Recital

Woman Femininity, or rather my best imitation, has always seemed to be forcibly adhered —reluctantly at best— to the façade of my person. It hung loose like the plaid pleated skirt I was forced to wear once a year for Christmas piano recitals, a tradition I resented almost as much as the garment itself. “It will make your mother happy, I don’t ask for much,” I heard ad nauseam, as I pleaded with my mother, grandmother, and aunt to let me wear the relaxed khaki pants I wore for every other event…

In 1995, the cost of a gallon of gas was $1.09, a dozen eggs were 87 cents, a loaf of bread was $1.15 and the average cost of a new car was $15,500 (The People History). Timothy McVeigh caused an upset that would be known as the biggest terrorist attack at the time. The O.J. Simpson trial will be one of the most famous verdicts in history. Windows 95 and EBay were invented and became popular quickly. 1995 was a year of homegrown terrorism, the shock of the century and computer advances that…

Christmas when I was only four years old. I am more than glad that I still have them because it built up my admiration for socks. Those Bob the Builder socks are my lucky pair of socks. I have probably worn them every year in preparation for a piano recital, school play, benefit show, baseball game, math test, or whatever is thrown my way. No matter how hard I try, those Bob the Builder socks don’t fit my size eleven feet anymore, but I cannot bring myself into throwing away something that…

I was born on September 29, 1998. A fact so simple, yet just a couple of years ago, I would have said that this piece of information is enough for anyone to know who I am. According to astrology, I am a Libra. I am sociable, indecisive, and diplomatic. As a child, reading these horoscopes forced me to examine myself and decide whether I fit the characteristics I was apparently supposed to identify with. I allowed these assumptions to dictate the kind of person I should be, rather than just…

Through the opportunities and challenges that the art of dance has presented over the years, I have discovered a multitude of things about myself. For starters, I have learned that I am quickly adaptable to new situations, which is mandatory for some of the incidences that have occurred on and off the stage. I have also learned that I am highly responsible for my age, demonstrated by the various positions I have been given over the years. The opportunities I have received and challenges I have…

From a young age, one of the most influential aspects of my life has been music. At the age of three I was handed a violin, and was encouraged to continue lessons throughout most of my childhood. I was taught where to place my feet, how to support my posture perfectly, and where exactly to place my fingers to produce the right note. This was the first example of music that I had, and through this I was shown that music is precision, perfection, and that the rules needed to be followed to make it…

came up with a bright idea. He and a friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education. They reached out to the great pianist Ligancy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital. A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success. The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and…

Growing up with a Greek family and their tendencies have been considered a normalcy for me, but to others, that is not the case. Looking back, I do not think there has ever been a time that the Greek side of my family was not there for me. My grandparents lived next door, came to all of my games and events, drove me places if my parents were not able to, ate dinner with us nightly, etc. If I had won an award, phone calls would be made and soon all of my relatives would know within a matter of…

to 8pm, a famed Cuban director, Gloria Rolando graced the campus of Morgan State University. She came to show the faculty and student population a special film screening of her movie “Roots of My Heart.” This movie screening was held in the Murphy Recital Hall and an in-depth explanation of the movie at its conclusion. The movie “Roots of My Heart” was a movie created to highlight the massacre that occurred of the dark skinned Cubans in 1912. At the time of the massacre, Cuba was heavily divided…

everything. There was a system in place for anything and everything; including how to load the dishwasher and how to make your bed like a military cot. My mother was the rock of the family keeping everyone grounded between soccer practices and piano recitals.…