This past summer, at the Governor’s School for Visual and Performing Arts, I received a glimpse of my college experience. Waking up early every morning to finish last minute work for class, and staying up late on weekends playing “sting-pong” had left me in disbelief that this utopian academy would only last for four weeks.
Being surrounded by supportive and intellectually driven peers is more than I could have ever asked for. The student body had convinced me that I had been living in the realm of high school for too long. Before Governor’s School, I had become accustomed to a class of disinterested students; I never knew what it felt like to be part of a community that was driven by the genuine pursuit of knowledge and a better world.
I’ve always had an inventive, entrepreneurial eye on the world. I found myself forming ideas no matter where I was, or who I was with. My peers were always willing, or rather, eager, to take in my ideas, and I knew that I could expect intelligent, relevant responses. I had never had so many idea for business start ups, musical inventions, or song ideas in my life. …show more content…
As a saxophone player, I avidly practice and listen for projection, articulation, tone quality, intonation, and style in my playing. But the list goes on. What Governor’s School taught me is that music isn’t about having the best sound, or playing something correctly, but rather, communicating an emotion. Playing with other peers with this same conceptualization is what makes the communication reciprocate and growth as an able musician possible. When improvising over chord changes, all of your senses are preoccupied by the vibe of the group; the bass player swings the eighth notes, while the piano player lays chords, and the drum set maintains the style and tempo. It’s a language by far more complex and intimate than the
Being surrounded by supportive and intellectually driven peers is more than I could have ever asked for. The student body had convinced me that I had been living in the realm of high school for too long. Before Governor’s School, I had become accustomed to a class of disinterested students; I never knew what it felt like to be part of a community that was driven by the genuine pursuit of knowledge and a better world.
I’ve always had an inventive, entrepreneurial eye on the world. I found myself forming ideas no matter where I was, or who I was with. My peers were always willing, or rather, eager, to take in my ideas, and I knew that I could expect intelligent, relevant responses. I had never had so many idea for business start ups, musical inventions, or song ideas in my life. …show more content…
As a saxophone player, I avidly practice and listen for projection, articulation, tone quality, intonation, and style in my playing. But the list goes on. What Governor’s School taught me is that music isn’t about having the best sound, or playing something correctly, but rather, communicating an emotion. Playing with other peers with this same conceptualization is what makes the communication reciprocate and growth as an able musician possible. When improvising over chord changes, all of your senses are preoccupied by the vibe of the group; the bass player swings the eighth notes, while the piano player lays chords, and the drum set maintains the style and tempo. It’s a language by far more complex and intimate than the