Prompt: In this essay, please reflect on something you would like us to know about you that we might not learn from the rest of your application, or on something about which you would like to say more. You may write about anything-from personal experiences or interests to intellectual pursuits.
Some of my earliest memories are of my family gathering in my grandfather's living room with guitars, mandolins, banjos, and fiddles. By the end of the night the entire house would be filled with songs and laughter as the kids made up lyrics to whatever the 'band' decided to play and the aunts and uncles laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. Music has always been an important part of my life from my early childhood memories of family gatherings to learning to play the violin.
It was at a Christmas gathering when I was twelve that I first picked up a violin. My cousin Sydney was showing the entire family her repertoire of Christmas songs when my Uncle Alex decided that all the cousins should try to play her violin. After holding her violin and having Sydney show me how to play a few notes I taught myself how to play "Jingle Bell Rock" by the end of the night. It did not take much begging before I had weekly lessons of my own, and before I knew it I was learning more than two note songs; I was learning scales, small classical pieces and Irish jigs.
The music that I have listened to at various times throughout my childhood has had a profound impact on the person that I've grown up to be. I grew up listening to the music my parents love. I would sing Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani with my friends on the school bus and then come home and listen to Elton John and Led Zeppelin. I even earned some confused looks while kidding around with friends about the dress code and showing ankles, I burst into Gilbert & Sullivan with "Stop, ladies pray!" from The Pirates of Penzance. This aspect of my life set me apart from my friends in elementary school, but by the time everyone had I-pods I had become the kid whose playlist everyone wanted to borrow.
Some of my earliest memories are of my family gathering in my grandfather's living room with guitars, mandolins, banjos, and fiddles. By the end of the night the entire house would be filled with songs and laughter as the kids made up lyrics to whatever the 'band' decided to play and the aunts and uncles laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. Music has always been an important part of my life from my early childhood memories of family gatherings to learning to play the violin.
It was at a Christmas gathering when I was twelve that I first picked up a violin. My cousin Sydney was showing the entire family her repertoire of Christmas songs when my Uncle Alex decided that all the cousins should try to play her violin. After holding her violin and having Sydney show me how to play a few notes I taught myself how to play "Jingle Bell Rock" by the end of the night. It did not take much begging before I had weekly lessons of my own, and before I knew it I was learning more than two note songs; I was learning scales, small classical pieces and Irish jigs.
The music that I have listened to at various times throughout my childhood has had a profound impact on the person that I've grown up to be. I grew up listening to the music my parents love. I would sing Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani with my friends on the school bus and then come home and listen to Elton John and Led Zeppelin. I even earned some confused looks while kidding around with friends about the dress code and showing ankles, I burst into Gilbert & Sullivan with "Stop, ladies pray!" from The Pirates of Penzance. This aspect of my life set me apart from my friends in elementary school, but by the time everyone had I-pods I had become the kid whose playlist everyone wanted to borrow.
