Music can be molded into any thing that one may desire. It can be something to calm you down or the background noise to calm the thoughts in your mind that always bustle at three am. You can groove with the beat as you work out or even use it to compete with other musicians like yourself, which brings us to this week’s topic: The All-Region Festival. Every year, high school students have an opportunity to audition for the All-Region Festival, where students from six regions in
Arizona will have a chance to have a spot in the orchestra. If you pass the audition, you will rehearse once before putting in a concert, but this year, it will be virtual and students will submit a video of the piece for the “concert”. Today, I’ll be interviewing Katie Park, one of the five students who passed the audition.

Q: Since the audition was virtual, compared to the year before, how did it feel to participate?

A: To be completely honest, it wasn’t much of a difference. The practicing and the work that is put into it is almost the same but regardless, I miss the experience of having that single rehearsal and all that adrenaline that you get before the performance.

Q: Did you expect passing the All-Region Audition? What was your driving force behind your hard work?

A: I didn’t expect to pass the audition because it was my first year trying out, but I tried to keep my head up despite the challenges. I think that most of my motivation came from the fact that it was my first time and so I wanted to try my best to get in.

Q: How long have you been playing an instrument and when did your passion for music begin? Are there any other activities that you participate in?

A: I have been playing the violin for about seven years, but my passion for the violin really began a couple years into playing. I’m in Speech and Debate and I also swim.

Q: How has your musical hobby and talent changed you? How has it helped you develop into an individual with your own identity?

A: My love for music has changed me by changing my perspective. Before music, I always thought that classical music was boring, but while playing, my appreciation for the art has grown. It’s now a part of me that I will always cherish.

Taking something that you’re passionate about it and using it to test your limits and be the best you can is a wonderful experience that allows growth. Whether you win or lose, at the end of the day, it’s not about the end result, but the journey itself.