Ken Davidson

Music is an art that, for many of us, including myself, has transformed our lives for the better. From the religious hymns and songs of praise sung in church. From the upbeat pop hits played over the radio, music has infiltrated most of our daily routines. And to a musician such as myself, most of my life has been engulfed by song. My journey as a musician began in the 5th grade when I signed up for the elementary school band and chorus programs. I enjoyed the musical elective classes we had two times a week during school and wanted to increase the time I spent surrounded by music. When they showed us all of the instruments, we could play. I was intrigued by the trumpet for its simplicity and its beautiful sound. This required spending a few hours after and before school for both programs to learn and practice for concerts (which became brutal during the winter, having to get up and walk to the bus station at seven in the morning.) However, it helped immensely to hone my skills in musical performance further. My skills were further developed in middle school, where we had daily chorus and band practice, along with more performances. The increased time I spent practicing eventually allowed me to be considered among my peers a competent performer, which helped immensely as I transitioned to high school. I signed up for my school's marching and jazz bands, along with the newly formed men's chorus. Not only did the more challenging scores and increased practice time further improve my abilities. But the increased opportunities allowed me to expand upon my experiences and broaden my horizons. I got chances to travel to colleges and other states to experience new cultures of music and art, which in turn has helped me develop into a better musician by evaluating my work compared to theirs. My musical career has undoubtedly shaped my life and made me the person I am.