Interlocking Parts

There was an assembly in my high school today called Rachel's Challenge. For those of you unaware of what this is, it's about a girl named Rachel Scott who was the first person killed in the Columbine shootings. The assembly talked about several things she believed, all of which can be found at the organization's website. One idea that stuck out to me, however, was her view on being yourself. "Don't let your character change it's color with your environment, find out who you are and let it stay its true color." I could not agree more with this statement. She's saying that you can't let others shape you, and that you have to be true to yourself. Expanding on this idea, I believe it's almost your responsibility to be true to yourself. Just like in an orchestra, every part does something. Whether it's the melody, right at the front lines taking all the glory, or the harmony and rhythm, building the foundation on which the melody can stand on, it is needed to create true music. Therefore, be true to yourself. Not only is it beneficial to you, it's your responsibility to society to fill your unique niche.

The Human Touch

During band class today my director was talking about the difference between playing the notes on a page and actually making music. This brought into mind an episode of "The Outer Limits" I once saw. It was about a man with an increasingly large brain that made him super-intelligent. One thing that bugged me, however, was when the guy just sat down and played the piano without ever playing it before. "It's a simple mathematical formula" he stated, and I almost jumped out of my seat. No matter how advanced a computer gets, it can never create music like a person. There is an added touch that people give to music that can't be reproduced. The best way I can explain it is that our mind is like a mathematical function. You put in one thing, and get something else out. However, our function is one of a kind. Therefore, you can put notes on a page in and get that ,plus the added human emotion, out. Machines may be able to do everything else in our life, but one thing they will never take is our wonderful ability to create real music.

Rally for Music Class

Something I don't get about the school system is the loose emphasis on the arts. Every math teacher I have talked to has explained that most math is used to teach students critical thinking. Therefore, no matter how much certain students may not like the class, they must take it. Why, then, has music or art not become a major class? The Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts, or CEDFA, has done several studies, all which prove that the fine arts contribute to learning critical thinking and promblem solving. Now, I know they offer music classes as electives, or in the elementary once a week, but this is not enough. You need to get in depth with the theory to get the critical thinking to come into play. Even if students don't actually touch an instrument, the class would do its job just as well as any math class. Therefore, I don't see why the arts are not equal to all other major classes. Ask your superintendent, write your congressman. If you agree with me , let your voice be heard and rally for major music classes.

Music From Another Perspective

Today I owe my post to my English teacher. When explaining literature, she said it was a way to express the authors feelings of the world. This can apply to music too. What is music but showing how the composer feels about his surroundings? It's a reaction to what happens to them.

For a science tie in, Newton's 3rd law of motion explains that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Is it so absurd to assume that music and other forms of art are just a human's reaction to their world? I don't think so. In fact, my playing is very reflective of my mood. I can play well on good days, but my playing suffers severely if I'm having a bad day. Is it psychological? Or maybe even physical? I'm not sure if I can decide.

This is just another angle, an additional facet, of music. So be open-minded and explore of its aspects and qualities.

Music Breaks Boundaries

Today, I took a standardized school test. One of the passages that I had to answer questions about was about Yo-Yo Ma, the cellist. This prompted me to write this post. I admire him a lot, especially for his Silk Road Project. This project focused on taking music from all different nations, and sharing them. The real reason that this project was and is so monumental is that no matter what language you speak, what religion you have, and your social class is, you have some relation with music.

Very few people (Sigmund Freud being one of them) dislike music. Therefore, everyone shares this universal language, even if it differs slightly from region to region. With stereotypes and language barriers, many people are not open to interactions with other cultures. However, listening to other cultures' music is something everyone can do and enjoy. What Yo-Yo Ma did with the Silk Road Project is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to reach out to other cultures.

To conclude, if you want to learn about other cultures, try listening to their music. Also, make sure you interact with music so you don't get left out of the universal language.

Worry About Yourself

I know this is not directly related to music, but it involves my piano playing. I, being the only piano playing student in my high school, am asked by teachers to do quite a lot of accompanying and whatnot. However, I'm not able to do all of the stuff they ask of me. This makes me feel bad, but I've come to a conclusion. You can't please everyone. Everyone has their own agenda, and will ask for their needs first. Therefore, you should worry about yourself. Now, take this advice with a grain of salt. I don't want you to be extremely selfish and only care about your own needs, but be prepared to dissapoint people. You have to worry about your life, and not be concerned with making everyone else happy. Be able to say no.

Overall, set your own goals and make your own life. If someone else asks you to do something against your own wishes, politely tell them no, and expect to dissapoint people.