As a young teenager, one of my greatest inspirations  was music. From watching ‘Much Music’ countdown on T.V., to purchasing my first CD’s I quickly became infatuated with the dazzling allure of rock and roll, and the escape that music offered from the world. With influences like Led Zeppelin, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Shinedown, it wasn’t long before I was gifted my first guitar from my Dad and began my musical journey. Learning how to play the guitar wasn’t so much about the proper posture or music theory for me, but about recreating the sounds that had stirred my soul and spoke to my adolescent emotions. I thought is was so cool that I could play the same riffs that i saw Jimmy Page or Jimmy Hendrix play on stage. I took it upon myself  to sound out songs and eventually learn how to read tablature, opening the doors to endless amounts of my favorite songs and guitar riffs. This decision- learning how to play the guitar- has brought me so much joy over the years, offering me a way to express myself artistically and connect with people in a profound way. I wouldn’t be the same person if I didn’t play the guitar; it has become a part of who I am.

It’s clear to see the impact that playing a musical instrument can have. Why wouldn’t we all want to learn how to play an instrument?

In our music class this semester we have been tasked with a free inquiry project labeled “Musical Growth Plan”. It requires us to come up with a plan to achieve a specific musical goal. We have the option to learn something totally new, or progress a skill we already have. This project is very exciting to me, and has inspired multiple ideas; learning the didgeridoo, exploring African drumming, and playing guitar as part of a classroom lesson are all interests of mine that I hope to get the opportunity to explore on the future. However, I have chosen to do my musical growth project on learning how to play the violin because I think it’s a unique instrument that has lost popularity and has a classic and timeless sound. No doubt this will be a challenging feat, and while learning any instrument has its challenges, I have heard that the violin can be especially difficult. I am prepared to face these demands, and hoping that my experience playing the guitar will carry me through to achieve my ambitious and most exciting goal of playing the famous ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ song “He’s a Pirate”. I suspect that learning how to use a bow will be my greatest challenge to start, but despite whatever setbacks may lie in my way, I am looking forward to beginning my journey of equipping myself with another musical skill, and another tool for expressing myself to the world.