My Singing Journey

Ever since a young age I have known I enjoy being the center of attention. I aspire and chase after the satisfaction of performing perfect pieces of choreography. Whether that is hitting the right note in a song, or dancing my heart out on a stage. It makes me feel as though nothing is wrong and ignites endorphins in my brain. I'm in love with the feeling of my heart pacing fast, and then slowly easing into comfort the more time I spend on the stage.This love fuels the months of endless practice leading up. I was born with a voice and at 5 years old I was put in vocal lessons, at the local ABC Music. The first song I sang and played on the piano was "Part of Your World" from the little mermaid. I still hear the claps of the audience at my vocal instructors house. Singing is very meaningful to me, in fact I cannot stop myself, all my favorite songs just blurt out of my mouth. Music has the ability to evoke such deep emotions and beautiful voices aspire me to keep practicing.

I grew up in Mishawaka, Indiana, surrounded by a large, loving family. My family gathers together each week to attend church and share a meal. I love to sing and grew up singing at my local church. Singing has allowed me many great opportunities to pursue something I love and impact people in new and different ways. Furthermore, singing highlights my ambition and exhibits my attention to detail, problem solving skills and the ability to continue to adapt to learning in new ways. Having never learned to read music or received any formal musical training, I am able to predict the flow of a song I have never heard and create harmony. Relying on the gift of a “good ear,” coupled with determination, I am able to learn a song quickly after hearing it only a few

In the moment, my abilities never faltered. I kind of like that about myself. I may worry, but when it comes down to it, I’m pretty persevering. Despite this, I harbored mixed feelings about singing again.

As with most kids, I was a bit nervous about my transition from middle school to high school. One advantage I had was that I participated in band in middle school and planned to be in the band in high school. The Round Rock High School band has a history of excellence and I was looking forward to being a part of that organization. This was an extraordinary time and I looked forward to being a part of the band with great anticipation. Being a part of an organization such as this makes the transition to high school seem much easier and it seemed I had a ready-made group of friends that I could rely on and ask questions of if necessary. After all, the Round Rock High School Band has over 300 members.

I never sang too loud so if I messed up, no one would hear it .After every class I would go up to my Choir or band director with about five questions. But it simply was not enough. So my sophomore year I was given vocal lessons that taught me that I can match pitch consistently , and that my range was bigger than I ever thought it could be. I discovered a talent that I loved and I intended to perfect it .I performed in multiple cabarets and had the opportunity to sing with my choir at the Carnegie music hall. I was finally getting the swing of music; but that was not enough due to my obstinacy. I wanted to learn

Music has always been integral in my life. During my childhood, when I was four years old, I pressed my fingers on an oven handle like a piano. Throughout my childhood years I listened to my mom’s old-school mix CD’s, along with the Pandora music app on my old Kindle. In fifth grade, I picked up the piano. My alto saxophone studies began in seventh grade. When high school arrived, I turned my focus to guitar and voice. The more knowledge I absorbed, the more knowledge I craved. My decision to pursue music was also influenced by the inspirations I’ve encountered on my journey so far.

I grew up in Washington D.C with my dad’s recording studio in the basement. Day and night, I would hear the beats of R&B and jazz surfing up through the floorboards. My parent’s were always listening to everything from Motown to John Lennon, Broadway musicals to Otis Redding. I loved it all - Etta James, Frank Sinatra, Nina Simone, The Supremes, Elvis, Billie Holiday, musicals. To this day, those musicians inspire me. The second I knew that I had to be a singer was the day I fell madly in

My sister was a singer. When my sister was around twelve, she wanted to get an agent. So I went to Toronto with my sister and my mom to find her an agent. She's six years older than me. She went in to go get the agent, and my mom and I came in with her. The agent looked at me and asked me if I wanted to join. I was just five, and my mom was just like, "He's too young. I'm not sure if he wants to do that." But I was like, "I'll do it." And they were like, "So what do you want to do?" And I was like, "I wanna act." And they just let me into their agency. I tried it out, and I've been acting ever since.

When I attended the Crane Youth Music Camp (CYM) in Potsdam, NY for the first time in 2012, I studied vocal performance only for the reason that I enjoyed singing as a hobby. I felt lost being in a camp filled with future music majors, because at the time I wanted to be an engineer. It was not until I returned to CYM in 2014, when playing guitar and singing with my new friends, that I had my first realization. If I wanted to be an engineer, I would be at a STEM camp, but I had chosen to return to music, a place where I would stay.

Over the course of my life, I have had many opportunities to overcome and learn from various obstacles. I have learned how to not only identify problems, but encounter the solutions. This greatly benefited me during my time serving as a zone leader in the Cuernavaca Mexico mission. Because of this experience, I am confident speaking in public and teaching large groups of my peers. I am organized and have a grand testimony of the power of planning daily and weekly. Before my time in the mission, I dedicated much to the arts of singing and acting. I have worked hard to develop a talent, and through that talent, I have had the privelege of performing in eleven stage shows, musicals, and benefit concerts, as well as traveling with a jazz acapella

Coming into my freshman year of high school my voice was underdeveloped and that of an amatuer, still I was determined to mold it into something wonderful. This was the beginning of my high school career, acting as such I planned to put myself out there in order to be noticed by anyone, as well as auditioning for solo opportunities outside of school. These new prospects were running through my mind one day while I sat in biology. Being the naive freshman I was, I surrounded myself with people I had considered to be my “good” friends, good friends despite every sense and feeling in my body telling me otherwise. Between my fantasies of musical stardom and success, my acquaintances had begun a discussion on singing. The

Since that moment, singing has been involved in almost everything I do. While onstage more that 7 times my past 3 and a half years, I have used my vocal abilities to aid in creating a wonderful atmosphere for the spring and fall musical. I have also soloed for numerous for Masses and service events, including my goddaughters christening. What I have learned from singing I did not learn during the performance, I learned something in the weeks or months of planning beforehand.

With every new choir season I auditioned, and with every audition I failed. Although the reasons for my rejection varied with each attempt, I always had trouble with pitch. As this became a trend into my high school years, I began to doubt my ability. Although I still enjoyed singing in the choir and felt I had a place there, failing the solo auditions over and over again hurt. No matter how hard I worked, my pitch control did not improve, but I was determined to get a solo part. After five years of work and on my tenth audition, I was finally chosen for a part. This reaffirmed for me that if I am determined enough, I can do anything I put my mind

People say that music has the ability to heal a person mentally and spiritually. But to me, music is much more than just healing. It is a way for me to escape this world called reality and enter a world with in my imagination through the different beats, harmony, and chorus. Only when listening to music, I can truly feel all my emotions with each song having the power to make me remember, from painful to happy memories. As I grew up to be the person I am today, my music journey also grows with me. Looking back at it now, I would never want to change a single thing.

      As I lift my head up and open my mouth, my voice escalates with every tune that comes out. The soothing words bounce off of my tongue and release the tension held within. Even if the sounds aren’t perfect or correct, every little bit helps me get through the day. When stressed, nothing helps me more than singing. My passion for singing comes from deep within my soul, mind and heart. When I sing, I sing with all of me, putting everything I can into it. I have always had a great passion for singing, ever since I was young. Although I am shy and still get nervous and shaky in front of others, in my own time, singing is my cigarette, my alcoholic drink, my escape from all the anger and the pain.