And the contextual sentence used? Access to the arts is intrinsic to a high quality of life. Thanks, Oxford Dictionary. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Channeling our emotions, both good and bad, into art is a beautiful thing. In music specifically, we have the ability to not only enjoy, but to experience. When we feel powerless, music gives us a sense of control and agency. The music we choose to listen to and create is a reflection of ourselves and our unique experiences. Perhaps the most important aspect of music and art is the fact that it is shared. No matter how different one life may seem from the next, we all feel, and these feelings expressed through music allow us to connect.
In time, I’ve come to understand music is not only an art, but a discipline. As a young pianist, I struggled with reading notes, coordinating my fingers, and playing with both hands. Comparing myself to other children who played more complex pieces easily was a common frustration. As a result of this frustration, practicing felt like an unrewarding chore. However, my parents continued to encourage me, insisting that all progress is worth celebrating. Because of their unconditional support, I kept practicing. Years later I can see that I’ve reaped tremendous benefits from my dedication to piano beyond just my level of playing improving. I now understand that all good things take time, patience, and dedication. Throughout a long journey, it can be easy to lose sight of the destination, but with the right support system anything is possible.
My desire to provide support for young children who are interested in learning to play piano is what initially attracted me to Key 2 Success. The organization’s mission to provide resources for children to excel in the arts was one that I knew I wanted to be a part of, as I know the impact that music has had on me and billions of other people. If art reflects life and art is a discipline, life is also a discipline. Through trial and error, we search for and ultimately find our purpose. At seventeen, I am still searching for my purpose, and understand that my purpose will only become clear through learning more about myself and the world around me. I predict that at Keys 2 Success, I will spend as much time learning as I spend teaching.
The pursuit of knowledge fuels us, and everything we know, we at some point did not know. Progress starts with an inkling in our minds that we decide to investigate. Whether it be an echoing of the word intrinsic that leads to discovering the perfect way to start a journal entry, or a slight curiosity about the piano that leads to unlocking a world full of emotional expression, discipline, and community, asking questions is the only way to find answers. At Keys 2 Success, I see students and volunteers alike who are full of questions. It is my hope that in my time with the organization, I will be a part of someone’s answer, and in turn have some of my questions answered.
