Music Makes Sense by N. S., Cranston, RI

To most, those small black dots and lines on paper seem overwhelming and confusing, but to me they make perfect sense. Although complicated and challenging at times, music is a part of who I am.

Between the music I play in the band room and the music that comes from my stereo, I have found a song to describe every emotion. I know songs that describe my fears and sorrows and songs that express my joys and happiness.

I realized at an early age that my singing voice would not earn me a place on the cover of a CD. Rather than accepting this as a setback, I looked toward the next best thing: musical instruments. The piano and the clarinet became my introduction to the world of music. Playing the piano taught me the necessary skills to master some of music's most renowned pieces; "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Hot Cross Buns," to name two.

My musical career moved on to bigger and better things when I joined the school band and began my next instrument, the clarinet. As a part of the band, I began to listen to music in a different way. We came together to create beautiful melodies which can bring tears to my eyes and send chills up my spine. The band made me listen to more than just the words of a song - and listen to the music which, for me, has a language of its own.