Where to Begin

(It’s difficult for me to truly articulate how much love I have for music, but I will try!)

I began my relationship with music when I was three years old. This was when I began classical violin training. This consisted of weekly private lessons, as well as group classes. Now, there is only so much you can teach a preschooler about classical music, but it was a great starting point for me. I continued with the violin for the next eleven years with a gap year around fifth grade.  

During that gap year in fifth grade, I began branching out to musical theatre. I felt like I belonged in the theatre. It was so comforting to me. This was when I developed an emotional connection to music.  I continued with musical theatre throughout high school both in my school and in community theatre. I loved it. Musicals became a big part of who I am. Through my work in community theatre, I have made true friends  from something as strange as a mutual love for showtunes.  

Fast forward to my junior year of high school when I took AP Music Theory. This class was very difficult for me, but I loved it. It pushed me. I was going through a difficult time in my life, but this music class motivated me to show up to school every morning. Through this class, I learned that I don’t just love listening to songs, but I love the analytical side of music as well, such as breaking down the chord progressions of a piece.  

The relationship I have with one of my greatest mentors was formed through music. He is my former music teacher. He inspires me, not only through his obvious passion for music, but by how he chooses to pass that onto others. I hope to be that for someone else, which is one of the many reasons why I am pursuing a degree in music education.  

Music is important to me because it has always been there for me. Music has been a way for me to make friends. It is a way for me to be a part of something bigger than myself. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t involved in music. Music has impacted me so much that it is a part of my identity, and I can't picture the person I would be without it.