Black and White

Screw it. I've decided to stop thinking about how to start this blog out and just start. I'm pretty much just typing what's coming to my head, so this blog might turn out somewhat incomprehensible.

Anyways, I wanted to write about how music has affected my life; how it's put me through tough times and gotten me out of rough times; how it's such an amazing part of my life. So...here goes nothing.

Like swimming, I was somewhat forced to participate. A good friend of mine back in Wisconsin had just started to play violin. My mother, thinking it would be a good idea for me to start also, pulled one of her little tricks. "Hey, Jay. Look at HJ. Isn't he so cool playing violin? He told me he really likes it. You have a lesson next week." I, being a five year old (as opposed to a rebellious teen), just kind of followed along. It was one of those, your parents are always right moments. So with that, started a very musical journey through my elementary and high school years.

As I said before, I had plenty of arguments with my parents about practicing. One frequent topic was my mom being too strict with checking my intonation on the tuner. Oh, and then the amount of time spent practicing... That was a fun one. (Hold please, idiot kid pulled the fire alarm and now I have to go stand outside in forty degree weather for twenty minutes)

Back, give me one more second to warm up my toes. Yes, I was smart enough to put a jacket on, but nothing more than flip flops for my feet...

Before I go on, I would like to say that I have no regrets about violin at all. I might have had some arguments with my parents about practicing before, but going through all that was totally worth it. Through all these arguments came a better musician, someone who was more focused, someone who could experience the benefits of hard work and persistence.

Now that I've stopped taking lessons, and without any music programs at UIC (that I know about at least), my life has felt extremely empty. (Gah...writer's block... I'm gonna try a bit of a jump. I hope it isn't too far of a leap...)

Because I don't have the opportunity to play as much anymore, I've attempted to fill this void by joining the opposite end of the music world: listening. I could go on about so many different topics that have to do with listening, but since it's 1:30 AM already, I'll just talk about my absolute favorite instrument.

It's not violin. I think I've heard myself playing violin too much to find anything amazing about it anymore. I love the sound, but, growing up with it, it's a bit too much.

It's piano, and I think one video can explain why. I'm proud to present... Yiruma playing an original composition "River Flows In You."



Recently, Henry, a close friend, told me he was trying to learn how to play this piece. And at that moment, I knew how I was going to really bring music back into my life. I decided, after listening to the song over and over and over again until about 2:00 AM yesterday, that I'd try to teach myself how to play piano, starting with this piece.

Race you to the end Henry!