Music and Family

 My Mother: the Musician!

Ever since my Mother was a little girl, she has been very passionate for performing and listening to music. She grew up in a house that was always filled with music, whether it was from a record player, from a movie, or simply from hearing family members sing. From a very young age, she quickly decided that music would be a significant part of her life. At the age of 8, she sang "Rockin' Robin" in her school talent show and won! This inspired her to start making music a serious part of her life. She ended up taking voice lessons and being in choir throughout her years of middle and high school. As a child/young teen, she loved listening to "New Kids on the Block", "Phantom of the opera", "Michael Jackson", "Whitney Houston", and "Dolly Parton".

Here is a video of "New Kids on the Block":

Throughout her life, she has seen music evolve. She has seen that some genres have become more explicit, while others have become more unique and expressive. There may be a lot of Industry music, but but there is a lot of Indie music too. For example, Billie Eilish stands out and stays true to herself. Her music taste did not always line up with what her parents liked. She says that if she hears "Brown Eyed Girl" being played one more time she might go crazy! 

Here is a video of "Brown Eyed Girl":

After winning two national singing competitions, she decided to audition for the music school at converse college. She originally wanted to be a math major, but after receiving a full scholarship for singing opera, she decided to pursue a major in vocal performance. The rest is history! She ended up getting her masters degree at Manhattan School of Music in association with the Juilliard school, and her doctorate at University of South Carolina. Overtime, her perception and taste for music has broadened and become more enriched. She has been inspired by both classical pieces she has performed, and popular music. She is now a music teacher and has even found appreciation for unique instruments like the Didjeridu, and the steel drums. 

My Mother has always thought that music is a great way to heal yourself and others. It is also a great way to bring joy to those going through a hard time. Through music, you can connect with those who are different from you in many ways. For example, my mother once had a severely autistic student who did not have the ability to speak. However, she could sing words to express her feelings! Music is something that is so inspiring as an art form and will be deeply appreciated by most of human kind.

Through traveling around the world, my Mother has observed different aspects of popular music in various countries. She says that the Music was very techno and new age sounding in Europe and Mexico. Also, there is a lot of heritage embedded in music of other countries.

Currently, my Mother has her doctorate in vocal performance and is an elementary music teacher who also teaches private voice lessons (when COVID is not infiltrating our lives). Also, she performs gigs in different venues or occasions. 

Here is a picture of my Mother when she met Pavarotti!