Prior to joining the RHS Orchestra and Choir, my musicianship was rudimentary. I was not self-reliant in my performances and found myself almost always following others, lacking confidence in myself. I enjoyed playing with others, but everything changed when I came to Reading High.
One of my first classes in tenth grade included Orchestra/Choir. I remember distinctly walking into Mr.Richards office. The minute I realized I was the only second violin, I chose to sit in the back by myself as far from Mr.Richards as possible. I was afraid of making a mistake in the midst of a class filled with upperclassmen, and I kept to myself. I did not want to be noticed, especially being surrounded by violinists and cellists who played much better than I did. Naturally, I also struggled with singing out in choir rehearsal when I knew the notes fairly well because of this fear of making a mistake or being wrong. This lack of self assurance created an isolation and a fear of growing musically. I was so focused on believing I needed to be perfect and while I did enjoy music, I was still uneasy with showing what I can do in fear of being judged. …show more content…
At first I believed I wasn’t good enough to join the ensemble, but with further encouragement from my friends in the music department and Mr.Richards, I joined the ensemble. I noticed as I kept practicing in an environment surrounded by other players who wanted to improve and worked hard, I found confidence in myself to play out and realize it’s okay to not be perfect. I also auditioned for Vocal Company and found confidence in my singing abilities as I learned the notes and focused on being a part of an ensemble that truly connected and focused on making