You're The Piano Man

The Story of Music In My Life

There is no better way of getting closer to God, of rising higher towards the spirit, of attaining spiritual perfection, than music -- Inyat Khan

        From the very beginning of time music has been a powerful tool. To tell the story of music in my life, we have to go all the way back to when I was born. Growing up, I was surrounded by music. My dad was a fanatic, constantly playing his favorite tunes, and my mom encouraged me and my sisters to start playing instruments from a young age. I picked up the piano early, and while I didn’t stick with it long, it helped propel me to the point in my music career I'm at today. When I started attending Fenn, I was given the option to play an instrument in the school band, so I (whilst having no idea what I was getting into) picked the instrument that had been in my mind for a while. It was flashy, loud, noticeable, and I loved it. Even though I didn’t take it as seriously as I could have I loved playing it. Fast-forward to today and the trumpet has become a central part of my life. Walking into the small room at Rivers every Saturday to play in my jazz group has become a central part of my life and with every rehearsal it brings more opportunities. Playing the trumpet makes me feel liberated. I don’t have to worry about school, or social norms, just if I can pull of this high G to help make my solo better. Whatever I’m doing, whether it’s listening to music or playing any of my wide range of instruments at home, from guitar to melodica to ukulele to cornet I can relax and enjoy myself and the music. It’s a way I can be free with my thoughts and express my emotions without having to try and stumble over words. Music has helped shape me in a way I believe nothing else could, so I encourage other to look for opportunities in music too.

Dulce et decorum est

By Wilfred Owen

Why I chose Dulce et decorum est

If I’m being honest, I didn’t think too much about why I chose this piece. I heard that I needed to choose a piece so I went onto Fitz’s website and searched around for a bit till I found this. It seemed to be a good length and it told a pretty interesting story. It also helped that it was set in the WW1 era because in justice without borders (bootleg history class) were learning about WW1 and the holocaust, so it sparked my interest. As I read it more and more though, it struck a chord with me, and its haunting language, and horrifying depiction of war enthralled me. 

The Classic Conundrum

A video essay on why you should read classics.