“The Purpose in Life and Music”
I believe that each of us was created by God with a unique and meaningful purpose. Nothing that happens in our lives is random or without reason. Every experience... i mean EVERYTHING...whether joyful, painful, challenging, or uplifting plays a role in shaping who we are meant to become. The people we meet, the opportunities we receive, even the obstacles we face, all fit into a larger, divinely orchestrated design by God.
There are no coincidences.
Every moment, every encounter, every circumstance carries significance.
Our lives begin to take on a new kind of beauty when we truly embrace this truth-that both the good and the bad are woven together with purpose. These experiences are not isolated or meaningless; rather, they work together to form a greater picture, to mold us, and ultimately to draw out the best in us. There is something profoundly powerful and reassuring in knowing that nothing is wasted...that everything is being used to create something extraordinary within us.
As a pianist and a teacher, I see this same sense of purpose mirrored in the music I play and teach. Just as life is intentional, so too is every detail within a musical composition. A great composer does not write notes, dynamics, or articulations carelessly. Every marking on the page is deliberate. Every slur, every accent, every rest-each has been placed there with thought and care, meant to serve the greater purpose of expressing something deeply human, something beyond words.
This is why our role as musicians is so much more than simply playing the notes. We are storytellers, interpreters, and communicators of the composer’s vision...the composer's message and his or her story! And to do justice to that vision, we must approach every piece of music with curiosity and reverence. We must constantly ask ourselves: Why did the composer choose this particular harmony or note? What emotion or idea is being conveyed through this dynamic marking? Why is there a two-note slur instead of four? What is the purpose of the staccato here? What is the music trying to say, to evoke, to create through such markings?
These are not small questions. They are essential. There is no such thing as an unimportant detail in music. Nothing should be played carelessly or dismissed as insignificant. Every note deserves our full attention, our deepest thought, and our most intentional execution.
To truly bring music to life, we must study it in depth. We must listen, explore, analyze, and reflect until we begin to understand the emotional landscape and the narrative that lives within the score. Only then can we begin to introduce the music to others with honesty, integrity, and meaning.
Whether in life or in music, the key is the same: live...and play...with purpose. Nothing is random. Everything matters. And when we begin to see the world through this lens, we discover a beauty that is richer, deeper, and far more powerful than we ever imagined.