My favorite artist is Aretha Franklin. With her voice, she has the ability to invoke emotion, sometimes even without saying actual words. Music is such a powerful tool to convey such intense emotion and singing is a unique outlet due to the fact that singers have the gift of words. Known for her soulful voice and powerful words, Franklin is known as one of the greatest artists of all time.

If money was no issue I would spend all of my time traveling. Classical music spans so many different languages and cultures, it is important to immerse oneself in as many other cultures than one’s own as possible. Many operas and other large classical works take inspiration from cultural folk stories, such as Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. Classical music does not have its foundation in American society; therefore, it is vital to visit the places where the great composers and musicians lived and thrived. Classical music also spans several languages, the most important for vocal music being English, German, Italian, and French. It is important that as a musician, one is able to visit the places where these languages originate and thrive to fully understand the inflections and dialects of each language. Travel is also important to classical music because many of the composers we regard as legendary, such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, and Byrd are all from different places and cultures. To truly understand cultural implications and standards of certain types of music, one must travel to their place of origin and surround themself with people from lands other than where one is from. Travel is essential to broaden one’s horizon and expand one’s knowledge of the workings of the world.

This photo is from June 2018, when I hiked the Grandfather Mountain trail in Linville, NC. This is one of the hardest hikes in the Eastern United States, with its rocky terrain and completely uphill hike. During my trip, there was extra difficulty, as it was raining during the entire hike. I hiked 13.7 miles of the trail in two days, stopping only to roll out my sleeping bag at night. Although this is the most difficult hike I have ever done even to this day, the view from the top was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

In the fall, I will be attending Furman University as a double major in Voice Performance and Music Education (Choral). As a student studying music at Furman University, students are offered the opportunity to be an exchange student to a music college in Italy to study, live, and learn for six months. I plan to take advantage of this opportunity to improve my vocal technique, learn about new cultures, and better understand and pronounce Italian. Through my vocal studies, I have been able to learn small amounts of Italian language and pronunciation, but not enough to carry a thorough conversation. One of my biggest goals is to learn as much of the Italian language as I can to not only further myself as a musician, but to help grow my personal relationships. My godfather is originally from Italy, and although he speaks fluent English, I know it would mean a lot to him to be able to speak his original language. I would also travel to Italy to improve myself as a musician. To be a truly successful choral conductor, one must have a full grasp on the technique and inner workings of the human voice. I have been studying classical voice and choral music for several years, and currently attend a residential high school for the arts to have a special emphasis on my musical studies. Italy is known around the world as one of the biggest and most important hubs for classical music in the modern world and has some of the best music schools on Earth. Being able to study in the Mecca of music would be an extraordinary opportunity to develop my voice, techniques, and practices to become a better artist and musician. Living in the Southern United States for my entire life, I have not had a chance to travel outside of the country to explore a culture that is different from my own. When I was very young, my parents traveled together to Italy and have been telling me about their trip for my whole life. The entire country is teeming with rich and deep cultures that I dream of experiencing. Travel broadens horizons, and I want mine to be endless.

All through middle and high school, I was and currently still am involved with choir and choral music. It was not until I entered my current school, the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, did I find a choir professor that exemplified who I wanted to be. My choir professor is a role model in my life that has taught me that it is okay not to be perfect. In choir, one must have exact precision to create the most beautiful sound in an ensemble. When I first came to the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, I struggled with perfectionism in every aspect of my life, especially in my music studies. My choir professor Is a very reserved man, and cares deeply about the well-being of his students. One of the advantages of a residential high school is that students can develop a stronger relationship with mentors and classmates that enrich the student’s personal and academic life. My choir professor also teaches my conducting class, and has been able to help me to relax in my music and be precise without being too hateful about myself and my voice. My choir professor has had such a profound impact on my life and personal career, I have decided to follow in his footsteps myself and pursue my doctoral degree in conducting. I want to pass on the lessons my choir professor has taught me to other voice students who are eager to learn and are constantly in love with music.

1. Max loves to cuddle!! 2. Max loves hiding in dark, secluded places, which can lead to some pretty creepy photos. 3. Max loves swimming! He comes with us to the lake every summer. 4. Max is incredibly stylish and has several outfits to say so. His favorite is his sequin Santa suit he wears every Christmas. 5. Max is a hard worker!! 6. Max is an aspiring model and is wearing his creation called a “towel.” 7. Max never says no to a good nap! 8. Max loves to go on car rides! 9. Max loves to sunbathe!

In the summer of 2020, I was sitting in my room when my friend messaged me to see if I would join them for a casual movie night. Little did I know that this would become a defining experience where I would discover my favorite film of all time: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). This romantic comedy is based on the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley, published from 2004-2010. What struck me about this movie was the use of video game special effects in every day life. The lengths the actors and crew went through to make Scott Pilgrim vs. the World look like a video game are truly note worthy. Edgar Wright, the film’s director, even went so far as to instruct the cast not to blink to create a more video-game-esque feeling to the characters. Another aspect of the film that made me fall in love was the music scene. In the film, the band Sex Bob-Omb is trying to infiltrate the alternative-grunge scene of the early 2000s. I feel a kinship with these band members and the band culture that connects to my own childhood in the early 2000s. My father had a grunge band for several years, and some of my fondest memories were made when my mom and I would go see him play late on a Saturday night. Scott Pilgrim also uses color theory very generously in the film to create an aesthetic palette that is pleasing to look at. The color palette chosen for this movie is also reflective of the color palette of the original video game.