Blog: Fifth Grade

Kindergarten, first grade and so on had all been childish and fun, but in fifth grade I began to develop passions that have continued until now. Near the end of my fourth grade year my class marched down to the music room for a right of passage. Students began to enter as the line bottlenecked around the door, the kids in front waiting impatiently and holding back the even more impatient crowd behind them.My turn arrived and I began through the surreal and fantastic assembly line. Students were to proceed up to a musical instrument and attempt to produce a sound as Mr. Setty evaluated the quality and effectiveness of our approach. The screams of the instruments personified the anxiety I felt, and although the experience did not seem particularly revealing to me, Mr. Setty’s assessment was thorough and pointed in it’s recommendations.

That night I loyally presented my parents with the paper and expressed my interest in learning music. We discussed it and finally arrived upon a conclusion; I could do it, and with that a new fundamental facet of my person was established. The act itself was mundane, but by opening the door to music I took the first step on a path that would yield an enormous impact on my life. Music has not only created a fun hobby, but has influenced the way I think, feel about the world.

Fifth grade arrived and it was time for me to purchase my instrument and begin my foray into music. The Toon Shop happily catered to my lessons, and left me equally happily outfitted with a clarinet and all new peripherals. My parents also agreed to begin me on a private lesson program; I would meet my new teacher next week. After the initial shock wore off all I could do was marvel at the black and silver contraption— shining, intricate, and totally unfathomable.

Band class was a highly anticipated day by many; lots of my friends had also begun to contemplate their instruments. On that first day we walked into the music room laughing nervously, excited to discover the hidden magic in our odd shaped chunks of metal and plastic. In that hour long first lesson, much of the wonder and chagrin was shed from band, but in that same sense it became accessible and real.

For some of the kids this disillusionment was decidedly negative and they failed to join us for the second class, but personally, I found it to be eye opening and encouraging. Shortly following my public school introduction I met with my private lesson instructor. I was shy and felt overtly ignorant, but Mr. Isaac was a calming influence and reassured my confidence in a musical future. Practicing would be a large time commitment, and rounding the learning curve would be tedious and sometimes painful.

In retrospect, though these tentative initial experiences with music eased me perfectly into the flexible yet dedicated attitude that I would need. This encouragement and personal growth has characterized my lifetime experimentation in the musical arts and has been a positive constant that will always provide me with support.