My Motivation To Enter The Graduate Music Program
I was five years old, small enough to fit underneath the piano that sat in the corner of our family living room. It was there I sat surrounded and captivated by the sounds it made as my eldest sister Katherine practiced for her upcoming piano recital. Mesmerized, I watched her hands dance gracefully across the ivory keys. How could she create such beautiful sounds using only her two hands? At five years old there was only one thing to describe it; magic. It was at that moment I decided I wanted to create this magic; the captivating magic that is music. I started taking piano lessons soon after and was captured with a passion and hunger for more of this art. As it would happen, seventeen years later I’d be earning my Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Vocal Performance and acquiring teaching experience along the way, but I am still hungry for more. For this reason, I am drawn to the enriching, cultivating atmosphere of your master’s program.
Furthermore, I am confident that my previous academic and work experiences, combined with my passion for music, have given me the desire and experience that I will need to succeed in this program. As a young child, my passion for music was encouraged and supported by my family who were all musicians. My mother especially helped to cultivate this by becoming my first piano teacher; she was well equipped from her own experience as a classical-pianist. Although it was the instrument that inspired my passion for music, piano was not my only instrument.
Growing up singing with my five siblings in church afforded another avenue in which to create and make music. As I grew older, my love for singing and playing the piano insistently grew. During high school, I continued to study classical piano and discovered the Talented Music Program. This program introduced college-level music theory, music history, and composition. It also provided multiple performance opportunities that I took advantage of by singing in concerts, festivals, and professional school functions — all while incorporating genres of music varying from renaissance to jazz to pop. These experiences provided a solid foundation for my undergraduate studies at Southeastern Louisiana University. Entering the university as a double major in piano and vocal performance I soon became consumed with the latter. During my sophomore year of college, I decided to change my major solely to Vocal Performance in order to dedicate all my work to this area. My diligence and commitment to my studies and instrument is evidenced by my overall GPA of 3. 8 on a 4. 0 scale.
In conjunction with my work in the classroom, I became involved in the choir program. Beginning with University choir, I eventually progressed to Concert choir and finally Bella Voce. Bella Voce is a select vocal group of sixteen elite women in the Music Department who possess exemplary leadership skills, sight-reading ability, musicianship skills, and team working skills. These experiences contributed to the development of my leadership and effective team working abilities, and I learned how to work both independently and as a part of a group while preparing for concerts and recitals under pressure.
Overall, I expect that my undergraduate experiences will be immeasurably useful when in graduate school, as I will be able to draw upon the skills that I have learned and overcome any challenges that I may face. While attending the university, I took advantage of my free time before and after classes to gain experience in the workplace as a Starbucks barista on Southeastern’s campus. A thousand to two thousand students would walk through the doors everyday. Although the job was not music-related, it taught me valuable skills such as performing under high pressure, meeting customer’s requests and dealing with complaints. Through this work, I became comfortable working in a fast-paced and demanding environment, which will further make me a qualified attribute to your fast-paced graduate program. During summer vacations, I worked in music camps with preschoolers to middle school children introducing them to the world of music through songs and stories. This taught me valuable teaching skills that I would later incorporate as a current piano and vocal instructor at Northlake Academy of Music. Working one on one with students of all ages and backgrounds has taught me to think critically and discover distinctive teaching strategies for students who learn differently. My experience there has expanded my ability to think creatively and teach effectively which are advantageous capacities I can contribute to your graduate program.
I have decided to apply to the Graduate music program at Louisiana State University College of Music and Dramatic Arts for several reasons. This program has a prestigious Vocal faculty who I believe will give me the tools and skills that I will need to achieve my goals and develop a successful career in this field. Furthermore, I am eager to study in an area of Louisiana that represents so much of its rich culture and diversity. After completing my master’s degree, I plan on pursing my doctoral degree and it is my goal to eventually perform professionally as well as teach others how to create and fall in love with the same magic I have fallen in love with — that is music.
