College Admissions Essay: The Jazz Career

"No, there really are five notes. Just give it a shot and I 'll come back later," he insisted, as I sat quietly in awe at this new form of music.

"Five? No way. There are eight notes in a scale," I reasoned in my head, until I struck the glistening ebony b-flat key, embarking on my long, fruitful journey through The Blues.

Little did I know as I strolled past the music room that day after school, I would change the course of not only my high school career, but also the many years to follow. I stopped and wondered what my classmate was doing by the band room doors. As I moved closer, I saw the audition list for the jazz ensemble.

"You 're auditioning, right?" he asked, sincerely.

“I’m not sure. I have to get home, plus auditions are tomorrow and I don’t have anything ready.”

“Well, do you want to learn a blues scale? I’ll just dictate while I play guitar and you figure the rest out on piano.”

I began listening to a variety of music and explored different interests in school and my community. I decided to enroll in the most meaningful and enjoyable class of my entire high school career: The History of Rock and Roll. This is where I was first introduced to countless artists and genres, from the roots of the Mississippi Delta Blues, all the way to Liverpool to meet my most favorite band, The Beatles.

Learning a simple blues scale lead to the discovery of my passion for playing various kinds of music, but it has also given me a tremendous sense of personal and professional accomplishment. I did not think it would be possible for me, a classically trained pianist for eleven years, to cross over to the worlds of jazz or blues. I never tried it because it seemed too far-fetched; yet once I put my mind to it, I was able to unlock my potential to excel at something completely foreign to