"One Heart, One Beat...". When I hear this phrase, it evokes many images and sounds. I imagine a dancer, whose heart beats to the rhythm of the music. I picture a symphony orchestra, hearts aligned as they follow their conductor's every motion. I envision a soloist, her heart racing in time with the applause of an audience moved by her performance. The unifying thread in all these images and experiences is the power of music. In today's world, people are often divided. Diversity is weaponized, cultures are disconnected, and the beauty of individuality is lost in the name of senseless prejudice. Despite the division in our world, music endures. It is my long held belief that music is a universal language that transcends barriers to bring people together. When we are so divided, music unites us, allowing individuals to share and appreciate each other's cultures and stories. This exchange of cultures is seen everywhere: in highschool choirs learning African-American spirituals, in operas being translated in hundreds of different languages, and in pop music, which builds worldwide communites around a common interest. Music has the power to unify hearts and souls around the globe around one rhythm. It would be remiss of me to insist upon the power of music without exploring the impact of music upon my own life. It is because of music's ability to connect to others that I have chosen to pursue a career—and a lifetime—of music performance. I distinctly remember the moment I decided to become a performer. As a child no older than eight, I sat in the orchestra section of a New York City theater, tears in my eyes as I witnessed a performance of "Les Misérables" for the first time. I had always loved music, but in this moment I understood the bond shared between a performer and the audience. Schönberg's composition conveyed both tragedy and beauty, and the actors on stage brought the story to life with their passion. As it always does, music communicated something impactful to me that night. I recognized the beauty of being able to communicate a story to an audience. As I dabbed away my tears with napkins from my intermission snack, I realized I too wanted to impact others with my music. I wanted to invoke deep emotion in future audiences in the same way emotion had been invoked in me that night. To this day, any time I am fortunate to experience a live broadway performance, I am always brought to tears by the opening act. If I am made to summarize, then my conclusion is simple. The path I have chosen for my life is because of Music's ability to unify people through one heart, and one beat.