Personal Narrative: Music In America

I began playing the trumpet in the fifth grade. Back then, I loved playing the trumpet. We had band practice at the end of the school day every Tuesday and Thursday, and I looked forward to those rehearsals every single week. I loved it because in elementary school, the directors didn’t care about my tone quality. They didn’t care about how talented I was. They couldn’t care less whether or not I practiced. I loved it because it just gave me an opportunity to socialize with my friends more.

Music defines our culture. As Americans, we listen to music while we drive our cars, are at work, doing housework, studying, etc. We have songs for special occasions: Christmas, Hanukah, birthdays, weddings, parties, etc. We have taken songs from the various cultures that make us diverse: Arabic, German, Mexican, Native American, etc. We have many genres: country, hip-hop, rap, pop, blues, jazz, rock, heavy metal, etc. And although we may think of music as simple and easy, looking at all this makes one realize how diverse and complex our music truly is. Two things that contribute to this diversity are theme and symbolism.

When I was in fifth grade, I was caught between two worlds, playing a woodwind or string instrument. If I played a woodwind instrument I would have to blow in it to make music, but string instruments are played with a bow to make music. After much thought, I decided that the violin was the best instrument for me, because it has a beautiful, unique sound, plus the possibilities are never-ending. I could receive a compliment from a teacher, or even get accepted to the symphony.

From Starting off with zero confidence and feeling like I didn’t belong, I have come a long way, most of that I owe to music. Choir is who I am, of the students here at PHS I fall under the category of “choir kid”, I am proud to wear that label. Along my way through choir, I have developed a love for fitness through choir. Some of the friends I have made through the years have been bodybuilders, they taught me to not care what others think of me, and if I did have a problem with what they thought, to prove them wrong, to show them that you can become. Music has made me into this person I want to be. I have found a true passion in music, choir has made me be into person I am. Its

I came to realize that playing music can bring someone great fortune. I had no plans for the future, no goals, nor dreams before I starting my path in music. I never wondered without direction. But one day, good fortune came to me. A fortune I would have never of thought of. It was The Gracias choir and music. I was thinking to myself “I have never been so happy nor have I had so much enjoyment to live. To have an open mind to people around the world by delivering my heart threw my music. It looks like a dream!"

Ever since I was a young kid, I was extremely fond of music. Music was all around me: on the television, in school, at the store, and especially in the car. Not only did I love to listen to music, but I loved to play it as well. I am not saying I was any good at playing music, because I was not. But to a young child, hitting their hand on anything could be music, and to me it definitely was.

Some may say music is just music; a song is just a song. However, music plays an enormous role in our psychology, because a single song has the ability to bring about many kinds of thoughts and emotions in the listener. Music is subtly one of the main factors in which people identify with certain groups and establish their belonging in society. It shapes people’s perspectives on how the world functions and the roles they play within it. Music can function the same way in a culture; it can reflect many of the culture’s values and ideologies. Music can have many effects on culture and the people’s idea of who they think they are within that culture. Music can serve in a way that promotes cultural identity and pride, yet it could also play a

Ever since I was a small child, I have loved music. The strong, steady beats, the

Throughout its history, music has permeated the significant events of American history. Its effect on American society and the way the American people cope with each event has only grown as popular music evolves and new genres reach more and more individuals. People can remember where they were and their exact surroundings to amazing detail when asked about life-changing events in history. Older generations will remember the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Their children will remember when Kennedy was assassinated and when man walked on the moon. Their grandchildren will remember much of the turmoil of the ‘70s and ‘80s and their great grandchildren grew up in the world impacted by the events of September 11, 2001. Even one’s surroundings during the start or end of a relationship or personal events such as graduation, getting a driver’s license, or getting married can all be paired with the music that was popular at the time.

Music has always been an important element in my life. As I look back, I have always loved singing and playing instruments. During my high school years, I participated in marching band, concert band, and show choir. When I was in elementary school I learned how to play the piano and in 6th grade I joined the school band to learn to play the flute. I continued playing the flute in middle school and into high school. In 4th grade I joined the school choir and continued that through high school as well. In high school, I spent a lot more time in show choir than I did in band due to scheduling and personal interest.

Much has been made of this pope’s penchant for simplicity and understatement, his preference for modesty over show. But as those charged with procurement of wafers and the placement of metal detectors can attest, nothing is simple about a six-day, three-city, two-dozen-event papal trip that is a cross between a military operation, a diplomatic mission and an arena-rock

Country music is constantly changing, an example of this is how women are now viewed in country music. The American form of music became popular in the 1920’s, and continued to grow, artists of this era include the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and Vernon Dalhart. One of country’s most well-known female singers is Dolly Parton, becoming a major country star in the 1970’s. Dolly was one of the first female artists to challenge the gender stereotypes in country music, this major success led to her long career. She has contributed over 35 hits to country and popular music, including her album Coat of Colors released in 1971, by RCA records was the album that changed her career. The 8th solo album made it onto Time Magazine 's 100 Greatest

Music has played a vital role in human culture and evidence based on archaeological sites can date it back to prehistoric times. It can be traced through almost all civilizations in one form or another. As time has progressed so has the music and the influences it has on people. Music is an important part of popular culture throughout the world, but it is especially popular in the United States. The music industry here is, and has been, a multi-million dollar business that continues to play an important role in American popular culture. This is also a art form and business that is forever changing as the times and more importantly, technology changes. Technology has changed the way music is made as well as how it is produced,

In this report, I will expand upon what was spoken in the presentation by providing a more in-depth look at each section I talked about. The presentation was divided into six sections:

I first joined the band in the fourth grade playing the drums. I played for about two weeks then I quit because I didn't like it, mostly because of the teacher. In the sixth grade we got a new music teacher and told me I look like a trumpet player, so I gave it a try. I was taking music lessons but after the first one my music teacher told me she had to leave because she