In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic efforts, school activities, experiences with compassion, sharing, and collaboration, as well as my preparations for my future career path during my time in high school.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
I have loved the piano since I was young and have practiced consistently. Even after entering high school, I wanted to major in music and attended a piano academy to prepare, but my parents had different expectations. They wanted me to keep music as a hobby and encouraged me to focus on my studies for a more stable career path. Eventually, I had to quit the academy I was attending, and at home, I was guided to study primarily the material covered in school.
It wasn’t easy to continue learning piano against my parents’ wishes. However, rather than giving up, I decided to find a way on my own. Because I was so determined to learn piano properly, I worked part-time after school to save up for academy tuition, and when necessary, I used white lies to get around the situation while steadily saving money. As a result, I was able to return to the academy starting in my sophomore year of high school, and thanks to my in-depth self-study of classical music during my freshman year, I didn’t face any major difficulties in the beginner’s course.
My parents, having witnessed my efforts, gradually began to open up. At first, they were skeptical, but after seeing my passion for the field and how I was earning the tuition myself, they began to support me. My mindset was completely different because I was learning out of my own volition, rather than under someone’s coercion or with substantial financial backing. During my sophomore year of high school, I immersed myself in piano practice, which led to winning awards in various competitions. This sense of determination will serve as a major driving force to ensure I do not neglect my studies even after entering college.
Description of Major School Activities and Reflections
As an only child, I received a lot of attention from my parents, but at times, I also faced excessive interference. When I told them I wanted to join the classical guitar club after taking up the piano, they were puzzled. However, since my ultimate goal was to become a musician who loves classical music, I did not rule out learning other instruments. I believed that in today’s music world, it is standard for a musician to play multiple instruments, so I thought it would be advantageous to practice them simultaneously from an early age.
If the piano was my primary instrument, the next instrument I learned was the classical guitar. The classical guitar blends well with the piano’s melodies and is highly versatile in ensemble and orchestral settings. I worked to develop my expressiveness and performance skills by playing pieces I had practiced on the piano at my music school on the classical guitar as well. In fact, pieces I had practiced multiple times on the guitar could be played much more fluently when I practiced them on the piano.
Through club activities, my existing piano skills naturally improved as well. Music academies typically focus on private lessons, so there were few opportunities to practice with others, and scheduling was often tight due to one-on-one sessions with the instructor. In contrast, the club provided an environment where we could play together and share music spontaneously. I had the chance to get to know my classmates from the academy and study music with them, and we could listen to and learn from each other’s performances.
One of the biggest appeals was being able to drop by the club room at any time to play with friends. When we played together, I felt a sense of fulfillment that was different from practicing alone, and it was a new experience to play in sync with the rhythm and progression of an ensemble—rather than performing flashy pieces just to stand out. As we practiced together for two hours every week, I came to realize that music is more beautiful when shared than when played alone.
For these reasons, I continued to participate in the club consistently, even in the face of my parents’ criticism. My parents wanted me to be the best in my major, but I didn’t believe that the value of music lay in being number one. The experience of creating beautiful harmonies within a melody where everyone coexists brought me greater happiness, and through this experience, my career aspiration to play in an orchestra or ensemble in the future became firmly established.
Writing About Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
I love movies like ‘Swing Girls’ and ‘School of Rock’. I was deeply moved by stories of personal growth through music amidst boring daily routines and repetitive classes. During high school, I also went through a slump when piano practice felt difficult, which made me want to break away from exam-focused practice and simply enjoy music for its own sake. So, I planned with my close friends in the classical guitar club to participate in a Christmas concert at the local cultural center.
The concert was an event for local residents, and we participated as an ensemble band, taking on the role of accompanying the choir and vocal ensemble. Since the pieces we were to play were mostly familiar carols and upbeat songs, the practice itself was relatively easy; however, if all club members played only the guitar, the variety of the accompaniment might have been limited. So I prepared piano accompaniment, and my other friends took on instruments they were skilled at—such as the cello and viola—to round out the ensemble.
On the day of the concert, surrounded by young audiences with their families and couples, I felt a great sense of fulfillment seeing the audience respond enthusiastically to our accompaniment. It was a uniquely moving experience—not just playing a piece of music, but having a group sing along to our accompaniment. When the performance and the choir harmonized under the conductor’s baton, I truly felt that our club activities had expanded beyond a simple hobby into a collaboration akin to a real orchestra. Through this experience, I felt I had grown another step as a musician.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
The profound experiences I had during high school played a major role in my decision to pursue higher education and a career as a musician. Earning my own tuition money to continue piano lessons, building a foundation through self-study before readjusting to formal lessons, and achieving success by winning awards in competitions—all of these experiences solidified my career path. The self-directed learning I developed during this process will be a valuable asset in my future academic and performing career.
Furthermore, studying classical guitar concurrently and gaining ensemble experience through a club helped me develop collaborative skills and an understanding of diverse timbres, going beyond the mere accumulation of technical skills. My experience participating in local concerts as an accompanist provided a valuable opportunity to learn how to coordinate with other performers, communicate with the audience, and maintain proper stage etiquette in real-world settings. This practical experience will directly help me adapt quickly to professional training and ensemble activities in college.
Moving forward, I plan to actively participate in ensemble and orchestra activities while pursuing advanced piano training in college. While honing my skills on my own is important, I find even greater joy in the music created together with other musicians. Since my high school experiences laid the foundation for my college path and my attitude as a performer, I aim to continuously learn, collaborate, and grow in line with the ideal of becoming an innovative and inspiring artist.
