My Experience as a Student Accompanist
It was just one of those middle school choir concerts. In the packed gymnasium, I was accompanying the choir on the piano and feeling confident. The problem was that I was too confident - as a seventh grader, I lacked the experience that would have rendered me to be alert. My lack of focus led to spacing out in the middle of my songs, and during a particular piece I suddenly found myself on the wrong measure. I tried desperately to get back on track but failed, and the song fell into deeper dissonance. Frozen in fear, I stopped playing, the confused choir stopped singing, and the whole gymnasium fell into silence. I was humiliated. I was devastated by the fact that I had botched a whole quarter of hard work my choir had put in for that concert.
'How did that happen?' was the question that lingered on my mind for a long time. The answer was fairly obvious - I was unprepared and careless. I was cocky. In my tiny town, nobody my age could play piano, and I had thought of my musicianship as a big feat. I had been living in a box, a comfort zone thinking that even if I didn't apply myself, everything would turn out in my favor. What happened at the concert helped me bust out of that box. It hit me with the realization that without hard work, I could never move forward. It provided me with a motivation because I learned that a personal failure is never really 'personal' - it is bound to affect everyone around me. In our native Korean language my mother would always say to me, "Whatever you do, give it your best." It didn't matter if I was practicing piano or studying for an exam, what mattered was that I had to give my heart to it. In the next several years, I found myself working harder than ever. I stayed after school to practice my vocal solo. During ski practice, I gritted my teeth and sprinted up our infamous Bear Hill. When I came home, I practiced piano and studied my AP Chemistry book for hours. And along the way, I began to love everything that I truly gave my best to. I became fascinated by how molecules reacted together to form the world. I started enjoying the thrill of dashing through trails on my skis. My passion for music also grew exponentially. All my hard work paid off at the end, too. Hearing the applause after my piano performance, competing at State for both cross-country skiing and singing, and receiving a "5" on my AP Chemistry exam were some of the most rewarding moments of my life.
In retrospect, botching up that concert in seventh grade was essential in my growth as not only a musician, but as a person. It helped me become a well-round student with a desire to always better myself. Because I am aware of my need to improve, I am a hard worker. I am grateful for my unique experience that has enabled me to succeed in ways that continue to surprise myself and those around me.
I want to make i flow better especially in the middle paragaphs, but having a hard time WHat do you guys think??? THanks in advance
This is very very well written. Despite your personal concern for flow, I felt like I read this essays seamlessly and without any moments of, "Wait, let me re-read that to make sure I understand." The message about working hard to overcome arrogance is something that a lot of prospective students need a lesson in and I'm sure it'll be nice for the admissions officers to hear a story of someone who A) admitted their fault and B) worked to be humbled rather than just go on and on about how smart, creative, and nice they are.
Thumbs up.
(And a response to my only thread would be utmost appreciated :))
