Capstone Reflection

Thinking about the process and product of your Capstone, reflect upon what you are most proud of and what you might do differently if you were to complete a similar project in the future. 

If I had to pick one thing I was most proud of from my capstone, it would be the composition itself. Prior to this year I had only written music once and it was only fourteen measures. For this project, I took the opportunity to write something from the heart and not worry too much about the style. To be perfectly honest my first attempt at the project was an orchestra arrangement of a song that I admire, “The Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahashi (composed by Toshiyuki Oumori and Hidetoshi Satou). However during the process of arranging it to be played with only 4 parts I scrapped the idea because I felt that I wasn’t expressing myself enough with the piece. This led to the creation of my second attempt and the final product of my capstone composition,「燃える心は夢を叫ぶ」 “Moeru Kokoro wa Yume o Sakebu” which I will not translate because I think it sounds cooler when it is more of an unknown. Also I am just embarrassed to say it both outloud and in writing. Even so, it is still mine and I am very proud of how it turned out. If I were to do anything differently, I would have only changed the key signature and the chords because my heart wrote something that I love the sound of, but hated learning to play. 

Explain how your life experiences are reflected through your project. 

I didn’t really write the composition thinking about my life experiences; I just experimented with different concepts that I had which were usually just a rhythm or chord. I built measures about those elements before writing the complementary side. However, looking back on the composition I named it for what I felt after listening to the entire piece for the first time.  My dreams, my experiences in school, and the path I want to take in the future culminated into the writing of my composition.  Every class, every lesson, every audition, and every performance led to the creation of this piece and the emotion I wished to convey in its writing. I hope that even some of that emotion is felt through the composition and if even one person can connect with it, I will feel that I was able to properly convey how I feel about my experiences.

Thinking about the Extra-curricular hours you completed, reflect upon what you learned through the experiences and/or how you have been impacted as an artist? 

As I said before, I think that every audition and lesson has worked to shape me to where I am now.  So for me personally, what I gained from these experiences was more than just hours, it was my growth as a person. If I had not worked with Mr. Moulding to prepare for regional auditions, I don’t think I would be half the bass player that I am now or be able to sight read as well. If I had not seen the musical “Ride the Cyclone” during the Close Up trip to D.C. I think I would have lacked the inspiration to break away from the conventional. And if I had not participated in the homecoming parade, I would not have enjoyed my senior year to its fullest. All the hours I logged for extracurriculars and even the hours I couldn’t log have impacted my ability as an artist today and given me both the skill and inspiration I need to keep going on my musical journey past high school.

How is your life positively impacted by the arts? 

The arts are where I find most of my inspiration in life. Musicals from the Disney Rennaisance shaped my childhood with classics like Hercules, Mulan, and  The Lion King. Plays such as Othello and Hamlet showed me how to create deeper meaning in our words and actions. And music especially has brought me the piece of mind to survive day to day. Music has truly changed my life and without I don’t think I could survive. Classical, Rock, R&B, even JPOP, all hold a special place in my heart because they can all convey the complex thoughts and emotions we have sometimes without even a single word. A world without music and the performing arts would be a bleak one, if ever another word could describe it better. But I have not only been impacted by the performing arts; the literary arts earn just as much credit in the positive impact they have had on me. Some of my favorites books include The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series. Poems and short stories such as “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost or “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Edgar Allen Poe made me think. And novels that provoke the mind such as “No Longer Human” by Osamu Dazai have been impactful. The arts mean everything to me and I know I said it before, but I really would not be who I am today if I did not take the time to learn and appreciate the arts to their fullest.

How do you plan to include artistic experiences in your future after high school? 

After high school I plan to go to college and major in electrical engineering. While at the moment I don’t plan to continue with bass professionally, I hope to continue playing recreationally. I’m not quite sure if I’m ready to play in a professional setting, but I want to keep practicing and improving my playing ability. I have even considered the idea of learning a new instrument such as piano or guitar. I don’t want to give up bass, but I also feel that I would be doing myself a disservice if I did not try new things in music. Besides that, I think I might want to delve into the idea of doing physical art and maybe create a comic or something similar in the future. But before any of that, I just want to get another Superior with Distinction ranking as an orchestra before graduation to close out the year.

What advice would you give an incoming freshmen about studying the arts to help them make the most of their experiences while in high school? 

The most important thing I could say to incoming freshmen is to continue with music because you enjoy it. If you aren’t feeling it, or don’t want to continue, then don’t force what isn’t there or you’re going to hate it. But for the players who love music, and playing, and want to continue to improve:  keep going. Nothing will stop you from finding the inspiration to improve as long as you love what you do and the instrument you play. Play from the heart and let it guide you along your musical journey wherever that road leads you. Also, we get a ton of field trips in the band or orchestra so if want a reason to get out of class every couple of months, that one is a freebie.