Mastering Music

Prologue

Hear around you. Let the sound sink in and sense every one of the little twitches, squeaks, rumbles and others that embody everyday life. Each and every little piece of noise creates an atmosphere that connected with the other ones near by creates a space that is unique every single time. Music is characterized by being an Union of sounds made by instruments to create a more cohesive joint of sounds that embodies each and every one of the musicians involved. Each one of them has put there own part and different little piece spice adding to the song creating a new version, that may be similar, making a different experience for each and every one of the people in the stands. Having a different interpretation, based on their own personal experiences and personality making music an universal language that transcend the differences anyone has to make a beautiful atmosphere that each piece has.

But for me music has different meaning. It is a medium to express yourself and create who you are by expanding on your characteristics to make a song that characterizes your personality. With a musician being the instruments, in which they make the real music that uses each and every inch of their soul to make something that is different, but nonetheless amazing. Each an every instrument has a player as they relate  to the one they are played by. One is connected to it because the instrument is the same as the musicians. As an equal to my instrument I understand that I'm like my saxophone the sound of it embodies my, and shows the world who I really am. Like a trumpet is strong and loud it's player must be equal, or he or she will not find the true connection it is needed to by a good musician. As they will not find the trumpet the same they may need to play the flute to feel comfortable with you, and understand that we are the instrument and not force the instrument to be us.

I started playing on my school's band as they lend us the instruments. The band project had been for a couple of years already and they had bought a couple of new ones to meet demands and replace some of the worse ones out there. My decision to enter the band came with my personal experience with it. My school dictates that unless you get to fourth grade you are not allowed to enter it. So when I was on second grade, with not very defined taste or, really any know ability with music that made me driven to play music. In fact I often hated going through music class regularly, but it changed one day. That day was part of the music week, basically this yearly tradition that the school makes, for two reasons. Raise money for the band and give more incentive for the next generation of musicians. Generally the week is full of live performances from the students and teachers. You all of them play their favorite pieces and then try to persuade you give them money, or enter the next year, for the ones who are able. The day I talk about there were two performances that really captivated me and showed the real music, to me. There was this saxophonist. One with a much different look, one to young to be a teacher and one to old to be a student. When he entered the stage the older musicians, the sixty graders, were in awe in his pressence. There was a silence in the crowd, as all were trying to figure out who he was. He prepared everything, he aligned the music stand, graved the music sheets and accommodated them in it, positioned the microphone in the horn, took a deep breath and. A sound that came to the ear slowly and gently. Softly creating a breeze through you face that make you feel at home. This jazzy and warm melody creates and aura safety, that makes you forget about the stress of daily life. Giving your body up and letting your soul free to be overwhelmed by this amazing sound. Every note was fueled by pure talent and every little segment of the song was filled with a pure emotion of tranquility and safety, that stays with your soul for the rest of your life. Later that day, even if I had not yet stopped experiencing the music in my body, there was a closing concert with all of the musicians banding together one last time this week. The song was the piece by Ludwig Van Beethoven Ode to Joy. It would have been a normal performance, with their more played out song, except that even the musicians were surprised as they saw their professors and mentors step in, side by side and play. The song started, with a very slow tempo. Not many surprises, going exactly as the sheet said, but as everyone was ready to not care anymore, the director stopped them quickly, and the professors took over making a common heard piece into a new masterpiece, or so my nine year old self believed. With a powerful and determined sound that created a fear inducing beast that kept you on the top of your seat waiting what twist might come up next. And what a twist it was. The saxophonist stepped up and took center stage with a more incredible solo than the one before hand. A different sound came from the instrument as he gave a fierce attack, as he unleashed the beast that the song was hiding into all of us making feel a rush, I have never felt before. Filling the room excited and amused kids, as the performance impressed all the people in the stands, and all of the kids were excited, but me. Now I was already thinking on how badly I wanted to enter the band.

As next year came, I was ready to take the test to enter the band. A simple rhythmic and music test to show if I had some basic understanding of music, surprisingly I passed with the highest score. Especially since it took my a bit to correctly do some of the more difficult ones. When I picked my saxophone, the director told me it was from a quite incredible saxophonist we had two years ago. A silver saxophone that sounded gorgeously, once I actually learned to play it. Learning to play was not that hard. It took me around a week to master the basic scale, and around a month and a half to get the first song, unsurprisingly it was Ode to Joy, but I was still proud of actually being able to play the song that make me want to play the saxophone. I became quite the musician, impressing everyone around me especially the other saxophonist.on my first year I only got to the second seat, just one point of the first seat, who was a senior who had been playing for three years. As well I made two new friends. The sweet and generous flutist Fauna. A great musician with an incredible ability with her flute. A natural sound that is characterized by being like a breathing, living forest. And the trumpeter Tyler. His true ability shines as a powerful musicians which makes the music sound more powerful with every note. We grew as musicians together, and made our music better, but also benefited by the others talents.

After two years and a half, of playing and becoming a good band in the process. A problem occur. Our school were getting some budget cuts, to add more classes. So they could now make a middle and high school expansion, it would take a lot of money, so to get the money the had to sell all of the instruments , so they could start the work and really kick start the project. They were six pieces we were going to play to end this years music festival, and the last one I was going to be part in, as it was my senior year, and the last one was Ode to Joy, again. We played the five other ones. With great reception from the crowns all standing ovations, or so it seemed. As the last piece started and the mouth piece entered, and I blowed the song was a bit off, as we played if slower than usual, with every little piece of saying goodbye to the instruments we loved, and the song carried every little piece of sadness we have given it making a deep impact on the kids on the stairs, as we saw them stand there silently, almost perplexed as they took this song they believed to be standard and give a different spin they had not heard. The power of the cut deeper on us as we fought through that endless sea of sorrow drowning us as we had no hope, especially the older ones. I as the first note came out of my saxophone, couldn't stop myself from crying, as the song that made me start has now ended it...