What Music Means to Me

Music has always had a very special place in my heart. I was in choir starting in 8th grade all the way through high school. The choir room became a refuge and my happy place at school. Whenever I was having a bad day I knew that I could at least look forward to choir. When I would get there, it helped me to cope. There have been many times when I have gone to the choir room either during a study hall or after school and just cried. My choir director Mr. Thompson (who also happens to be my pastor), has been a tremendous help to me. For some of our concerts, we would have teachers and other staff member sing with us so we needed additional rehearsals outside of class. These rehearsals would take place at 7 a.m. before school started. Because I live approximately half an hour away from where I went to high school, I would have to get up extra early, around 5:45 a.m. to get ready and out the door. On those days my choir teacher would pick me up and we would always stop and get coffee. I became a tradition that I will miss very much. 

In my high school, we have a class called Senior Exit. We are required to write an 8-page research paper on a topic of our choice that corresponds with a twenty-five-hour project outside of class. My research paper (which you may read here) was on music. For my project, I composed a piece of music along with an accompaniment and drumline which I taught to the second-grade class. On concert night, I led them. This was all possible thanks to the help from my wonderful teachers Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Straka, and my mentor Mrs. Breiwa.

The main reason that music is so important to me is that I can use it to communicate with God. I can use it to cry out to Him when I am in trouble. It can also be used to show reverence toward God. Lastly, and most importantly, it can be used to praise God. And as the Psalmist says "I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." Psalm 104:33 KJV

Love in Christ,

Emily Vanyi-Vine