Writing Assignment 1: My Musical Identity Music, in all its complexity can be seen as a living, breathing mechanism that has the ability to sink deep down into one’s soul and create feelings of awe, excitement and wonder. Music speaks to and connects people of all cultures, backgrounds and ideologies, creating a common bond between various members of the human species. When listening to a beautifully composed piece of music, I myself cannot help but feel connected to the instruments, the artists and the composer. It has been my experience that music not only helps me learn, but also helps me grow. From an early age I grew up listening to the sounds of Motown with my dad. He would sing songs to me like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”
One of my favorite pieces of music to choreograph to is a song written by John Mark McMillan and covered by the band Jesus Culture called “How He Loves”. I sing, play guitar and dance to this song a great deal of the time, particularly because of the significance of the both the lyrics and the musical accompaniment. The lyrics, which speak of God’s insurmountable love for His people mixed with the instrumental music in the background, touches my heart in a special way. There is also a particular part in the song that I find to be the most significant element of it. Following the first chorus, the singing comes to a pause and a soft yet powerful guitar solo begins. Whoever composed that piece of music was truly inspired. Perhaps music does to others what it has been able to do for me throughout my life, which has been to touch my heart in a multitude of ways. It has been my desire to see the art of music reach and touch the lives of many. An even deeper desire of mine would be for me to be apart of that, if even in a small way. Music does indeed connect and impact so many of us while fostering a deep sense of gratitude for its