Toy Keyboard by Gabrielle

Toy Keyboard by Gabrielle - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

In first grade, I was convinced that I was the next child prodigy, like Beethoven. This thought started when I received a toy keyboard from my mom. Hammering my fingers down on the plastic ivory keys, I was able to play difficult songs from the very start. I was sure of being the next child Mozart, but my dreams came to a pause when I realized the keyboard had been placed in the “auto-play” mode. My disappointment was only for a short moment as I had realized that my feeling of self accomplishment didn’t have to come to an end. I peered out my bedroom door and said, “Mom, can I take piano lessons?”

I remember when my first piano teacher came to my house. Her name was Jenny Lyndie, and she was a friend of my mom's. She pulled out two books that read “Faber's Beginner Piano Adventures.” The songs were boring to me because they were too easy to play. I didn’t want to learn “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” or “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star;” I wanted to learn a more difficult song. I soon got to the advanced books and practiced repeatedly because it was so fun to challenge myself. “Maple Leaf Rag” and later “Clair de Lune” were some of my favorites. I loved playing the piano when family and neighbors came over for parties. Everyone would gather in the piano room and listen to the new pieces I'd been working on. “Any requests anyone?” I would ask. I would often hear, “CHARLIE BROWN SONG!” Everyone liked that song, and I felt like a performer when I played it for them.

My interest in music did not stop at piano. In 5th grade I played trumpet in the band. I then switched to French horn my sophomore year of high school. Playing in my school’s jazz, pep, concert, and marching bands have made me crave more chances to play music. I decided to audition for the Wisconsin High School State Honors Band my junior year. I prepared for my audition every single night prior to the big day. Two months after the audition, I received a letter saying that I didn't make it. I was sad and angry for a day, but the rejection fueled me more than ever. I am now proud to say I have been accepted into groups like the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Intergenerational Orchestra. The intergenerational orchestra caught my attention when I heard that the group consists of musicians of all ages, people from 8 to 72 years old. I play with beginners, professional musicians, and retired musicians. A current 65-year-old professional trumpet player sits next to me, and he has taught me everything I know about orchestra-style playing. He has taught me to exaggerate the slurs and staccato marks in order to make an impact with our instruments; our orchestra only has about 7 to 10 brass players compared with 40 string players. This is a little thing I only could have learned as a member of the Wisconsin Inter-generational Orchestra.

My love for music also reaches into teaching others to play. During marching band camp, I gave lessons and conducted sectionals for my younger classmates. During sectionals, we played a line of the song at a slow tempo five times and then we gradually sped it up to performance tempo. I also taught them the style of each tune. At the end of the each day, we played songs with the entire band and my director could see the growth.

Without “playing” my toy keyboard in 1st grade, I wouldn’t have the passion for music that I do now. With my passion of the French horn, I wish to continue my journey by majoring in music education in college.