A passion for elevating the soul through music

There are many passions for me to choose from in my life, from cooking to having fun with my friends and basically enjoy life’s pleasures. But in life, there should be driving passion, something that allows one’s soul and spirit to expand and dream. For me, it has been music. Not all music genres interest me, but only from the classical masters of the art and science of music. Music has been with most civilizations for centuries. Music has that power of bringing diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds together in a place that all can readily identify with.

Like me, this art has been the subject of fascination to me. As an Asian, my part of the world is not usually exposed to the works of the masters like Beethoven, Bach or Mozart. Nor the contemporary denizens such as Gershwin or even Armstrong and others who followed and developed the art form. But to follow one’s passion, one has to ready to devote much time and effort to hone one’s craft to be able to play the music correctly and do justice to the works of the masters.

As German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) once said, “Without music life would be a mistake” (Quote Garden, 2008). It is true that a world without the sound of music will be utterly dark and dreary to live in. Another wise saying from Chinese philosopher Confucius, who avers that music creates a pleasurable experience that people, cannot live without (Quote Garden, 2008). A passion makes one’s life gain a sense of purpose. In accomplishing my passion for music, I had to invest considerable amounts of time and effort to perfect my craft.

That entailed large amounts of time dedicated to practice and more practice. In many aspects, the time I put into practice could have gone into other endeavors and activities a typical 24 year old can get into. But one must follow his passion, at times costing many things that one can otherwise enjoy. My passion for music has also shaped many of the values that I have come to practice in my life. For one, the value of prioritizing what is important, putting first things first, so to speak. I had to devote much time to research and then application of what I learned.

This made me re-evaluate my schedules and the importance of other things, such as going out to parties and other youth activities. Much of this I adopted as a way of life in my personal dealings and affairs. Second, my passion or music allowed me to harness the virtue of self-discipline. Like the first, I had to force myself at times to stick with my regimen of research and practice. In applying this to other aspects of me life, this self-discipline afforded me chances and opportunities to rid my schedule of the “non-essentials” and accomplish the business at hand first.

It is not to say that I don’t enjoy life’s opportunities. I am still a young man, still willing to relish life and what it affords to people such as me. But to do that involved my overhauling my activities and putting what is of paramount importance to me as a student of music. This passion comes as a motivating force to me, something that gives me immense joy and purpose in life. So here is another virtue I have learned in this pursuit, balance.

Balance is accomplished when two different weights are placed and are weighed equally on a scale. Like the balance achieved on the scale, my extra-curricular activities also help to refresh me after my curricular pursuits. I have learned that enjoying life’s gifts and pursuing your passion can be done hand in hand. I wish all of these virtues and learn more if I am accepted into your educational establishment. Reference Quote Garden. (2008). Quotations about music. Retrieved January 22, 2009, from http://www. quotegarden. com/music. html

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