My Relationship With Music

Growing up, music was a large part of my life. Whether it was singing along to pop songs in the car or shuffling through Enya on Music Choice at my grandma’s house, I was always surrounded by new songs and melodies. However, I never really took an interest in playing or creating new music. In elementary school, I took guitar and piano lessons, but I never practiced very much, nor made an effort to continue to play through middle school. Playing an instrument always felt like a task I was required to do, not what was truly fulfilling.

However, in 6th grade, when I came to Newark Academy, students were required to enroll in chorus or band. There was no way I was singing, but I did not think I was good enough to play guitar or piano. As a result, I attended Fundamentals of Music, where I would try out and learn a new instrument. When I picked up the alto saxophone, I was intrigued by its sound, nothing like any brass or woodwind instrument. After renting my first saxophone, I took pride in blasting out-of-tune notes all around the house.

As I became more acclimated to the saxophone, I began to play jazz in the middle school band. Initially, playing jazz music confused me. Why were we supposed to accent or emphasize certain notes? Everything about jazz was foreign to me and I never understood how someone could improvise a solo. I was the polar opposite of spontaneous and couldn’t quite understand how to play beyond sheet music and written solos. 

However, when the pandemic began, I had more time to focus on playing saxophone. I slowly grew to appreciate jazz music by transcribing solos from Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt. Every day, I explored new standards and live recordings on YouTube, getting familiarized with the jazz language. Coming into high school, my band director, Julius Tolentino, offered me a spot in Newark Academy’s most advanced jazz band, Chameleon. I eagerly accepted the position and practiced immensely leading up to the school year.

It was a long grind, but with more experience and teaching from Mr. Tolentino, I became a leader and experienced player in my section. Through music education and being in Chameleon, I learned to stick with something I was not initially good at. Although the environment was stressful at times, sometimes you need urgency and expectations to reach a certain level. As a result of improvising and trusting the process, I learned to have an open mind and balance preparation with living in the moment. I never thought I would ever love playing jazz music, but music education showed me how to find value in concepts foreign to my understanding. Most importantly, I was introduced to the small but intimate community of jazz musicians. Through renowned jazz competitions like Essentially Ellington or the Mingus Festival, I have created lasting connections to who I can relate, not just in jazz, but in other parts of my life. 

Outside teaching me to play my instrument well, music education has changed my life. I could not be more grateful to be surrounded by talented musicians and have a mentor like Mr. Tolentino. Even though mastering an instrument can take countless hours, it made my life fulfilling, as it challenged me to go out of my comfort zone.

It is precisely because of how much music education has impacted me that I must wonder why arts and music programs are cut first in every school system. What makes music so undervalued relative to academics and other sports programs? Why aren’t music education programs widely incorporated throughout classes and daily life? In this blog, I will explore the limits of music education and how it can improve someone’s life inside and outside of school. Hopefully, I can conclude what our next steps should be to set music on a greater path.