i wrote this for you, too

so I wrote my scholarship essay for the millard west music association like a blog so that it would have my voice in my thoughts and so I could share it with you.

hope they don't mind my use of passive voice or starting sentences with conjunctions.

oh well, this is me.
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I still remember the day in eighth grade when a group of Millard West music students came to our middle school to encourage us to take music in high school. Even at my age, I assumed that most of the kids were just there because a teacher requested that they come, or because they simply wanted to get out of class. But one thing that a student said that day has stuck with me: “My favorite part about music is that it is first block everyday, and there is no better way to start the day than by making music.” Cheesy, I thought. But now, four years later, I discover myself on the opposite side of that interaction, and I can fully understand and appreciate how true that statement really is in my life.
Music has been a prominent part of my life since third grade when I first took up the piano. However, it was my four years at Millard West that opened the door and allowed me to realize what music means to me. When I started playing music, it was just something my parents wanted me to do. I didn’t really comprehend it, and by the time I entered high school I still don’t believe that I had a true appreciation for it. However, through the various musical groups and activities and experiences that I participated in at Millard West, I came to recognize how much music affects me everyday, and how it will continue to for the rest of my life.
One of the most important classes that I took during my high school education was AP Music Theory. This class really opened my eyes to what music really is. Before, music was something to do; it was notes on a page; it was nothing more than merely a sound to the ear. But after taking Music Theory, I came to realize that there is so much more to music than just notes and sounds. It goes deeper, portraying emotion and character and feeling; music is a glimpse into the soul. Music isn’t just created. It is conceived. The intricacies involved are so carefully planned to bring out what the composer intended, each note having its own meaning and purpose. To quote Beethoven, “Music is a higher revelation than philosophy.” Music Theory implanted a passion for music inside of me, one that will never be relinquished.
That passion is now the driving force in my life. This last year I have stepped beyond where I believed my boundaries were, joining more music groups and studying more and more music. I find myself comparing everyday life situations to musical terms: “Can’t you see? This problem is just like a suspended-four chord. You can feel it fighting itself, but you know that sooner or later it’ll get resolved.” I read books about composers, delving into their lives to appreciate their music at a deeper level. I analyze the chord structures of songs just for fun. It sounds like madness, I know, but I can’t help it! It’s what I love to do.
When that day that I receive my diploma arrives and I depart Millard West to commence the next chapter of my life, I won’t be leaving everything behind. Even without first block music to help me begin each day, inside of me, I will still have the music, and the passion that I developed for it while attending this school. Thanks to the Millard West Music Program, I now know what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to be a musician.