Undergraduate / Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music Essay [2]

Please critisize!!!
Please submit a one-page essay about your goals for your intended music major. Indicate information about your music background, personal characteristics and experiences that led to choosing this major and that you believe would contribute to your success in this area.

For me, the Conservatory of Music stands at the forefront of my decision to apply to Baldwin-Wallace College. I have never seen myself so comfortable in a single place in my life than the stage. Acting became a part of my life as early as the first grade when my mother sought out an activity to "cultivate my natural dramatic skills". The community theatre program caught her eye and from that moment on, the Northbrook Theatre became my home away from home. I started off small, being one of the students in the background, but as I grew older and as my voice developed, I started landing lead roles, and surprised my family by finding my true calling on a mere whim of having me do something with my afternoons. In addition to acting, I was part of my junior high choir. My music teacher's love of music was beyond contagious; Ms. Gould will always hold a very special place in my heart because of what music has come to mean to me.

From community theatre, I moved on to high school productions and was privileged to participate as early as my freshman year; it was quite intimidating to play the role of Tituba in The Crucible as young as I felt amongst the upperclassmen. Since then, I have been consistently involved in the school's musical and theatre productions, including my current role as Marcy in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I have jazz squared on the stage for so long, it only seems natural now. People often ask if nervousness interferes before a show, and, of course, what would opening night be without some degree of jitters, but nervousness would never be a word I would use to describe the feelings coursing through my body while onstage. As soon as I walk on, I am a different person, transformed to a different place and time.

I am also fortunate enough to go to a school with an extensive music program. I currently participate in Chorale, the school's honor choir. I am also a member of two extracurricular singing groups: Ladies First, which is an all-female show choir, and Fermata Nowhere, our female a cappella group. Once again, I have been fortunate enough to have amazing teachers that have encouraged and provided me with opportunities to grow and learn. Despite Mr. Davidson and Mr. Wallace continually embarrassing me by calling me out in choir to showcase my low range, they have pushed me to participate in activities such as the Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Choir and the Tri-M Honor Society.

Besides the amazing music and theatre opportunities available at my school, my involvement in these programs has provided me with an extensive sense of community. The long hours of tech week, mandatory crew hours, strike on closing night, cast parties and especially the laughs and tears shared during intermission's Soul Circle have forged amazing bonds with some amazing people. I have found that I am somehow changed, a somewhat different person, at the end of each production, because of the things I have learned through the process and from my peers. Some of my very best friends have come out of this space - friends I know I will have for life, no matter where our paths take us.

I am a big believer in giving back, because of all the encouragement and opportunities given to me. For the last two summers, I have worked as a counselor for the Northbrook Theatre Summer Camp program. This past summer, I was also able to work as the assistant XXXX. I thoroughly enjoyed now playing the role of teacher in the very program I attended when I was that age. I can already spot the ones that have a sparkle in their eyes and those "natural dramatic skills" my mother saw in me so long ago. I am also the President of my high school's theatre club this year. I take this responsibility very seriously because I want my school's program to grow and flourish and I do feel it is my responsibility to get the underclassmen excited about what goes on at the school as well as theatre outside of school. We are lucky enough to be in a near suburb of Chicago so we have the opportunity to take fields trips to see all different kinds of performances. I hope to continue to be involved in similar activities during my college years and post-college career.

The challenges of being a Musical Theatre major are understandable, during my education and after. Of course, I would love to be on a Broadway stage one day - what a wonderful life it would be to put on a performance that makes someone in an audience feel something - whether it be a shot of laughter, a bit of sadness or a wonderful trip down memory lane. But as long as I am acting, no matter where it is, that path will be fine by me. Confucius once said, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." I could not see myself doing anything else but being on stage. I hope I get the satisfaction of loving every minute I walk on this planet and hopefully in the process, changing the world even the slightest bit. Being accepted into Baldwin Wallace's Musical Theatre program can get me one leap closer to those most satisfying steps.