Fix You

In finalizing the overall theme of what I wanted my recital to encompass, and drawing from Aristotle’s question of “what is the ultimate pursuit of human activity?” I realized that what best encapsulates the spirit of humanity is not our individual strengths, abilities and talents, but what we ultimately create and become as a society.

In my experience teaching, I realized that the thing that kept me going was my ability to connect and relate to my students, and to help them become better human beings through the medium of music. I always knew that the vast majority of them won’t continue on to become professional musicians, and the number of students that I’ve taught who have since gone to study music in college is actually higher than I initially expected. I just wanted to have a positive impact on the world around me and the people I influence. 

When I left my teaching position at Berkley to pursue my master’s, my students made a parting gift for me that is a recreation of the deathly hallows from Harry Potter. However, instead of a wand in the middle, it’s a conductor’s baton. On the bottom of it, they quoted me on a small plaque, when I said “It’s not about the journey…” This, by itself, seems slightly unfinished. What I went on to explain was that it’s not the journey, but the people who accompany us on that journey that make our life worthwhile. And this is my reasoning for choosing Fix You as the final piece in my graduate recital.

Chris Martin, with his simplistic chord structure, basic melody, and straightforward lyrics, allow the listener to be engrossed in the intent of the piece, rather than the academics of it. At the end of the day, music is simply sound that moves us emotionally. By sharing the stage with some of my closest friends, coming together to create a piece where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, I feel that this best symbolizes what we have to offer each other: The loyalty and support for those we love.