To Learn or Not to Learn: There is No Question by Natalie

To Learn or Not to Learn: There is No Question by Natalie - April 2015 Scholarship Essay

Years of exposure to auditory art have inspired me to find a passion of my own for singing. I know myself more fully because of my experiences in music; such as how long I need to prepare a piece and how to communicate with other musicians. Without my education in music, I would not be inspired to improve my own personal character as well as my actual knowledge of music. The purpose of an education is to inspire people to go beyond what is expected of them and pursue knowledge of the world as well as knowledge of oneself. In my case, my most important education was through music.

There are many different elements to an education, and different techniques to how a person learns. For music, I see my choir as the musical equivalent of a sport team, where is member is depended upon to learn their part. Rehearsals and performances have made me a better planner, learning how to prioritize my rehearsal time amidst my other studies. However, my personal independence and musical education was not something I learned on my own.

A great education is ultimately the responsibility of the student, but more often then not students need mentors to guide them. None of my current music appreciation could have been possible without adult instruction. The amount of support I have received from my music teachers, private instructors, and parents is immeasurable. From elementary school on, my music teachers pushed me to get comfortable with discomfort by immersing me in new performance situations. I could easily list ten more inspirational educators and instructors who have helped me throughout my music experiences, but they all have one thing in common: each one strongly practices a life of continuing education in music. The examples my teachers have set with their own lives led to my decision to minor in music, and study music theory in college. I also hope to represent my future school in a choir program, and continue my personal growth through music as well as intellectually.

My ultimate career goal is to work in an environment of constant intellectual development. I am entering college with an undecided major, so that I have the ability to complete all of my pre-requisites and explore different classes before declaring a field of study. Through my experience with different subjects, I will be able to sift out options that will prevent me from an atmosphere of life-long education. This is why I have decided to minor in music, because I believe that studying music is essential to my success in college as well as a future unknown career. I have learned how to communicate and prioritize through my past music experience, and hope to learn more. A complete and finite education is unattainable, but I want to fulfill the purpose of an education by inspiring other to learn more about the world and themselves.