The Symphonic Girl

Jessie Wall (11) prepares to play her trombone. (Photo credits by: Kayli Martin)

Music is something we always have around us. Whether the music comes from our headphones or from the birds that sing in the trees, we can feel the power music has over us in our daily lives.

Now all of us love listening to music for different reasons, but some of us prefer to create the music ourselves. We all know of these students whether they are in the choir, band, or just strumming around with a guitar; they create their own sound to follow. There is one girl in our school, however, that took her passion for music to the next level.

Jessie Wall (11) plays the trombone not only for our band, but also for the Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra. She played for them last year as well but this year it’s a little different. This year she is the principal chair of the trombones.

“I was really excited; it means a lot to know your hard work is paying off,” said Wall about making principal.

Now anyone can see that this is a huge honor and achievement. Not many people our age would go this far in dedication and hard work to reach this level of excellence. A lot is expected for a position like this but the outcome of the work and stress is all worth it.

“It’s really fun and rewarding, and you get to meet other people from other schools,” Wall said.

Of course a this is not easily reached. Constant practice and training is the only thing that can excel someone to this degree. After this, of course, is passion.

If you don’t have passion in whatever you’re working for it is almost pointless to even continue. Without that drive that I want to do better in something, practice and hard work can only go so far. Now finding a passion with music is something different than finding it for anything else.

Most of us can listen to a song and find a passion in that song. Most of us cannot however, find a passion of what music actually means to us. Is the music an escape, and that is as far as it will ever go? Is it for relaxing at the end of a long day?

For Wall music is different for her. “Music on a whole is a form of expression to me, and when I hear other people’s music it means a lot to me to hear their voice through music.”

Music can be universally agreed upon as something we all seek. The reasons we go to it vary, and how we hear and view on it vary as well. We all love music and some-like Wall- put their lives into it. How is it that music affects us so anyway? Why does a series of sounds bring some of us to tears?

This is a question only you can answer, but it can be agreed on something. That music is so powerful that it can make people fall in love, be inspired, and save them from themselves.

It also makes some of us love it so much that they will willingly dedicate their lives to stay with it.