My Experience Of Music

In the first grade, I picked up a clarinet. It was my sister’s, collecting dust while waiting for me to play it. From the moment I produced my first sound, an ear-piercing squeal that frightened my dog, the path of my life took a turn for the better. I began teaching myself for the following three years, along with learning from my sister how to properly play the beautiful instrument. The music pushed me out of my comfort zone: concerts that forced me onstage, tests that made me play difficult songs, and teachers that pushed me to be an exceptional player. From the shy elementary school student I used to be to the outgoing band member I take joy in being today, music has shaped my everyday life.

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.

On October 7th, I got a chance to observe Chris Watson’s middle school ensemble. This ensemble was made up of five percussion players and a trumpet player. This was his first year with this school. The year previous that class was basically a percussion class. He was telling me that he had to change a lot in this first year. It was great opportunity to observe this school because it was an experience I will not forget.

It is eighth hour on a Tuesday, this means I have band today. I walk into the band room, and I see a handful of other students have already arrived and are watching a video that is being played up on the starboard. They stand and watch as the Notre Dame marching band performs an intricate routine during a college football game. A few others hustle around to get their instruments and get to their seats before the three minute allowance is up. I hear random chit chat among friends and people beginning to tune their instruments as I gather my things and get into my seat.

Around # of students came to play, one of them being Carter Kucier, the only mellophone in our Marching Band. He said that, “*Insert Quote*”, which shows just how amazing this opportunity was. Mr. Magaro, the band director in charge of the trip, was especially

Growing up, music has always been a passion of mine. I listened to everything and anything. I would go to jazz concerts, operas, orchestra performances, or to a rock and roll music festival. But that passion bloomed into something more as I grew older. It blossomed into wanting to learn an instrument. I got to seize that opportunity when it came time to attend middle school.

In fifth grade, I played my first cincernt on the alto saxophone and I was as neurotic as a cat that hears a mouse hiding in a wall. With butterflies fluttering , I found a way to be optimistic. The concert was in the huge Kilmas Field House at MHS. The glazed over basketball court was a very awkward and a not ver acoustic place to play a concert. But somehow for as long as anyone can remember, Methuen has help the Band Jambore when grades 5-12 all play pieces of music and at the

I am a dedicated and conscientious student in class, and a key member in many extra-curricular activities. As a keen musician, playing violin, trombone and piano, I contribute to a number of musical ensembles in school and played an integral part in the organisation of our school’s summer concert. I am also a member of several local youth orchestras and bands, with whom I have toured abroad many times, most recently to Italy, France and Belgium.

Throughout my life, I have been taken by music. However, it was not until my 8th grade year in middle school that I realized that I could be a musician for the rest of my life. Before that, music just seemed like something to keep me out of trouble. I wasn’t the best player at that time, and I still knew very little about it all. How could something like that ever support someone? Still, it was the only talent that I could find any success in, and it was still very enjoyable, so I wanted to still give it a shot.

Working with music takes a certain type of patients. That’s why when I knew this project was present, I had the perfect person in mind because I worked so close with this person once before. So, I decided to gather my resources and get in contact with our family friend Dr. Snodgrass who is the superintendent of the Fort Osage R-1 School District and ask if I could receive her email so I could set up a facetime call with her and get this interview on the road. Her name Is Erica Gregory and she is a high school band teacher at Fort Osage located in Independence Missouri. The reasons I decided to interview her were simple. First, she was my star time teacher which meant she was my study hall teacher. As a freshman coming into high school and being placed in a study hall class

School I was having my first concert as a part of the Dallas Ranch Middle School beginning band.

It was beautiful. We arrived at one of the practice buildings. I got my instrument’s out and walked over to my usual spot on the practice mat. I had a Bass drum and a clarinet. I turned around and saw the band director Mr. Malady starting to conduct our warm ups.

Pounding music I’ve never heard before, dancing kids, and lights flashing everywhere. That describes the exact moment I realized I want to do music. I was 8 years old and this was all foreign for me, I have never experienced anything like that. I knew what concerts where and seen videos of big ones, but if I was never introduced to local band concerts my life would have not been the same today. Something about watching kids in their teens playing their music with such passion made me so passionate, the kids in the audience too dancing, crowd surfing, singing every word to every song that their friends made, it made me want be a part of that community more than anything in the world. So that’s just what I did, I asked my sister to

When it comes to music, I have never really studied it a whole lot. Taking this class is very different for me, but it’s actually enjoyably. I never actually thought about all the work it takes to understanding each piece, constructing the melody and symphony, and putting it all together to make it into something that sounds absolutely beautiful. It’s almost like magic watching everything come together.

Music is magical to me. The very concept has the ability to tug at your heartstrings, calm down your nerves, and overall, bring together groups of people like no other idea really could. For the last six years, I have been a part of the music community, and I have loved every minute of it. From when I started playing the trombone in sixth-grade, to me joining marching band in high school, to my acceptance and participation Governor's School West this past summer, my passion for music has been a pivotal part of my life that has driven me to succeed in the fields of leadership, scholarship, and beyond.