I believe music is one of the best innovations of mankind in our global history. It has evolved for thousands and thousands of years in a variety of ways, leading to genres like classical music, hip hop, rock ‘n roll, and jazz that we know today. However, music still speaks a universal language; anyone can learn how to play music, and everyone certainly knows how to listen to it. Through this medium, the world can come together through concerts and other performances, and we are always hearing new tunes in movies, musicals, and the like. It is incredible how music can connect us with others as well as ourselves, and that is why I love playing the violin.

I have been involved in music ever since I was five. I dappled in guitar during middle school, and I also participated in concert band as a flute player for several years, but I have always stuck with the violin. I just love the timbre of the instrument and the variety of repertoire I can play. I could become a violin soloist and play concertos and showpieces forever and ever, or I could perform within an orchestra and play symphonies, orchestral concertos, and other fabulous pieces. I also have the potential to play in a small chamber ensemble, like a string quartet, and the masterpieces that have been composed for such groups still blow my mind and I ask myself, how can you make such a variety of sounds with such a small group? The very nerdy part of me freaks out whenever I hear Brahms or Shostakovich String Quartet No. 8 on the background of a TV show. Better yet, I am beyond elated whenever I hear classical music on the radio or in the mall.

Aside from classical music, I have a greater appreciation for composers and performers of all musical genres. Because of music theory, I have a better understanding of how music generally works, and I am able to pick out why I like certain songs so much; it is usually because of the chord progressions. I recently discovered that I love songs like “Take Me Out” and “Supermassive Black Hole” because they’re in the key of E Minor, which is my favorite key. The theme from the Harry Potter series is also in E Minor. This is extremely nerdy of me to fangirl over, but hey, I am a musician and these are the kinds of things that make me happy.

From a more technical perspective, music has taught me the importance of patience, time management, and taking risks. You must make time to practice your craft, as that is what leads to your development as a musician and an artist in general. You must have the patience and the self-discipline to practice effectively, with slow, careful work on techniques and passages upon which you want to improve. Running through pieces and showcasing your strengths in your lonesome practice room will not lead to improvement. Yes, you will sound cool, but that does not make you a great musician; you should focus on your weak points, acknowledge that you have things to work on, and build from there. There are times where you will need to run through pieces prior to a performance, but I suggest that you work slowly, section-by-section, in the beginning stages of practice and rehearsal. Finally, music enables you to be creative, to let your passion take over, to let a story be told through your music. While there are general standards you abide by in classical music relevant to the era of composition and the composer, you can still make up your own story for the piece. You can expand upon the dynamics, the ritardandos, and you can change up the articulation (all of this within stylistic reason). While you are performing someone else’s work, it is still YOUR interpretation of the music; play accurately and adhere to the musical guidelines of the time period, but make the music your own. It wouldn’t be as convincing emotionally if you didn’t put your heart and soul into it, and that is one of the most liberating things music has to offer.

Being a musician definitely has its perks, but there are definitely struggles to be dealt with like in any career. First, practicing isn’t necessarily fun; it isn’t for me at least. So sometimes I only find motivation to practice when I have upcoming events or new pieces to learn. If I am just working on technique, there is a fat chance that I will slack off. Second, music takes up SO much time, with the hours of practice and rehearsal needed to become a successful performer. When I want to hang with friends, I often have to say Sorry, I need to practice or I have an orchestra rehearsal. Furthermore, music usually drives you to be detail-oriented and a hell of a perfectionist, which isn’t bad because you are constantly working to improve upon your pieces. However, that also leads to crippling self-doubt following performances and auditions. In the music world, everyone is their worst critic. It is important to give yourself feedback and find things you need to work on, but you cannot also beat yourself up if you make mistakes in a performance. One of the reasons I hate hearing my recital recordings is because I mapped out every spot that I made mistakes, and it makes my skin crawl hearing them. However, it also reminds me that I am a human being and I am not perfect, but I can always work harder to eliminate those mistakes in the future.

Finally, there is no guarantee of a financially stable career with music. It is not usually high-paying unless you are Bruno Mars or Green Day, or you are the concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. Sometimes it is a make-or-break deal with people who want to for sure be financially comfortable. If you believe music is your life and nothing would ever change that, go all out. Music may not bring you lots of money, but it will definitely bring you happiness (unless you don’t handle paying your bills correctly; then you have a problem). If you do not want to pursue music as your primary career, just perform or teach for a hobby. I personally think music should be a part of everyone’s life, no matter how big or small. And even if you don’t play an instrument or teach a music class, just take the time to appreciate music and everyone involved with it. It is a really rewarding field and it is hard to digest how greatly it has impacted us in a cultural, social, and historical sense.

I am beyond honored to say that I am a violin performance major; playing music has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life so far, and I can say that the life of a musician is a struggle sometimes, but it is always worth it.