Final Essay
At least, we think so. Comments? Suggestions? It has to go tomorrow. :) (Note: the specific instructions were to address goals, ambitions, and how you came to be where you are musically)
Drumming and rhythm are the heartbeat that drives music. The ability to not just play the music but to BE the music is something I want to further pursue. The feeling of reading a chart perfectly the first time is my hook. I'm in control, but still a servant of the band, keeping them on time, motivating them rhythmically. The challenge of maintaining consistent and good tempo, style, dynamics, articulations, groove, as well as rhythmic and stylistic accuracy motivates me to play. I view jazz as a musical conversation which requires a higher level of musicianship and the ability to interact with the music on an intelligent level.
I have been passionate about music for most of my life, whether it was noodling on the piano, composing music on my computer, creating charts, or strumming a guitar. Most of my family has played or still plays a musical instrument.
I was not dedicated to any particular instrument until my parents decided that I should take music lessons. When prompted as to which instrument I would like to pursue at the age of ten, I deftly responded "Drums." That was my answer then and it's my answer today.
From December, 1999 on I began studying the drums. At the same time, I was pursuing Irish Dancing. My Irish dancing and my drumming mutually influenced each other. My rhythm in dancing was more accurate due to my musical background and I performed on the drums at a higher and more complex level from my experiences competing at the National and the World Championships of Irish Dancing in 2001 and 2002.
My long-term objectives in music are to perform and instruct. My current objective is to study drumset from one of the best jazz drumset teachers in the world at one of the finest schools of music. I love performing because when I perform, the music becomes part of me.
I have always taken lessons. I see myself as always being a student of music because it is always changing. I want to be part of the changing elements in music. I want to learn to create edgy new styles or new takes on existing styles.
My career goal is to fully support myself by teaching and performing. The more I learn about being a versatile musician, the more competitive I will be in the music business, whether it be a big band, a salsa group, a funk band, or a film score.
One of the lessons I took away from my time at the UNT summer drumset workshop was that single-mindedness and over-specialization is a dangerous way to make a living, so I plan on being fluent in the languages of all different kinds of music so that I will be a serious competitor in the real world of the music industry; specifically, the drumming business.