Personal Narrative: A Music Analysis

Orchestra has always been one of my favorite classes to go to during the day. After choosing to play the cello in middle school, I continued playing the instrument in high school. It was in this class that I had made most of my closest friends, many of whom I still love to this day. I also loved how the rich deep tones that came from playing each note of the cello and how they were able to blend with the rest of the orchestra. I knew from my freshmen year that I wanted to get into the top class, Chamber Orchestra. I thought that I would have done everything in my power to get into the class, however when the time came I could not even bring myself to audition.

Throughout my life, no single thing has had a greater impact than music. It has made me who I am today, and I cannot remember a time when music wasn’t a huge part of myself - my earliest memories all contain the music that my parents played. Beyond being a product purely for enjoyment, as it was for a long time in my earliest years, music has gone on to become a fundamental part of who I am, how I spend my time, and who I spend that time with. It motivates me to be better for numerous reasons. I credit my early involvement in music with most of the successes I have had to this date.

Throughout my life, I have been taken by music. However, it was not until my 8th grade year in middle school that I realized that I could be a musician for the rest of my life. Before that, music just seemed like something to keep me out of trouble. I wasn’t the best player at that time, and I still knew very little about it all. How could something like that ever support someone? Still, it was the only talent that I could find any success in, and it was still very enjoyable, so I wanted to still give it a shot.

In the first grade, I picked up a clarinet. It was my sister’s, collecting dust while waiting for me to play it. From the moment I produced my first sound, an ear-piercing squeal that frightened my dog, the path of my life took a turn for the better. I began teaching myself for the following three years, along with learning from my sister how to properly play the beautiful instrument. The music pushed me out of my comfort zone: concerts that forced me onstage, tests that made me play difficult songs, and teachers that pushed me to be an exceptional player. From the shy elementary school student I used to be to the outgoing band member I take joy in being today, music has shaped my everyday life.

Music has always been integral in my life. During my childhood, when I was four years old, I pressed my fingers on an oven handle like a piano. Throughout my childhood years I listened to my mom’s old-school mix CD’s, along with the Pandora music app on my old Kindle. In fifth grade, I picked up the piano. My alto saxophone studies began in seventh grade. When high school arrived, I turned my focus to guitar and voice. The more knowledge I absorbed, the more knowledge I craved. My decision to pursue music was also influenced by the inspirations I’ve encountered on my journey so far.

Music has been a part of my life since the beginning. My Grandma Hammond, a music teacher, had me start right off into piano when I turned 7 years old. She has been my music teacher since then. I was taught all genres of music starting from classical to what is popular now. My favorite genres to learn were Jazz and Rock music pieces. I remember when I was the age of 12, I begged her to let me learn and play the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen for one of my music festivals. My Grandma disagreed at once about my idea because it was required of the piano students to play a classical piano piece. I was a good student and learned that festival piece, but little did she know I would also teach myself Bohemian Rhapsody and play it after my classical

No sooner than we came back with the drinks than one guy who I found was named Dan pulled out a baggie and rolled a couple of big joints. Those were passed around and it seemed like Jazz always had one in her hand as the guys kept passing them to her.

I love music and I have dedicated a lot of my time to what I love. I have been in the Children’s Chorus of Crane (CCC), played piano, and been in the Clarkson Golden Knotes a cappella group. From all of these musical experiences, I learned to become a better musician. I learned that the benefit of producing music outweighs the time and dedication I must put into it. I have experienced the satisfaction of performing music for other’s enjoyment. These are talents I will be able to take with me forever.

Working with music takes a certain type of patients. That’s why when I knew this project was present, I had the perfect person in mind because I worked so close with this person once before. So, I decided to gather my resources and get in contact with our family friend Dr. Snodgrass who is the superintendent of the Fort Osage R-1 School District and ask if I could receive her email so I could set up a facetime call with her and get this interview on the road. Her name Is Erica Gregory and she is a high school band teacher at Fort Osage located in Independence Missouri. The reasons I decided to interview her were simple. First, she was my star time teacher which meant she was my study hall teacher. As a freshman coming into high school and being placed in a study hall class

Soon after I had arrived at St. Timothy’s, Reverend Fran introduced me to the incumbent choir leader, Barb Knotts, and her husband Frank who was a Parish Councilor. I was hoping Barb would help me usher the choir through the upcoming reforms; however, both she and Frank were about to go on a two month vacation at their lakeside cottage. Until she returned home I had to work alone.

First of all, I have always had a passion for the piano ever since I was around three years old and currently I have started playing the clarinet over the past three years. Music has always been a big factor in my life. I really like playing the piano and the clarinet because there is always a new piece of music and a new challenge in each one.

I studied A Level music in college, less than a year ago. For one of our tasks, we had to work in a band, write a song together, and perform it. I was the singer, there was a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a melodica player.

I’ve had Kind of Blue on repeat since the day we introduced it in class. There’s something aloof yet optimistic about it. I think it’s Davis—no, it’s definitely Davis. The trumpet is eternally pensive—inquisitive, perhaps lost. And the piano is calm and steady. The whole work (I listen to Flamenco Sketches as I write this) seems… content with searching. Lost in time and space and yet comfortable.

I was unable to attend a live concert for my report so I choose a concert from online. I choose a piece composed by one of my favorite composers from this class, Giuseppe Verdi. In Listening to Music, Craig Wright describes Verdi as a classic Italian opera composer of the 19th century and one of the most famous (pg.289). This particular piece is entitled Aida and was performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The video of the concert was published on February 8, 2015 and consist of four acts. The performers of the piece included a conductor named Duncan Riddell and an orchestra called the Royal Philharmonic. The concert also had characters signings vocals throughout the entire performance. Aidia was played by Claire Rutter, Radames by

In my house, we have always had a piano, but none of my family members knew how to play it. My mom taught me a very basic understanding including how to read the notes on the staff and how the notes correspond to each key on the piano, but that was all that she knew. In time, I grew to love the feeling of playing music from the heart. In continuing to play, I taught myself to play complex pieces because it made me feel satisfied and content. Now, I am able to play a vast variety of songs including jolly Christmas music, playful video game soundtracks, and beautiful melodies by Yiruma and Chopin. Throughout the years, music has evolved into an incredible stress reliever and source of enjoyment in my daily life.