Black and Red Simple Mind Map by linda

Statement of Intent: The project will be titled “Piano” since the instrument has impacted my life significantly. Learning piano pulled me into classical music, introducing to me many wonderful pieces that I would not have known otherwise. It also brought me joy and frustration; happiness in completing a piece, praised by my teachers, and winning first prize in competitions but frustration in the process of comprehending new skills, techniques, music theory, as well as playing with musicality and correct rhythm. Not only creating a roller-coaster of emotion, music has also taught me the importance of rigorous hard work, the ability to be flexible and trace and mould myself to fit different styles, the  as well as that perfection can not be achieved but should be pursued.  From works of Chopin to Beethoven to Bach, the composers conveyed their ideas through different pieces; they spoke of the hard, determined inner-core under the decoration of a soft, luxurious velvet cover; they spoke of courage, dedication, and perseverance during ups and downs in one’s lifetime; they spoke of self-discipline, humbleness, accompanied with appreciation of a decent life; they spoke of simple, child-like happiness; the pieces conveyed the composer’s identity, beliefs, and spirit. Completed months before his death, Schubert’s final sonata, for instance, vocalized a calm, reflection-like gaze upon one’s lifetime, like observing the process of going from childhood to adulthood to old age, finally, to death. To note another, Chopin’s sonata in B-flat major Op. 35 revealed the hard, courageous, determined core hidden under a soft exterior. It conveyed Chopin’s resolution for Poland to achieve independence from Russia, as well as his guts to turn down the Tsar’s offer to be his royal composer. Of the above are only a few jewels in the vault of classical music. A couple of stars in the dark, endless skies, the pieces of classical convey the truest of emotions, the wisdom of different people, and finally one’s culture, beliefs, and identity as a person.