One of the things I have learned through studying music is that I have to express things in my playing that I would not normally feel every day. In one piece that spans less than ten minutes, I may need to express sorrow, joy, pain, passion, excitement, agitation, restlessness, and humor. I need to convey these emotions to the audience and to accomplish that task, I must transfer these emotions through my fingers and through the air that I put through my instrument by genuinely feeling those things.
The music major track is just as rigorous as any other area of study. We spend up to four hours a day in a practice room, another hour in lessons or chamber groups, and another in ensemble rehearsals. Then, we take two to three theory classes in addition to the required general education classes. Most days, I can't even figure when (or if) I can eat. Add on the immense stress of competition within the music school and the pressure to play well 24/7, mixed with less than healthy amounts of sleep and there, in a nutshell, is the life of a music major.
Yet, there is a reason why all of us decide to put ourselves through this exhausting lifestyle that, yes, has an extremely low employment rate.
That reason is passion.
Passion for the thrill of performance, all mediums of music, and the art of expression.
I am grateful that each day, I am able to be emotionally moved in so many different ways, and experience the chills that occur when every single member of my ensemble is completely in sync, expressing and feeling the exact same emotions that I am.
It's powerful, and it cannot be described.
Thus, Victor Hugo said, "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."
Every single piece of music has a deeper meaning than the black and white notes on the page, and each composer has a story or a journey of emotions they need to express in their work.
Do you ever have a powerful experience (whether positive or negative) that you try to describe to a friend, but you can't even find the words to express how you felt? Do you ever engage in a debate about a topic that you know is extremely important, but you simply cannot determine how to execute your argument? Do you ever want to tell a family member, friend, or loved one how much they mean to you but there are truly no words to communicate your feelings?
We all do. There are not enough words in the English language to express the most powerful emotions we have and the intense situations we experience. And that is why we have music.
Many people dismiss music as pure entertainment. The reason that music is associated with entertainment is because it tells stories and expresses emotions that we as humans cannot express with words. It is intriguing and thought-provoking, and beautiful and wonderful in every way.
That is why I decided to dedicate my life to this art form. I am able to participate in the conversation of words that cannot be expressed. Weird, right? But I don't mind at all.
The music major track is just as rigorous as any other area of study. We spend up to four hours a day in a practice room, another hour in lessons or chamber groups, and another in ensemble rehearsals. Then, we take two to three theory classes in addition to the required general education classes. Most days, I can't even figure when (or if) I can eat. Add on the immense stress of competition within the music school and the pressure to play well 24/7, mixed with less than healthy amounts of sleep and there, in a nutshell, is the life of a music major.
Yet, there is a reason why all of us decide to put ourselves through this exhausting lifestyle that, yes, has an extremely low employment rate.
That reason is passion.
Passion for the thrill of performance, all mediums of music, and the art of expression.
I am grateful that each day, I am able to be emotionally moved in so many different ways, and experience the chills that occur when every single member of my ensemble is completely in sync, expressing and feeling the exact same emotions that I am.
It's powerful, and it cannot be described.
Thus, Victor Hugo said, "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."
Every single piece of music has a deeper meaning than the black and white notes on the page, and each composer has a story or a journey of emotions they need to express in their work.
Do you ever have a powerful experience (whether positive or negative) that you try to describe to a friend, but you can't even find the words to express how you felt? Do you ever engage in a debate about a topic that you know is extremely important, but you simply cannot determine how to execute your argument? Do you ever want to tell a family member, friend, or loved one how much they mean to you but there are truly no words to communicate your feelings?
We all do. There are not enough words in the English language to express the most powerful emotions we have and the intense situations we experience. And that is why we have music.
Many people dismiss music as pure entertainment. The reason that music is associated with entertainment is because it tells stories and expresses emotions that we as humans cannot express with words. It is intriguing and thought-provoking, and beautiful and wonderful in every way.
That is why I decided to dedicate my life to this art form. I am able to participate in the conversation of words that cannot be expressed. Weird, right? But I don't mind at all.
Sidenote: If you have not yet seen this video, this is a perfect demonstration of the way that music has the power to move people from all over the world to collectively express the inexpressible.
This post almost perfectly describes the feeling caused by music, and the inclusion of the video at the end really helps since, as you said, music expresses things which can't be expressed in words. You integrated your quote pretty well in the post as well. My one complaint is using the word "bipolar" to describe your playing of music, which, unless playing music actually fundamentally changes your brain chemistry, is really not something that you should do.
ReplyDeleteI really do enjoy when music causes an inexpressible feeling. Don't quote me on this, but I believe the French actually came up with a word, "frisson," that describes the weird tingly feeling. Unfortunately, I am typing this while in class and I don't have earphones or I would listen to the video and describe how awesome it is (because I know Lux Aurumque is awesome).
ReplyDeleteThe level of respect I have or music majors is extremely high. Following passion over reason, the dedication, and the ability one has through playing is all impressive. Music can even change how the listener is feeling, it's influential and makes one sympathetic to its message pretty often. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDelete