A Discovery: Music Composition

by Nieves Villasenor (freshman)

Throughout life we go through many stages where we think we know what we want to do with our lives. As a Teaching Fellow, all of us have decided that that very thing is teaching. For me, it's music, and I had always figured since I had received the scholarship, that teaching music is the only thing that I would want to do. While being at ECU, meeting new people, exploring new concepts, and getting a look at what more there is to offer, I have seen my opportunities expand.

Now, nothing has changed with me wanting to be a teacher. It's been my dream since high school to create and manage a band program at a high school. It's very different being a music educator, its much like being a coach. Music programs are visible across regions, and many times, much like sports teams, serve as representatives as a school. Recently; however, I have discovered a new realm of music that I believe would help me to be a better educator and that is music composition.

I have written music ever since the summer of 2005 when I had my first concert piece, "To Challenge the Earth and Skies," premiered in front of an audience of hundreds in Jones Auditorium at Meredith College. The North Carolina Governor's School students of that year did a great job with it, and even some of my fellow Teaching Fellows remember me because of it. At the time until now, it had always been a hobby of mine. As I matured as a musician and broadened my horizons of what kinds of music exist, I explored and experimented with varieties of styles.

My tenure so far at East Carolina has been most influential in my thought of possibly double majoring in music composition. I've met great people like Dr. Jacobs, Brandon Martel, Brian Bonsteel, Jamie Kofink, Kimberly West, Nathan Walker, and many people who have inspired me to take that path as well as a music composer. Their praise and criticisms have helped me to discover that I might have a possible future in this field as well. By coupling my abilities as an educator and my creativity as a writer, I believe that both these strengths will make me a better prepared educator.

In the future, I hope to premiere yet another piece, this time to an audience of my peers at East Carolina University. With the superb School of Music available to me, new experiences ahead of me, and a numerous amounts of interested ears, I believe I will only grow as a musician.