Run, Katie, Run!

Why I chose to major in Music Education

One of those college entrance essay things.

Enjoy!



It is 8:30 on a Friday evening. First Semester finals just ended. Most of my friends are out together having fun, but I've been in my bedroom practicing the same two measures for the past twenty minutes. Why did Handel's trumpet piece have to be so difficult? Why do I need the fast Locrian runs to feel so flowing and effortless, when I am doing all I can just to keep filling my lungs with air and keep blood flowing to my frantic fingers? Why did I decide that I needed to spend hours a day practicing my trumpet instead of doing something...useful?



I take a moment to remember what has brought me to this point.



When I was in eighth grade, my Civics teacher, Mrs. Dunley, told me that with my test scores I was fit to be ruler of the universe (remember that? And some people were destined to become ship captains...lol. She was nuts). Knowing that I wanted to change the world someday, I decided that I would grow up to be a politician. This was not an unrealistic goal for me, since my interest in Mock Trial led me to contemplate a future in law school. However, as the years went by and I moved through high school, I grew skeptical of Politics. If the face of Humanity is going to change, it is going to change from the inside, not from the top. (Here's an article that helped me come to that conclusion. click here Totally worth the read)



I have always loved music. I was singing songs as soon as I learned to talk, and I jumped at the chance to join band in fifth grade. Right now it is my goal to become a music educator and performer. Music, especially my high school music program, has done so much for me. I know that if i can help provide music to youth for the rest of my life, I will be able to change the world.



Although I have always loved singing, playing my trumpet, composing, and performing, I was hesitant to become a music major. There were several sources of fear and uncertainty. Music is such a competitive field; I was worried that I would never be good enough. Also, it is difficult to find steady work as a performer, and jobs are scarce even for educators. I was very worried about making a living and my parents were quite concerned about my finacial security. Success in music requires an excess of discipline, knowledge, skill, heart, and inpiration. I eventually decided that the benefits of studying music outweigh the risks, and now I am willing to do whatever it takes to have a career in music, because I know that I would never be able to give it up. I knew that no matter what I chose for my career there would always be the fear of failure. Since I am so passionate about music, the fear is slowly becoming irrelevant. I am proud to be entering college as a Music Education major, and I know that no matter what happens to me in the future, I will be glad that I made that choice.



why is music so important? Humans are trapped inside of themselves. Technology forces us into seemingly efficient yet grossly inexpressive ways of communicating. In a world with an increasingly globablized economy, communication barriers are being broken down right and left, yet the individual remains isolated unless he has some way to relate to his past, his society, and his emotions. Music is that vehicle. Music forces us to be expressive; to not just speak, but to lesten, to understand, and to feel. Music frees us from our inner prisons and helps us to truly experience life, so that we are more than just robots.



Hopefully, with the skills that I've been developing over the past eight years and with the skills and experience I will gain from UNI, I will become effective with my trumpet performance so that I can help listeners connect to society. It is my aim to help other musicians to do the same. There is nothing better than helping and watching someone else grow.



Now it is 8:55 on that same Friday night. I turn off my metronome and do one last run through of the final movement to the Handel piece. The notes flow out of my horn like a cascading waterfall. Each note seems to have a life of its own. I get chills. This is what it is all about. This is what I have decided to dedicate my to.



Over the years my teachers have encouraged me to do great things in the fields of science, math, law and politics (.......maybe not math. or science. hehehehe...), but I decided that I want to change the world, so I decided to major in Music Education. Music has changed my life, and I hope that through my future performance and teaching, I can change others' lives as well.