INTRODUCTION

Whew. Second week of college and I'm already stressing out. I'm registered for sixteen hours this semester, and I already know of one term paper, due in November, that has to be at least ten pages long. However, I'm happy with all the classes, and I'm really excited about at least three of those sixteen hours. Why so excited, you may wonder? Well, the simple fact of the matter is, I'm a music minor. My major is as of yet undecided, but I know for certain that I want to keep music a vital part of my education and my life, so I will be minoring in music (possibly doubling with creative writing, but we'll see about that). This semester, I will be getting three credit hours - one for choir and two for voice lessons.

The human voice is a very interesting thing, if you think about it. Even more interesting is its use in employing the art of music. Not only is it remarkable that sound is generated inside a person's vocal cords and lungs, and produced using the person's articulators (palate, tongue, cheeks, lips, and teeth), it is also incredible that the sound produced should therefore become words...laughter...cries...song. To me, it's also incredible that there are and have always been people in this world who can produce music in their minds and translate it to paper, to instruments, to the voice. I wish I could do all of that, but the most I can do is compose simple melodies on the piano and put words together in my mind.The intricacies and complexities of classical and contemporary composers' work blows my mind.

This blog will document my musical experiences over the course of this semester. I'm working on two German pieces right now, so prepare to hear all about my frustration with the German language in the next post. :)