did not hold the little girl’s h and as they walked to the restroom†(43).The fact that Mr. Das has to remind his wife that he gave Tina a bath shows that neither parent is aware what the other does with their kids, t`he bickering itself suggests problems in the relationship. â€Å"She did not hold the little girl’s hand† suggests a lack of connection and care that Mrs. Das has for Tina because she refuses to hold her daughters hand. Hold a daughters hand has always been a symbol of love, care, and protection, Ms. Das indicates to have neither of these.In the end of the story, we see that after Mrs. Das let’s out what she has been feeling we see much more interest and awareness on the kids, â€Å"Poor Bobby.. Come here, let Mommy fix your hair. † This quote shows that Mrs. Das is accepting motherhood and no longer is the â€Å"big sister† she was compared to previously. After communicating with Mr. Kapasi she can finally be the mom she long desired to be, even if it meant lea ving her past behind, including Mr. Kapasi

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Financial Statements Of Aramex And Air Arabia Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2804 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? The present report is to compare the financial statements of Air-Arabia and ARAMEX both in the transportation sector. In this report, comparison of liquidity ratios, debt management ratios, asset management ratios and the profitability ratios of these two companies. At first, the above mentioned ratios for each of the firms are calculated and then, a comparative study is made between these two companies ratios and analysis is done to find out the different aspects of the companies financial position. Liquidity ratios which deal with the ability of the firm to meet its current obligations are: Current Ratio, Quick Ratio, Cash Ratio, Interval Measure and Net Working Capital Ratio. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Financial Statements Of Aramex And Air Arabia Finance Essay" essay for you Create order The long term solvency of a company is determined by the Debt Management ratios. This is done by finding out the amount to which a firm uses the long-term debt as its source of financing. These ratios are: Debt Ratio, Debt-Equity Ratio, and Equity Multiplier ratio. The Asset Management ratios are used by analysts to find out how fast the company can convert its resources into sales or cash. The asset management ratios are: Days Sales Outstanding, Fixed Asset Earnings Ratio, Inventory Turnover Ratio and Total Assets Turnover Ratio. Profitability ratios are helpful in determining and evaluating the efficiency of the firm in terms of the profits earned. The profitability ratios are: Net Profit Margin, Gross Profit Margin, Operating Expense ratio, Return on Investment, Return on equity, Earnings per share. Each of these ratios is useful to each of the parties related to the firm, viz. Lenders creditors, Shareholders, Employees, Management, and Financial Analysts. RATIOS relating to AIR-ARABIA: LIQUIDITY RATIOS: Current Ratio: This ratio measures the short-term solvency of a firm. This is obtained by dividing the current assets of any firm with the current liabilities. Current Ratio = For the present chosen firm, the current ratio upon calculation is 4.1179. This ratio is meant to be satisfactory 2 to 1 or more. As mentioned above, the ratio shows the short-term solvency of the company. The company in terms of current ratio is very liquid. This margin represents the margin of security for the creditors, more the ratio, higher is the security margin. This doesnt mean that the firm is performing better; even a firm with less than the satisfactory level may perform better than the one with a higher number. Quick Ratio: This ratio represents the ability of the firm to convert its asset into cash i.e. how fast the firm can change its assets into liquid assets (cash) is shown by this ratio. Quick Ratio = This ratio for the firm when calculated is 4.10889. This shows that the firm is satisfactory as the firm has a value of more than 1 to 1. And this implies that the firms inventories are sold and the companys obligations are met well because the firm has more cash convertible assets per each current liability, 4.10899:1. A company may even perform well with low Quick Ratio if it turns its inventories effectively and pays its obligations faster. Cash Ratio: This is another ratio for indicating the ready availability of cash with the company and relating it to the current liabilities of the firm. Even if the cash is less, it should not be a problem if the firm has a sound reserve borrowing capability. Cash Ratio = While cash available for the firm is 1,996,251,000 AEDs, the firm doesnt have any marketable securities as per the report. After calculating this ratio by substituting the values in the formula, the ratio is 3.5842. This firm carries 358.42% of cash with it available. This may showcase an impression that the firm has more than enough of the readily available cash which may be a threat to the growth of the firm because money ideal is money wasted, it wont yield anything. Interval Measure: This is also a ratio which measures the ability of the firm to meet its regular cash expenditures. In this formula, a relation is established between liquid assets to the cash outflows operating daily. The latter figure is equal to administrative expenses plus cost for selling goods plus general expenses minus depreciation and other kinds of non-cash expenditures and the whole is divided by 365 (number of days in a year). The formula for calculating this ratio is as below: Interval Measure = The operating expenses are 1125053, this figure should be divided by 309 months, as indicated in the report; the income statement is for 9 months. Hence, upon calculation, average operating expenditure per day is 4537.2333. The interval measure when calculated is 504.373 days. This means that the firm has liquid assets sufficient for 504.373 days to continue its operations. Ratio of Net Working Capital: This is yet another ratio that depicts the liquidity position of the firm. This ratio establishes a relationship between Net Working Capital and the Net Assets. The larger the Net Working Capital is, the better the company can meet its current obligations. The Net Working Capital is obtained after differentiating Current Liabilities from Current Assets excluding the short-term borrowings from banks. The formula is: NWC Ratio = The sum of fixed assets, current assets minus current liabilities gives Net Assets. After calculation, the values of NWC and Net Assets are 1736560 and 5514545 respectively. The ratio hence is .3149. This implies that the firm .3149 of the NWC can be used to fund one asset of the firm. DEBT MANAGEMENT RATIOS: Debt Ratio: If the firm wants to find out the ratio of interest-bearing debt that is there in the capital structure of the firm, this ratio helps the firm to calculate it. The debt ratio is obtained by dividing the total debt with the capital employed also called the net assets. Total debt includes in itself all the borrowings made by the firm viz. short-term as well as long-term. The formula for calculating the debt ratio is As per the financial report of the company, no debt was taken by the firm and hence the debt ratio is zero. This implies that all the projects are financed by owners capital. Debt-Equity Ratio: This is the ratio of the total amount of debt taken by the firm in the form of borrowings and net worth of the firm. The formula is as below: Debt-Equity Ratio = As discussed earlier, all the finances for the firm are made through owners capital and hence, even this ratio is zero. Equity Multiplier: This is used to determine the firms capability of using the debt in order to purchase any asset. This ratio is given by: Equity Multiplier = This gives a relationship between the total assets (current and non-current assets) of a firm and the shareholders equity. The total assets of the firm are of worth 6,071,498,000 AED. The shareholders equity is 4,666,700,000 AED. Hence, the ratio is 1.301025 and it implies that 130.1% of assets are funded by 100% of the shareholders equity. ASSET MANAGEMENT: Days Sales Outstanding: This gives relationship between the accounts receivable and the average total credit sales made by the firm. This is a measure of the average number of days taken by a firm for collecting the revenue after it sells its goods or services. The formula for calculating this ratio is: DSO = If in case the total credit sales figure is not mentioned, the sales figure is taken as total credit sales. Hence, the Accounts Receivable is sum of Trade and other Receivables and Due from related parties which is 292,211,000 AED and total sales is 1,469,179,000 AED, number of days being 270 (9 months x 30 days). The Days Sales Outstanding is 53.7014. Hence, the firm takes on an average 53 days to collect the debt given on sales of one unit of a good or for service being provided. Turnover Ratio for Net assets: This ratio gives a relationship between the total sales made and the Net assets owned by the firm. The formula is Net Assets Turnover Ratio = The Net assets are of value 1,736,560,000 AED and the Sales are of worth 1,469,179,000 AED. The ratio upon calculating gives .8460. This indicates that AED .846 worth sales is made by the company for one AED of capital employed. This shows the firm is not utilizing its resources properly and the production is at stake. Inventory Turnover Ratio: This shows the efficiency of the company in selling and producing its goods or products. This establishes a relationship between the cost of goods sold made by the firm and the average inventory. In case if the opening and closing inventory details are not given, value amount of goods in the inventory can be taken as average inventory. Inventory turnover = The ratio upon calculation is 231.86 and this says that the firm turns its inventory of finished products or services 231.86 times a year. This indicates that the sales of the company are in a good trend. Total Asset turnover ratio: The ability of the company to generate sales from all the financial resources dedicated to the total assets is shown by this ratio. Total Assets Turnover Ratio = The ratio is .2419. This ratio after calculating shows that the .2419 AED of sales is made for investing one AED in both fixed and current assets. PROFITABILITY RATIOS: Gross Profit Margin: This ratio relates the gross profit with the sales made. Gross profit is sales minus cost of goods sold. The difference between the sales revenue and COGS i.e. gross profit is 298,053,000 AED. The formula for calculating GPM is: Gross Profit Margin = Hence the ratio between gross profit and sales is .20287. This shows the efficiency with which the management manufactures each unit of a product or provides a unit of service. Net Profit Margin: Similar to the gross profit margin, the net profit margin is calculated by dividing the net profit with the sales. To get more insight about the firms efficiency in producing goods or providing services to the customers. The ratio is: Net Profit Margin = The ratio is .264677. This shows the managements efficiency in manufacturing, administrating and selling the products. Operating Expenses Ratio: It explains the relationship between Expenses made for operation of the firm and sales made by the firm. This explains how the profit margin changes with sales. Operating expenses is the sum of COGS, selling and general administrative expenses. Operating Expenses Ratio = The ratio is 85.437% which shows that 85% of the sales have been consumed by the operating expenses. Return on Investment: This shows the ratio between EBI (Earnings before Interest) and total amount of investment made. Hence ROI is: ROI = This ratio is .64046 and this indicates that the firm gains 64.046% upon investing 100% of funds. Return on Equity: This differs from the ROI in the sense that while ROI shows the efficiency of investment made by both lenders and owners, the ROE helps to calculate how effectively the owners equity is used. ROE = The ratio is .07111 which implies that the firm has used only 7.111% of the owners funds. RATIOS relating to ARAMEX: As the significance and formulas for different ratios were indicated in the earlier section, this part is dealt only with the results and the interpretation that can be made. LIQUIDITY RATIOS: Current Ratio: The current ratio for this firm is 2.5535; this indicates that the liquidity position of the firm is strong as it is greater than 2. Quick Ratio: There is no detail mentioned about the inventory and hence the current ratio and the quick ratio are the same for this firm. This also states that the short-term solvency of the firm is sound. Cash Ratio: This ratio is 1.3663 which indicates that the firm has enough cash at hand to pay its current obligations. Interval Measure: The total operating expenses is 1,297,242 which when divided by 365 days gives the average operating expenses as 3554.0876. Finally, upon calculating, the value of this ratio is 263.8981. This means the firm has enough liquid assets to fund its operations for the above mentioned number of days. Net Working Capital Ratio: The net working capital for this firm is 570611 (937917 367306). The net assets are of worth 1,690,916. Hence, the Net Working Capital Ratio is .33745. DEBT MANAGEMENT RATIOS: a) Debt Ratio: Unlike the above firm, this firm has taken debt and hence the debt ratio has some importance in the analysis. The total debt taken by the firm is 13,945 AED. The capital employed is 1623798 and the debt ratio is .0085878. This shows that the lenders have financed around .85878% of the net assets. b) Debt-Equity Ratio: Unlike the above firm, this firm has taken debt and hence the debt ratio has some importance in the analysis. The total debt taken by the firm is 13,945 AED. The net worth is 1371607 and the debt ratio is .010166. This shows that the lenders contribution was .010166 per each unit of contribution made by the owners. c) Equity Multiplier: This ratio indicates that the company, in order to buy 1 unit of an asset used 1.2655 of its debt. ASSET MANAGEMENT RATIOS: Days Sales Outstanding: The Company takes 64.087 days to collect the revenue after sales of a product or provision for a service is done. Net Assets Turnover Ratio: This ratio is 1.2075 which says that 1.2075 units of sales are made with 1 unit of net assets. Inventory Turnover Ratio: The inventory turnover ratio doesnt exist for this firm as the report mentions nothing about the existence of an inventory. Total Asset Turnover Ratio: A ratio of .95266 shows that the firm was able to generate .95266 unit sales with one unit of all the financial resources committed to the total assets. PROFITABILITY RATIOS: Gross Profit Margin: The gross profit margin for this company is .5651 and this shows that the firm manages the production of each unit with 56.51% efficiency. Net Profit Margin: The net profit margin is .10542 which shows that the firm was not very effective in achieving the net profit as it is only 10.542%. Operating Expenses Ratio: This ratio is .2105 which shows that the company 21.05% of sales has been consumed by the cost of goods sold and for the selling expenses and for other operating expenses. Return on Investment: This ratio is .105995. This shows that the 10AED return was received with investment of 100 AED. Return on Earnings: This is .1507 and this show that the firm uses the resources of owner with 15% efficiency. ANALYSIS and CONCLUSION Ratio Name Air Arabia ARAMEX Current Ratio 4.1179 2.5535 Quick Ratio 4.10899 Cash Ratio 3.5842 1.3663 Interval Measure 504.373 263.8981 NWC .3149 .33745 Debt Ratio .00858 Debt-Equity Ratio .010166 Equity Multiplier 1.301025 1.2655 Days Sales Outstanding 53.7014 64.087 Net Assets Turnover Ratio .8460 1.2075 Inventory Turnover Ratio 213.86 Total Asset Turnover Ratio .2419 .95266 Gross Profit Margin .20287 .5651 Net Profit Margin .264677 .10542 Operating expense Ratio .85437 .2105 Return on Investment .64046 .105995 Return on Equity .07111 .1507 Looking at the figures, the current ratio, cash ratio, the liquidity position of the firm Air-Arabia is better when compared to ARAMEX. The interval measure is also higher for the former giving strength to the fact that Air-Arabia has more liquid assets when compared to ARAMEX. The NWC ratio shows that the latter firm has more liquidity when compared to the Air-Arabia. But when looked at the ratios keenly, it can be seen that Air-Arabia has more cash readily available than ARAMEX which is a harm to the growth of the firm, this is because of the fact that ideal money creates nothing. While seeing at the leverage position of the firms, the first firm did not go for debt while the second company took debt but in a less proportion. When coming to collection of credit sales revenue, Air-Arabia collects the credit revenues faster than the ARAMEX which shows that the firm either would have lesser sales or might have a better collection period. Coming to the Asset Management ratios, the Air- Arabia has been more rapidly generate sales from the assets involved. Finally, the profitability ratios show contrary results which are expected by looking at the figures in the above ratios. This part showed that the ARAMEX was able to make more profits when compared to Air-Arabia at gross profit level but when coming to net profit, the former has a greater number, probably due to the fact that ARAMEX had to pay taxes and also due to cost of debt. Coming down, the operating expenses in case of the Air-Arabia are more when compared to ARAMEX and hence, whatever profits are made, they are not healthily used in case of Air-Arabia. The ROI and ROE, main factors in determining the profitability of any firm shows that Air-Arabia has more prospects for profits when compared to ARAMEX. Hence, it can be seen that while the liquidity position of Air-Arabia appears to be very strong, the firm still can make better utilization of the ideal cash available with it so that there would not only be a short-term growth but also a long-term growth. In every other aspect, it can be seen that Air-Arabia itself is performing well compared to ARAMEX. Even if Air- Arabia has a higher profits, most of its invested money is wasted in administrative and operating expenses, if these generate proportionate sales, the company would see a growth but if these expenses cant yield proper results, the growth of the firm may be in hurdle.