Lost in a country I couldn’t call my own and with few ways to communicate, I felt anxious and overwhelmed as a twelve-year-old Japanese girl in the U.S. The most challenging times of my life have stemmed from constantly adjusting to new environments, moving to the East, South, and Midwest due to my father’s job. Yet, in these difficult moments, I always found my confidence and place through the beauty of music. I engaged in various musical activities wherever I went, and music became my means of communication and expression, helping me to overcome the challenges I faced. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” My experience with music embodies this belief. When I began planning for my future, my passion for music inspired me to help others through its power. I soon discovered music therapy and was amazed by its effectiveness across various populations, from older adults in hospice or assisted living facilities to pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care patients. Music can open a closed heart, aid in rehabilitation, improve cognitive function, and serve as a communication tool. Upon learning about music therapy, I decided to attend Western Michigan University, which has one of the top music therapy programs in the U.S. Currently, I am a mentor for United Sound, a community for adults with disabilities to create musical experiences. Working alongside these musicians has been transformative, and their dedication and enthusiasm for music has deeply inspired me as a music therapist. It’s easy to get caught up in striving for perfection in art, especially when it comes to music, but their genuine love for music has reminded me of the pure joy in creating art and the expression, connection, and emotional response it fosters. This mirrors my volunteer experience from this past summer at a Japanese preschool class, where I sang, accompanied songs, and led crafts and musical activities. Witnessing the children’s excitement and enthusiasm reinforced the idea that music is a powerful tool for communication and expression. Last year, I had the honor to be offered a role as a featured saxophone soloist with Redline Percussion, a group of fifty members well-known in the perfusion world as a continuous Michigan champion and a six-time world class finalist. It was a significant challenge to be a part of this renowned group, but through this experience, I discovered the impact my personal performance could have on people, inspiring and exciting thousands. This realization led me to double major in music therapy and music performance. Following this decision, I created a music social media account to share my musical journey, aiming to inspire others and highlight the transformative power of music. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I started a crochet social media account with similar goals in mind as I ultimately wanted to share my creations with the world. I posted free crochet patterns and tutorials, enabling thousands of fellow artists to bring my designs to life. My experiences have reinforced my belief that the power of art can be used to unite and inspire people. My long-term goal is to return to Japan and play a role in increasing the awareness and access to music therapy services. Ultimately, my journey has taught me the incredible potential music has and the profound impact it can have on the lives of others. I am determined to dedicate my future to helping others through using music’s ability to heal and inspire.

Lost in a country I couldn't call my own and with few ways to communicate; I was anxious and overwhelmed as a 12-years old Japanese girl in the U.S. The difficult times of my life have been from adjusting to the constant change in my environment, having to move to the East, South, and Midwest of this country due to my father’s job. Yet in these challenging times of my life, I always managed to find my confidence and my place through music. I got involved with various musical activities wherever I went, and music became my method of communication and expression, helping me overcome challenges I’ve faced. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” My experience with music speaks for this belief. When I began planning for my future, my experience with music interested me to help people in need with the power of music. I quickly found out about music therapy, and I was amazed by its efficacy across various populations ranging from clients with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease, mental health disorder or intellectual and developmental disability, or hospital settings working with pediatric patients or even NICU patients. Upon learning about music therapy, I knew what I wanted to study. Western Michigan University caught my eye as they have one of the top music therapy programs in the U.S. Just as I started building my dream, I found out that my family had to move back to Japan. Although music therapy as a profession and the education is not as advanced in Japan as it is in the U.S. To follow my dream, I had to stay in the U.S. Initially, my usually supportive parents were against the idea mainly due to the financial hardship. Yet, I have managed to convince them by acquiring a music scholarship to cover half of my tuition and promising to get more in the future. Currently, they support my dream and education, though the financial tension has been increasing especially because of inflation in the U.S. and the drop in Japanese currency. I deeply admire Maggie’s diverse skill set and intellectual boldness. As for myself, last spring, I was offered a role as a featured saxophone soloist with Redline Percussion. They are a group of 50 members well known in the percussion world as a continuous Michigan champion and a six time world class finalist. It was an honor but a big challenge to be part of this famous group. Yet, through this experience I discovered the power my performance had on people, inspiring and exciting thousands. I realized that music performance could be another powerful tool to create change in others' lives, which led me to pursue a double degree in music performance. Academically, I have kept a GPA of 3.9 since high school, I’m in honors college, I’m on a Dean’s list of scholastic achievement, and I am a part of Alpha Lambda Delta, the national honor society. My goal is to go back to my home country, Japan, and play a role in increasing awareness and access to music therapy in Japan. To do so, I plan to gain experience as a music therapist in the U.S. and continue my education here to develop the expertise needed to train and inspire future music therapists in Japan with high levels of knowledge, skillset, and motivation. Just like Maggie's devotion and expertise in her passion, my ambition is to contribute to the advancement and recognition of music therapy in my home country.