What is your relationship to music?

My relationship to music is extremely deep. It has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. From walking through high school halls with earphones in, to practicing late at night for the pure joy of it, I am grateful to have had such a beautiful relationship with music. It has connected me with like-minded individuals, and I always cherish the moments when I have the chance to play with other musicians. It is a way for me to be emotionally expressive, in a way that words alone cannot express. My music is what motivates me to keep learning and striving to be a good human. I am thankful for the abundance of music that we all have access to in the 21st century. Music wraps me up in moments of bliss, passion, and relaxation. And in my opinion, music is all about the moments. A 10 second part of a great symphony, an instrumental solo in a powerful song, or a poetically marvelous verse. These are all musical moments, just to name a few, that seem to energize and recharge my life.

Music isn’t meant to be won– just experienced. My favorite, formative experiences of music were riding in the car to and from lessons listening to new (to me) music with my mom. Mendelssohn, Sibelius, solo Bach, Sarasate, Tchaikovsky, etc. My listening didn’t stop here, but it’s the enthusiasm I had for the pure experience of this music, driving down the highways in high school, that made me want to be a violinist.