I have been involved with my content area (Music) for a very long time. My mother is a piano teacher and, to my knowledge, has been since before I was born. Either way, I know that one way or another, the moment I developed ears and gained the ability to hear, I was exposed to music.
I started piano lessons when I was five. My sister tutored me on the violin when I was six. My other sister taught me the basics of the flute when I turned eight. I snuck into my brother's room and would noodle on his guitar when he wasn't home. When I was in fourth grade I landed the lead role in the school musical: Scrooge. In fifth grade I joined the Salt Lake Children's choir. Then, in sixth grade, I picked up the cello and joined orchestra. In eighth grade I joined my junior high's choir. That same year I began to teach piano lessons.
I wasn't just involved with lessons and ensembles, though. I loved to write my own music. I entered a few competitions and won! (There weren't many competitors, though...) I have been in almost a dozen musicals and seen countless others, including a handful of operas. And let's not forget the numerous Disney movies I watched over and over again and would sing along to (still do, by the way).
These experiences definitely guided me to choose my major. I loved learning! Every time I could grab hold of a new instrument, a new experience, I would. The experiences that stand out above the rest are my experiences with musicals. I feel such a connection to the characters and text of each musical. I am a pretty empathetic person and the emotion that composers write into their music and characters impacts me. I think it was those waves of emotion that drew me to music. I learned from those characters, their experiences. Nothing was more powerful to me then when a character broke out into a sililoquial (Yes... I made that word up) song as they had reached a turning point in their lives. (Ex. Elphaba when she sings Defying Gravity. Millie when she sings Gimme, Gimme. Percy when he sings Prayer and later She was There.)
This is one major reason I chose to emphasize with choir. So I could be involved with the musical. I wanted to show students what these connections can do for them in their lives. I want them to feel what I've felt. That is what drew me to music.
Now that I've grown a bit, I've realized that it's not just musicals that can do this. It's different for each student, but it falls to me to find what it is for my students that draws them to music. They could love opera or jazz choir. I need to find it for them. I need to expose them to it. So they can find their "jam."
6 comments:
I never had the same attraction to musicals that you have, but similarly to you, much of what I learned musically as a child came from siblings. All of my older siblings played instruments, and I wanted to learn what they were doing.
I also find it interesting how early of an age you took it upon yourself to begin teaching piano lessons. I wonder if more middle school age kids taught music if more would stick with it throughout their entire public school career. There was actually a brief discussion about having students teach other students during one of the string sessions at the UMEA conference. This has significantly improved the music program for this one high school.
Okay I love singing along to the Disney movies!!! It is seriously one of the best things to do when you are stressed and need to relax!!! Sometimes my little sister will play them on the piano and we will guess which movie and sing along with it! It is pretty wonderful!
I loved going and watching the musicals and school and I think that you will do an awesome job at it!!
I think that it is amazing the number of instruments you were exposed to at such a young age, and that you took initiative to learn most of them.
I was also introduced to music by my family and had great high school teachers that instilled in me a love of music.
I think that creating the connection to music that you talked about wanting to give your students, is what gives me such a love of music. I applaud your efforts.
How many instruments do you play overall? That is amazing you were exposed to so many and at such an early age. From my very limited knowlege of music, I consider you to be the next Mozart in accordance to your accomplishments.
I love musicals too, my favorite being Wicked. As I watched Elphaba be lifted into their air while singing "Defying Gravity," not going to lie, I almost cried.
You are going to be a wonderful music teacher!
First of all...let me say that I love "My Name Is Asher Lev." That is one of my all-time favorite books and in some ways I think you can make connections between Asher's passion for art with others' passion for music.
That's great you had so many musical instruments available at your house. I wonder how you can instill that same level of passion even for students who have never touched an instrument before in their homes. I sometimes think it's best for students to get hooked on disciplines at home first, just because home environments tend to be supportive and tied to the people we love, whereas school environments tend to be tied to grades and institutional roles and rules. I think the challenge for many teachers is to make schools more "like home" just in the sense that students can learn in a very affirming and non-threatening way.
Thanks for your posting! Your musical background is impressive!
Wow! You are definitely in the right major! I never knew that Directors had to learn to play basically all of the instruments! That is pretty amazing! It does make sense though! In Theatre if we want to direct we have to take acting, scene construction, costume design, makeup, stage managers class and many others so that we know how everything works together.
Doing what you love to do is the way to go! Music has always been a part of your life so it makes sense that music is what you are dedicating your life to!
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