Why is making music important?

I remember being told my whole life that music and life coincide. With this mentality that you cannot have life without music, I was always humbled by music. It was almost an intimidating concept for me because of what I learned music to be. I learned that music was expression, an extension of yourself, and that it reflects on your character as much or more than your words and actions do. So, as I was growing up, taking music lessons at school and piano lessons with my teacher music became a part of who I was. It wasn't just that I liked listening to it, I really enjoyed being able to make music and learning about and listening to music that may not have been appealing to most elementary schoolers struck a chord with me. I felt like I was connecting with the music more than some of the other kids who did not have that idea of music etched in their brain like I did, and I felt sorry for them. It was upsetting to me that they couldn't understand how great it really was. Then as we got older, budgets got smaller, and the music programs started being shut down. I have always been hurt by the fact that the arts are the first to go because it's in those classes and that environment that you can build your character and grow as a person. It's easy to memorize dates and solve equations even if you're not particularly concerned about what is going on; but in music and theater and art (and so on) you can't perform half heartedly. Everything you do has to be with everything you have, otherwise it's meaningless and you're doing an injustice to the music. Its hard to explain the affect that music has had on my life, but I can see the differences between people who are and are not involved in something that they are passionate for, and I think music and the arts make it easier to find and channel the emotion and passion that you have, whether or not it's music. My dad always told me that he wished he had been able to take piano lessons growing up, and he always says that he wished he had done a music program in high school because he feels like now he missed out. I don't ever want to feel like I missed an opportunity to become who I'm meant to be and with music in my life, I don't think I'll have to worry about that.

I am completely on the same page as Nicole and I can connect exactly to what she is saying. It funny to think everyone must grow up and be surrounded by music but only certain people build up a stronger passion for music and chose to make it a part of their lives. I just assumed that everyone loves to sing and make music but this isn’t the case. Some people just do not have that connection with music as Nicole said and it really is a shame because if you are truly able to sing a piece of music with everything you have, adding to a group of people all singing for the same purpose their really is nothing like it. I remember watching my siblings all go through chorus and I watched them on stage jealous of what they were doing. I would attend their concerts and be out of my seat with anticipation. I thought to myself as soon as I can I am going to take chorus and that’s what I did. As I grew older less people shared the love of the music program and it began to shrink. Its upsetting to think that people don’t care for music but that’s just life and everyone is different. Music has the power to completely consume a person and take them to place that is deep in their mind. You must learn a piece of music with every part of your brain. While learning notes and rhythms you must also incorporate harmonies, dynamics, movement, etc. all while finding the beat and keeping the tempo. There is so much more to music than meets the eye and I only wish everyone had the passion and patience to make it.