申请UIUC的Essay范文1：Piano Lessons.

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申请UIUC伊利诺伊大学厄本那-香槟分校的Essay范文：Piano Lessons

What is your single most important extracurricular/volunteer activity and why?

I have always considered my self-employment as a private piano teacher to be my single greatest contribution, not only to my students but to myself. I began giving lessons as a freshman, after several family friends expressed interest in having their children study with me. I admittedly did not know much about what I was getting into - but since I loved music, and I loved these kids, I decided that I would begin to teach them.

As my students - three at first, then four, then five - began to grow and progress musically, I found that my own musical progress was also flourishing. The concepts which I was instilling in these children were also being enforced in my mind. When I played short pieces for my students and challenged them to describe the moods and emotions they elicited, I found myself similarly challenged to rlect on the composer&apos&aposs intentions through choice of key, tempo, phrasing, and dynamics. As each student climbed up on the bench and stared in wonder at the inner workings of my piano, I was reminded to take into account the mechanics of the piano sound and use them to my advantage while playing. As my budding music readers scanned the pages of Beethoven&apos&aposs Hammerklavier Sonata looking for notes marked with sharps and flats, I remembered that it is never too early to familiarize oneself with the great works of musical literature - then it will be much less overwhelming when it comes time to study them in-depth. And as I saw the joy of playing music shining in their eyes and in their performances, I knew why I had begun to study music in the first place. I had to share this joy with anyone and everyone who would accept it. For these reasons - and many more - I will always consider my position as a piano teacher my most important and cherished activity.