What Makes Me Come Alive?

August 14, 2019

Ever since I was four years old, I had an abnormal passion to hit things. From slapping the table loudly to pounding the sofa with my fists, I frequently caused ruckuses by hammering any objects that I saw fit. However, one night during dinner, I began hitting the dishes and bowls with my chopsticks. When I heard the distinct pitches produced from the different sized bowls, I was deeply intrigued. Instead of making loud and destructive noises, I now was able to create some sort of melody. It was something exciting I never knew I could do before. Subsequently, I spent hours striking all the bowls at home, and I replicated tunes like Jingle Bells, Mary Had a Little Lamb, and Old Macdonald. My mom noticed my love for hitting bowls and along with much fear that I might break all her bowls one day, she enrolled me in a percussion class. Fast forward eight years, and I still play percussion today. In fact, every time I pick up a mallet to hit the xylophone or lift my drumsticks to roll on the snare, it makes me come alive. Playing percussion has not only been rewarding, but it has also been a meaningful learning experience.

Playing percussion is what brings me the most joy. At first, I rejected the idea of having to learn a new instrument group. I was already learning the piano and dreaded having to practice even more. Practicing percussion seemed tiring and tedious, but I soon learned otherwise. Due to the endless instruments in the percussion family, practicing was fun. Unlike practicing on the piano, practice sessions for percussion usually consisted of new techniques on a variety of instruments each time. If I was tired of playing on the tambourine, I could always change it up and play on the timpani. The infinite amount of instruments and the respective techniques needed for each one to produce the best sounds kept me engaged and excited all the time when practicing. It never ceases to amaze me how much there was still left to learn. Besides learning an array of new instruments, being able to perform for others was always thrilling. Whenever there was a solo or ensemble performance, I had an adrenaline rush. It was a great opportunity to show my peers what I have been working on, and although it may be nerve-wracking at times, the reward of a successful performance was overwhelmingly satisfying. It motivated me to work harder. Most importantly, playing percussion was a way of escape for me. Whenever I was stressed or in a foul mood, I usually took out my frustration on the marimba. By playing a melodious piece, I was able to release my stress and calm myself down before resuming on with what I was doing before. It helps control my emotions and get through the tougher times in life. 

While playing percussion was often exhilarating, it has also taught me important life lessons. In order to improve as a percussionist, constant practice was required. By making myself practice five to six times a week, this forced me to stay dedicated and learn how not to procrastinate. Furthermore, as a percussionist in different ensembles, I was able to pick up important qualities to becoming a better person. By being a member of the Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band, I learned how to cooperate with other people, express my ideas respectfully, and follow given instructions precisely. By helping out elementary band students, I developed my patience, gained experience in handling kids, and discovered a passion for teaching. Finally, by being the section leader of the school band, I enhanced my organizational skills, forged strong relationships with my section, and matured as a leader. 

Eight years ago, if my mom had not placed me in a percussion class, my life today would have been drastically different. Not only would I have missed out on some of the most exciting moments of my life, I would have also lost the invaluable experience that playing percussion came with.  Percussion has been an integral part and will remain as an important part of my life.

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Reflection:

This was the first piece I wrote this semester and it was also the longest piece. For this particular essay, I really wanted to make clear why playing percussion to me is fun and why it makes me come alive. Although it was long, it did not take much time to complete it as I was able to come up with the different examples and reasons quickly. I was simply writing what I believed in and what I enjoyed doing.