I want to inspire others; to give them something that will make a difference in their lives. Something that made all the difference in mine. My name is Ashley Marr, and I am a pianist, composer, and piano teacher in my sophomore year at the University of Indianapolis. From an early age, I have had a passion for music and my instrument, the piano, and it is this love of music that has had such a phenomenal impact on my life. It has been an absolute blessing to me; a blessing that I now aspire to pass on to my students and all those around me, so that it may impact their lives just as much, if not more, than it has mine. I have been teaching piano for almost two years now, and have taught students from only 5 years old all the way to teens and adults. I absolutely adore my students, and through teaching, I have found more fulfillment than I ever would have dreamed; and it is because of this that I want to continue to pursue this part of my musical life. I want to be able to share with my students the thing that brought so much joy and opportunity to me, and to pass on all its incredible blessings. Nothing compares to seeing each and every one of them grow and develop their skills in music, and the excitement and pride that they have when they can see their improvement and play all the tunes from their favorite movies or that classical piece that they have always wanted to learn. Music is a powerful thing, it reflects and forms the ideas of our society, and it was music that played such a huge part in keeping me out of trouble and on track throughout my childhood and early teen years. I never had the time nor the interest to get into trouble; I was too busy practicing and composing music. It became a huge priority in my life, and as a result, I experienced many incredible opportunities that I never would have had otherwise. It is through my own life and experience that I have realized its importance in not only my life, but of the lives of those around me; in particular, those of my students. So much can be gained through playing it; students learn responsibility, commitment, creativity, professionalism, perseverance, and good work ethic - lessons that they will be able to apply to all aspects of their lives.These are qualities that my first piano teacher taught to me, and now, they are qualities that I want to pass on to my students, both present and in the future, for years to come. I want to be a part of those who foster the next generation of musicians, and to share what I have been given with my community. This is a main reason as to why I have pursued a higher education; the more that I learn and grow musically, the more that I have to teach to my students and give to those around me. Music making is a beautiful and extraordinarily fulfilling thing, and is something that I believe needs to be shared with the world; one student at a time.

What if a single song could save your life...forever? That would be crazy, insane even; at least that's what many would say. And yet, there is a song that will do just that...that is, if you believe what it tells you. "Flawless" by the Christian band MercyMe, is a song that conveyed to me the most important message of my life, and what I believe is the most important message of anyone's life; young and old alike. The message given in this song is the message of Salvation, which states that anyone, by merely believing in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, can have eternal life, no matter how awful or unworthy they think they are. In the lyrics "No matter the hurt, or how deep the wound is, no matter the pain, still the truth is, the cross has made you flawless", this song states that no one is too far gone, no one is too flawed, for Christ to save. He loves us unconditionally, all we have to do is believe in Him. This song was so incredibly inspirational for me growing up and continues to be even now in my life as a Christian; serving as a constant reminder of the amazing grace of God - who saved, loved, and will continue to love me unconditionally. Songs have many great messages in them that can benefit someone, and I have heard countless songs that teach many great life lessons in them, but none of them compares to the message contained in "Flawless". What greater message could be expressed in music than the life saving gospel message of Christ, that you can live forever by just a simple belief in Him...because He loves you, no matter who you are or what you do? Nothing, to me.