21 Questions with ... Nick DiBerardino
MUSIC MAN SCORES A SCHOLARSHIP DOUBLE WHAMMY (RHODES, MARSHALL): NICK DiBERARDINO '11 LIVES "IN EXCESS," DIGS GARLIC AND CLEVERNESS, CRITICALLY ASSESSES OLD NASSAUName: Nick DiBerardinoAge: 21Major: MusicHometown: Westport, CTEating Club/Residential College/Affiliation: Rocky/IvyWhat was your initial reaction when you found out about the scholarship(s)?With the Marshall, I'd say I was mainly feeling sticky -- as soon as I won, two of my suitemates came and poured champagne on my head -- but I suppose there was a fair amount of excitement mixed in there as well. With the Rhodes, the feeling was awkward ... they announce the winners in front of everyone who lost, so it's ... uncomfortable, to say the least. It's like they designed this stuff for reality TV.Who’s your favorite Princetonian, living or dead, real or fictional?Jeff Nunokawa. You'd think the man was fictional.What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in Princeton?One particular 3AM Frist pizza session comes to mind. They still had an "everything" slice, I covered it in garlic powder, and the rest is history.In one sentence, what do you actually do all day?Live in excess -- excess composing, sleeping, working, working out, or slacking off, depending on the day.What is your greatest guilty pleasure?Super Smash Bros. (Brawl)What are your plans for the Rhodes, which you ultimately chose?The Rhodes will take me to Oxford for two years (for free!), where I'll study composition and build in a whole lot of time to hang out and travel. Iceland and Russia are on the list of places I'm hoping to jump to from England. Do you know all the words to Old Nassau?Well I was pretty sure I did, but I got on Wikipedia to check -- did you know there are three verses to Old Nassau that we never sing? Check that out. Also, I recommend looking at the sheet music sometime, since it's astounding. The song changes meter like, eight times. It's ridiculous -- why we'd make our anthem so friggin' hard to figure out is beyond me.What is your biggest fear?Going deaf would suck. Somehow I don't think that would work out for me the way it worked out for Beethoven.What do you hate most about Princeton?No NFL Sunday Ticket. How am I supposed to watch the Bills??What’s your drink?Lately? Whiskey and ginger ale. Or scotch on the rocks.What makes you laugh?That video where the girl from The Amazing Race hits herself in the face with a watermelon. It gets me every time! I kind of feel like a horrible person for laughing so hard about it.What makes you cry?The Brahms Requiem.Where do you do your best thinking?My best musical thinking happens at the keyboard in the middle of the night. Best thinking in general? Usually happens on runs or at the gym.When’s bedtime?3AM. Sometimes 4.What’s your personal anthem?The Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.What makes good music?Cleverness, no matter the genre. I love hearing musical intelligence -- I want somebody to set up clear expectations, then blow my mind by messing with them.Who is your mortal enemy?Sabra hummus. (... too soon?)What's the most dangerous thing you've done in the past year?Stay at Terrace past 3AM.In 25 years, you will be …Teaching music at a university somewhere, dabbling in film score, and writing a whole lot for the orchestra.What's the most interesting thing you've learned at Princeton?Bolivia is, in fact, in South America. Not sure how I missed the memo on that one.What makes someone a Princetonian?The ability to lovingly and unflinchingly embrace absurd old traditions.BONUS QUESTION: Sure, you may have done pretty well with the fellowships so far, but I don't think you're going to get the Fellowship of the Ring. Hate to break it to you. How does that make you feel?We wants it, we needs it ... Must have the precious; they stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses -- wicked, tricksy, false!