Jessie J's Flashlight

In addition, it was the little moments during performances that nurtured my desire to become a professional musician. The endeavor of singing on stage while hesitant and shaky, and the joy after finishing. Sitting in an ensemble with my alto saxophone, and playing with fellow musicians who shared my love for music, finding that perfect harmony. Experiencing a sense of freedom as I strummed and picked my heart away on stage with my guitar.

This year I got to be a bigger part of this show. I got to be around adults who have been singing and entertaining for years and it made me want to do it even more. By being a bigger part of it, I got to witness the change you make just by singing. When I sang the Jackson 5 medley with Kelly, everyone was out of their seats dancing and within those 3 hours of having fun and being around such nice people, it was like there was no bad in the world and everyone was happy.

Being a part of show choir really have blessed my life. Our choir director, Mrs. Brown, has one or two songs each concert that deepens the feeling that we put into the song. She believes if you can sing with your emotions you sound ten times better then if you tried to only sing the notes. While we are learning these songs together,

I have always had a passion for performing. When I was around the age of 6 I use to go into the living room and have mini concerts with my sister where we would, sing, dance and even play fake imaginary instruments. In my mind music was the one thing that set me apart from everyone. Even today, I still enjoy performing, although now, it in front of more people.

The music performance I went to see was the University Symphony Halloween concert held in Comstock Concert Hall. This was the first time I had been to a symphony production and was eager to see what was in store. The show started off with each part of the orchestra introducing themselves in different costumes and skits. For example, the cellos were dressed in camouflage and the tubas were dressed as sheep. After a long introduction the lights dimmed and the show started. Attending this performance opened my eyes to how many elements there really were to music. It also showed me how each specific element has its own specific roll and impact on each performance.

Nearly every year since 6th grade ive gone to a retiement home and either sang or dance for the people there. 6th ,7th and 8th grade ive gone with my choir. My freshman year i went with a small group i put together to entertain them, and teach them some music. Later on freshman year i perfromed my competiton dances for the people there. my biggest regret was able to visit this year due to a prior commitment with Chamber choir.

Abraham Maslow once said, “In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step backward into safety.” My whole life I have had many medical issues typically preventing one from doing a lot of the “normal” things a child can do. But I truly believe that life is not about the circumstances you were given, but much rather how you choose to react to them. So growing up I have always managed to find a way to not let my disabilities hinder me from living my life like everyone else and defy the odds I was handed.

Early in my life I found myself at an immediate disadvantage compared to the average person. Within my first year on Earth, my ears caught an infection. During the time I had this infection, I never expressed any symptoms, like pain, that the infection should have caused. Because I never expressed any signs of discomfort, the ear infection would continue to accumulate. By the time a doctor diagnosed me with the infection, I had already had it for almost two years. I was around three at the time, an age that a normal child would begin to learn his or her first words from hearing his or her parents speak. However, my infection had grown to a point where I was practically deaf. The medical treatment would take around a year to fully cure me from

I like to sing and I’m not afraid to do it in front of people so I always try out for a solo if there is a chance to try out for it. It is also a chance to meet new people and try new things. I like the social part of it because you get really close as a team and you can meet friends from other teams. Show choir is also very interesting because you get to see how people do things differently than you may do. There may be schools that do the same song that you did but you can hear the different ways other school’s choirs sound and how there is so many different ways to choreograph

Being a part of that group gave me the opportunity to challenge myself with more difficult music, and the greater the vocal obstacle, the more I thrived. My choir teacher, Ms. Tippett, took notice of my passion for music and urged me to pursue it further. She pushed me to audition for choral festivals, urged me to try out for the school musical, gave me new responsibilities within the choir, and always knew I could accomplish whatever task she handed me. She nurtured my unending love of all things music and made me see that I really could do this, I could really follow music for the rest of my life. Music shaped me into the confident young woman I am today, and I can’t even begin to imagine how miserable my life would be if I pushed it to the sidelines.

We participated in choral competitions such as the one held annually at Wingate University. I remember the choir as a whole was quite anxious to go on stage but once we were up there, everyone was able to let loose and sing. We walked off the stage feeling a rush of excitement. I think it did not matter to us at the time what our score might have been, for we enjoyed ourselves so much that the only thing we were able to focus on was our pure happiness.

I watched my father share his music with all who thirsted after it. With strangers, his music broke the ice. People's faces would light up the moment Dad's music started. He got asked to play for baby confirmations, baptisms, school programs, church programs, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, parties, and often visited nursing homes.

In high school, I decided to learn guitar so I could create the music I had enjoyed listening to since childhood. I was never confident enough in my playing abilities to perform without a large group to hide in. That was until a small church asked me and my friend to lead a Sunday service that their pastor would be absent from. My friend and I decided that this would be a great opportunity to put our musical talents together to create a music based sermon. We dedicated many hours to prepare the music and scripture we would utilize during the service. I was nervous as I walked into an unfamiliar church to find an eager congregation waiting for our service to commence. I remember praying as I walked into the sanctuary, asking God to calm me and let the message be heard. It made me realize that if I wanted to spread the word of God through music, I had to face my fears by trusting God to lead my hands and voice to glorify His name. The risk I took became one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had, and I learned that when I go all in for God, He will never let me

For the talent part of the event, I planned on playing Pirates of the Caribbean by Jarrod Radnich. My instructor tried to change my mind into playing a more classical piece for the judges. She said the judges would take points off of my score if I played this piece. I ended up in the same boat as to when I was 12 years old picking a piece for my festival. Again, I set out to achieve what I wanted to do. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to learn that piece because it was difficult. I also had to have courage to play what I thought would suit me best. I was up against other contestants who were playing classical piano pieces. It did make me doubt myself at some points, but I kept my goal. I played Pirates of the Caribbean and won the 1st runner up scholarship. I definitely proved my instructor

The one that has stood out throughout my 3+ years here would be socially merciful, which I experienced at the Mercyhurst Day of Service during my freshman year. I, along with around 20 other freshmen went to the YMCA of Greater Erie where we essentially had recess with some children. I can still vividly remember that day; it was a fairly cool August day and we were inside a warm gymnasium where 3-4 teachers led their classes into the gym. Almost instantly, the children started running and screaming towards us overjoyed that they had different people to hang around with and play with. I remember looking over at the teachers who, although just for a short while, were able to sit back and relax and let out a sigh of relief because someone was there to help