Taking Music A Step Beyond Acadmic Success by Clara

Taking Music A Step Beyond Acadmic Success by Clara - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

Regardless of how much the general population of students in school claim to loathe or enjoy school, it cannot be denied that school is extremely influential. Students recall the lessons they've learned, even if it's not from the lesson plans, tests, or textbooks. Students remember their experiences with peers, but also their teachers. We remember their attitude, their moods, their motivations, their drive. We remember their passion, or lack thereof, for what they teach. And if I could teach, I would teach something I have great passion for, and incorporate other things I am passionate about which are beneficial to teach developing young adults. Ideally, I would teach music, specifically choir, and do my best to incorporate styles from various cultures, hone in on the importance of music in history, and emphasize the importance of music on the mind and body.
As a Mexican American young woman, I can attest to the fact that music cultures blend all the time, especially in the United States. I find it extremely important for people, the younger the better, to at least be exposed to different styles of music from other cultures, and to be more accepting towards other cultures' lifestyles. Students should be introduced to multicultural music, because we live in a multicultural society, and it is vital to recognize that music crosses borders, seas, and languages.
For several cultures, their story is passed down through song. Their hardships, their victories, their place in the world, and their values are communicated in song. But it also shows what occurred during the time period of when the song was written, and can even demonstrate mistakes we do not want to repeat as a generation, or greatness we should again aspire to achieve. For instance, in early African-American history, singing and chanting kept the spirits of the slaves alive, or at least kept them going through the long, miserable days. These songs that came to be known as Negro Spirituals were sung during work to hold onto the hope that, during those dark times, God Almighty would not forget them. However, some of the spirituals were also secret messages of means of escape from the plantations, even hinting at the Underground Railroad. So if my class were to only learn, for instance, medieval choral pieces, they would miss out on the incredible history found in the music from the past, but that can still be sung today.
Music is very multifaceted, and there is so much to learn and explore, from music theory to performance, from instrumental to A Cappella. But beyond that, there is the importance of music on the body, mind, and spirit. Students should know that music is so much more than just a good jam to get the adrenaline rushing before a sports event, but it is also much more than a background noise in an office building. Scientifically, music has been proven to affect the frontal lobe of the brain, and work in the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous systems, which in turn arouses the body in emergencies or calms the body in everyday life. The gift of music can also motivate people to greater things in life, as well as cause meditation and reflection. Some days, whether it was in the blazing hundred-degree heat of summer, or in the pouring down rain of autumn, music helped me to push through the long, thirteen hour days of work at a produce farm. Whether I sang or just listened to music, at some points I was so exhausted I just focused on doing my best and making it through the song. And another song. And another song. Music can push even students to positive actions and attitudes, and I wish I could communicate that as clearly as possible to students, beyond just the educational aspect of teaching music skills.
Now, granted, there have been some incredible music teachers that I have met that seem to embrace the desire for multicultural songs, education on music's influence on history and vice versa, and the beautiful relationship between music and the body, mind, and spirit of human beings. However, the music teachers that have educated me have seemed to mainly focus on my performance and academic achievement regarding music. But I wish I could take it a step beyond academic success in music by relating it to the world around us. I am convinced that if a passion for music is instilled, the academic success is more likely to be achieved as well.