Dressed up  in my Halloween costume a week, before it was even Halloween my five-year-old self ready to leave for a concert. This was my first concert. We drove downtown to the Denver Performing Arts Center; everywhere I looked I saw people in Halloween costumes flocking towards the Boettcher Concert Hall, where the Colorado Symphony was performing. I do not remember much about the concert except  that I really enjoyed it. That year we went back to more symphony concerts, the appearance of Santa and Mrs.Claus running down the aisle right next to me during the Christmas concert made that one my favorite. Soon, going to the symphony became a tradition.
   

In elementary school we had three different specials: art, gym, and music. My favorite was always music, I loved that we got to sing, play rhythmic games, and play instruments. In fourth grade I joined the Choir at my school.I loved to sing . Fifth grade came and I started playing the flute. I loved band, learning how to make music with a flute was my favorite part of the day. Flash forward to high school, where the opportunities to perform and be involved in music were abundant: marching band, concert band, choir, show choir, and musical are just a few examples.
   

I fell in love with music and performing several times and continue to fall in love to this day. When I first heard the Colorado Symphony play spooky Halloween songs, when I was sitting in music class, hearing the applause after performing, the first  noise that come out of my flute, are some of the moments I fell in love.

I am the person I am today because of this love.  Marching band is a big time commitment. From the beginning of August until the end of October band  practices for more than ten hours a week.  I take honors level and AP courses; juggling my homework load, marching band, a job, book club, and whatever life throws at me has taught me how to manage my time. In marching band “early” is on time, “on time” is late, and “late” is dead. That lesson has carried over into other areas of my life, leading me to be a very punctual person. In choir and band we set goals, we are always working toward something: a concert, a competition, a score, etc. I  am  very goal oriented because of this. I like to set goals for myself, if I do not know what I am working toward or why I am doing something it’s hard to do the work. My goals motivate me. I hope to live a life that will be fulfilling and filled with happiness. Going to college is the first step towards finding a career that will make me feel fulfilled and finding something that will make me happy. I am very dedicated; if I say I’m going to do something I do it and I give it all that I can. If I have a rehearsal or performance of some type I will do everything in my power to be there. I got concert tickets for my birthday, but ended up skipping the concert because I had marching band.

Without music in my life I would not be the dedicated, hardworking, goal-oriented person that I am today. I have learned so many lessons from music and performing and these 650 words don’t do justice to what music has given me. I am thankful to my Grandma for taking me to the Colorado Symphony when I was little, and for all the music teachers that I have had ; it is because of them that I fell in love with music and became who I am today.