Personal Narrative: An Instrument

“You have to play an instrument whether you like it or not!” my mom yelled as she dragged me to my piano lesson. I dreaded going to piano lessons. The teacher would slap my hands with a ruler if my hands were not cupped correctly. She would yell, “Again!” if I played one note wrong. After endless crying and begging, my mom finally let me choose an instrument. I wiped away my tears with relief. “Drums!”, I replied confidently. After three years, the music school decided to organize a recital. I wanted to do a piece with my sister, but I knew we needed more instruments. I invited Ebony, a singer, and Stephanie, a pianist, to jam. Ebony was shy and kept her vocal talent secret, but through this newly formed band, UPBeat!, she came out of her shell as we continued to practice and perform successful covers of Adele’s Set Fire to the Rain and Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors.
I organized, planned, and booked performances at the Alameda County Fair, local senior center homes, a Fourth of July Parade, and our local theater. I scheduled and communicated all the rehearsal times and made sure there were snacks as well. To take this endeavor one step further, I created a music club at our school, Music Creation, a place where students come together to jam or learn how to play an instrument. This is an open and safe environment for musicians of all levels. I lead all the meetings and make sure everyone conquers their musical goal. Our club started with ten students, and by the end of the year, it had grown to twenty. Music is a huge part of my life, and I want others to have that same experience without pressure. I used my past experience as the UPBeat! Band leader to recruit and inspire students who want to learn to play instruments did not know where to start or could not afford to take lessons. It’s my way of using music to uplift