**(Long post, but important to me.) **An excerpt from my letter to the president of SMSU, regarding the budget cuts and the thought of eliminating the music program: Since my junior year of high school, Ive known I wanted to be a music educator. I loved what they did, loved the aspect of conducting, and I breathed music inside and out. I have had many blessed music opportunities within my life. 1) I had the opportunity to sing in a small ensemble with a well-known broadway star named Linda Eder. We performed at Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, MN. The house of 2500 was sold out that night. I never thought I would ever get the chance to sing for somebody famous--it is something I will never forget. 2) In the winter of 2011, I had the privilege of participating in a choral festival called Dorian Festival, which takes place in Decorah, IA. 1,200 high school choir students gather and learn music to eventually perform a night concert. It was sitting in the choir during the night concert did I realize that this is what I wanted to do with my life. 3) Every year, SMSU takes a trip to Minneapolis for a Music Education Conference through NAFME. We stay for the weekend and table for the college, while also enjoying each others company and even performing in the honor band they host. 4) Something that has happened yet that I am looking forward to is going on a day tour with the concert choir. A lot of hard work and dedication has been put into setting this up, and at the end of February we will be working with some schools in Southern MN, even performing with them. Additionally, our program is a family. Like I stated above, we grow mentally and emotionally. The arts are by no means easy. It takes more than the ability to sing or act. It takes confidence, endurance, skill, and passion. You cannot force passion. These majors and minors have an undying love for what theyre doing. We may stress about concerts or cry over a tough Music Theory test, but we are learning and growing with each other. We are not simply reading chapters in books, taking a test, and moving on. We are fostering confidence and self-esteem. The arts have a way of teaching us things through struggle and triumph, teaching us through past experience. When I entered the music program and it came to my first solo performance, Im sure my knees locked up and I cried afterwards. But under the care of wonderful, compassionate, intelligent professors, Ive grown into a confident, knowledgeable, young woman and musician. The classes that are offered within this program are absolutely necessary. Classes from Vocal Pedagogy, Vocal diction, Conducting, Public Performance Studies, etc. They all serve a crucial role in the development of ourselves as musicians, and even our developing mental, emotional and social health. END OF EXCERPT. --- So music is my life. Dont take this from me, I live for this. These people are my family, I love them. But like that, we are family. And if we go down, were going down together--and were going down swinging.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 04:54:07 +0000
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