Piano
Most start with the piano. The piano is probably the simplest form of any musical instrument out there that will teach you the basics. From piano, you will learn how to read music, distinguish notes from different notes, and coordinate your hands with the music in front of you. For some, it takes a while to learn everything, and for others it comes naturally. Ultimately though, you will gain a skill that you will come to appreciate greatly.There are many benefits that come with playing the piano. Oftentimes, the contemporary music that you listen to involves the piano or keyboard. It’s not hard to get on google and search for the piano sheet music for that song—once you find it, you’re free to learn it and play it as much as you want. It’s also a great ego-booster to play that popular song in front of your friends and receive praise for how talented you are and how they all wished they could play the piano too.
But what about college application benefits? Fear not, your years of piano will not go to waste! There are plenty of opportunities out there that will show colleges your passion for the piano. The obvious option is piano competitions. Talk to your teacher and ask if there are any upcoming competitions, and express your interest in them. Be ready and willing to practice hard though—winning won’t come easily. Oftentimes, you will get money and awards for winning: an added bonus along with an application-booster! Start off with local competitions that are easier to win. When you’ve gotten enough competition experience (it takes a while to gain control of the jitters that come with nervousness), talk to your teacher about regional, state, or even national competitions. A state or national title is much more prestigious than a local one. Keep in mind that national competitions usually involve preliminary state rounds. Again, expect to be working hard for these; you are competing against people who are at or above the same level as you, and don’t be surprised if you run into people who are intensely competitive. There are home-schooled kids who practice all day (that’s all they do, it seems), and train for these state/national competitions. It isn’t impossible to come out above these prodigies, but it will take a lot of time and effort.
Besides piano competitions, there are also the options of recitals and performances. Think about putting on a solo recital, or arranging benefit recitals and donating the money to an organization. There is a lot that you can do with your involvement in piano; be creative!
This article was written by Grace Do
| Back to index | ||
| Still have questions? Ask the author on our forum! | ||
