A purely personal experience

This open blog post reflects on the fact that music is a field that makes one work a lot harder than some other life options. It seems I learn this anew again and again.

I think this may be most of all because music is a field that requires passion and zest. When you care about something, you're willing to put yourself through a lot more to make it work.

An example of how much harder you have to work can be seen in the credit value of the Michigan State University classes I'm taking. Most music classes are one credit. However, you do just as much work for that one credit as a higher level credit class. On top of that, you have to take a lot more classes. As of now, I am enrolled in 7 different classes totaling 13 credits. This writing class is a 4 credit course, but the course I probably work hardest in is my weekly lesson with my professor, which is only worth 1 credit. I practice around two hours a day specifically on material covered in my lesson.

With music, you have to keep the ultimate goal in mind: being a musician. This means working harder at both what you have to do to sustain your dream as well as working for the dream itself. While I was in high school, and even still now with these general eds, I see a divide between music and academics. I have had an awful feeling that music just doesn't count in some regards. In high school, though I worked hard at academics and maintained above a 4.0, I was still not considered for or selected for most scholarships because I did not take enough AP classes or enough academic curriculars. I was always working hard at music. I remember my senior year in the fall where I'd have something nearly every day after school music related. Monday was marching band practice for a few hours at night. Tuesday I had a piano lesson and an orchestra rehearsal an hour away. Wednesday I had an oboe lesson. Thursday I tutored a beggining oboist. Friday I taught piano. Saturday was a day of rest from formal musical commitment. Sunday I had a three and a half hour rehearsal with a youth wind symphony. On top of that I still maintained my grade point average and was accepted to MSU, a college with a music program where I can really benefit.

Music really wears you down, but in a way it's a reminder of what you really want to do with your life. When I look around and see people who are just coming here to enjoy the "college life", I am glad I am spending my money on something I am confident I want to do and see a real purpose in coming to a university to study for. It makes me feel as though I am truly living as myself, doing what I want to do, benefiting from it, and not just going along with the typical.