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Delani Creech

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Crocheting
  • Tutoring
  • Music Production
  • Music Composition
  • Music
  • Music Theory
  • Japanese
  • Travel And Tourism

Reading

  • Realistic Fiction
  • Music

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

Hello, I'm Delani! I'm currently in the second year of my degree in Music Performance at Eastern Michigan University. In my elementary school years, I was always known for being the quietest and most shy person in the class. As someone now diagnosed with anxiety, I was worried that my shyness would never change. But, I did finally find my voice when I picked up the cello in sixth grade. It was soon after that I decided on music as a career path. I always knew that I wanted to go to college, ever since I was a kid. But being a first-generation college student coming from a blue-collar family, I knew I would have to work harder for this goal than the average student. I made it my goal to graduate college with a degree in music with as little debt as possible for myself and my family. I planned to reach this goal by pushing myself to earn the highest grades I could manage and participating in extracurriculars. After four years of pushing my limits, I graduated with a GPA of 4.097, ranking sixth in my graduating class. During high school, I won blue medals yearly at MSBOAs Solo and Ensemble as well as their State level competition. I also held first chair in the Clawson High School String Orchestra and was a member of my school's NHS chapter. Beyond high school, I have helped finance my education by launching my career as a freelance cellist. As of 2019, I have been hired for several gigs at many different types of events, such as weddings, church services, and private parties. I have also taken up two jobs as a Resident Advisor and a peer tutor at my college.

Education

Eastern Michigan University

Bachelor's degree program

2020 – 2024

Majors:
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General
  • Music
Minors:
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
GPA3.9 GPA

Clawson High School

High School

2016 – 2020

GPA4.0 GPA

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
Music, Visual and Performing Arts, General
Medical school interest:
No
Test scores:
  • SAT1250

Career

  • Resident Advisor

    Advising · Eastern Michigan University Housing and Residence Life

    Jan 2021 – Present

  • Student Assistant Coach

    Music · Independent Strings Program

    Jan 2019 – Present

  • Performer

    Music · Freelance

    Jan 2019 – Present

  • Cashier and salesperson

    Retail · Detroit Violin Company

    Jan 2019 – Jan 2020

  • Cashier

    Food & Beverages · Julian Brother's Bakery

    Jan 2018 – Jan 2019

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Music
Dream career goals:
Private teacher and performer
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Volunteering
  • Entrepreneurship
JuJu Foundation Scholarship
There is so much beauty to be seen in the world, but one of the most beautiful sights I have seen to this day was on a scorching August day in downtown Detroit when I was set to perform in a wedding service on the roof of the Detroit Opera House. I could practically taste the air getting hotter as my group and I rode the elevator to the top floor and climbed the stairs to the roof. I opened the door to the rooftop and was immediately greeted by the clearest blue skies and the most gorgeous view of the skyscrapers that make up the Detroit skyline. I was only 17 and had performed in other settings before, but the beauty I witnessed on this day was what inspired me to pursue a career in music. I took a moment to take in the atmosphere: the flowers adorning the wedding arch, the color-coordinated chairs, the beautiful gowns that the bridesmaids wore, and the seemingly infinite expanse of buildings that touch the sky. We went up to the railing and looked down on all the cars in the street, we could even see Comerica Park below us. When it came to the actual performing, my group and I were primarily hired to provide background music before the service, but the two most experienced musicians in my group selected me as their third performer to play for the bride when she walked down the aisle. I was honored. This was the first time I was given such a great responsibility. It was all of the beauty that I experienced on that day that solidified my decision to pursue an education in music and a career in freelance performing. I loved performing prior to this occasion, but all of the beautiful sights that I saw on that day are what inspired me. This taught me that a career in performing, despite the financial burden that an education in music would place on me, would lead me to live my best life. I would get to do what I love, while also getting to travel to new places and see beautiful scenery. It is that drive to experience the beauty in the world that inspires me today.
Austin Kramer Music-Maker Scholarship
My piece is inspired by the longing I have felt over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic to return to the in-person music collaboration that I have missed so dearly with both my university orchestra and the improvised music group I am a part of. This piece contains four cello parts, all played by myself, with each in a different register. This created a sound similar to that of a string quartet or a choir of cellos. This piece is entirely improvisational in nature, with each added voice breathing life into the piece the moment it left my fingers. In creating this I mimicked the process used with my improv group when we used to meet, which helped ease some of my longing.
SkipSchool Scholarship
As a cellist myself and the granddaughter of someone who suffered from a similar neuromuscular disease, my favorite artist is the cellist Jacqueline du Pré. I am inspired most by her immense talent, her perseverance in music despite her disease, and the fact that she is the only female cellist to reach that level of fame in history.
Delani Creech Student Profile | Bold.org