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My decision to apply to the IU Bloomington Jacobs School of Music has been shaped by some of the best music teachers I’ve ever had. These teachers include, but are not limited to, the three people featured in my story. I’ve always loved music, and I would want to do it every day regardless of whether I had good teachers.
When I was ten, I had my first summer of music camp. It was a weeklong cavalcade of strenuous three-hour rehearsals. The junior choir was made up of mostly children ages 10-15 with little-to-no musical background (the tenor and bass parts were covered by the male counselors). I was a beginner on viola at the time, so I was slow to read treble and bass clef. Our director, Hal Hess, an IU Music School alumnus, taught us in a way that enticed us, even those who didn’t plan on careers in music. He made jokes and was a friend to us all. Some of my fondest memories are from those five summers while the choir was under his direction. By the end of the week, he helped us perfect eight pieces that many high-schoolers  would consider a challenge. His ability to rein in a ragtag group of 50 kids and turn them into musicians in the span of a week was amazing to me. During his time directing there, our repertoire included such gems as “Salmo 150” by Ernani Aguiar, “Ave Vera Virginitas” from “Ave Maria” by Josquin de Prez, and “In His Care-o” by William Dawson. I can say that my love for music was never so ignited as under Hal’s direction.
Virginia Long-Cecil was an influential person when it came to shaping my musicality. She was my seventh- and eighth-grade orchestra teacher, also an IU Music School alumna. She gave me the tools I needed to hone my craft on the violin. It was in her class that I was told I had talent as a performer. In those two years, I cemented my plan to go on to music school.
Finally, one evening in fall 2006, a woman who was walking her cat wandered into our backyard. After she and my mom chatted for a while, my mom found out that this woman, Liane Alitowski, had a degree from IU Bloomington in piano performance. As such, my sister, Emily, and I began taking lessons from her once a week. Her demeanor was always laid-back and friendly. I showed her some of my first compositions, and she encouraged me to continue with it. She was the boost of confidence I needed to keep me writing to this day. She taught us for six months, then moved to New York City to teach at Queens’ College.
These individuals convinced me that the Jacobs School of Music has something fine and original to add to my musicality. It would be my honor to be educated in the same school as the teachers who kindled my love for music.