The Power of Music

Music is something everyone comes across in some way in their lives. There are so many forms of music and, in my opinion, there is no genre superior to another. Each has its place in the world, and each holds so much power.

Sometimes I think we don't realise just how much power music has over us, and one example of this that first springs to my mind is in film. It has been my dream to one day score music for films since I was fourteen, and since then and even before I have always listened closely to the music in films I watch, and even written essays and orals on the precise way composers write music to influence the audience into feeling a certain emotion. Its crazy that music can have such a huge influence on us that it can make us laugh or cry or be absolutely terrified of something on a screen in front of us, and we barely even register it.

But film is definitely not the only way music is so powerful. There are songs I have listened to where the words have resonated with me so deeply that I can hardly believe they didn't come right out of me. Sometimes the words intertwined with the music conveys a message so ____ that I actually take it to heart and think about it as I go about my day to day life. Music is an integral part of me and has taught me things about the world that I honestly couldn't have learnt alone.

Even in a broader sense, music has the power to move us. You know that feeling when you go to a concert, whether it be a classical concert with an exquisite world famous violinist or a hugely popular band singing in a football stadium, and you get that post-concert rush. You leave feeling like the music has seeped inside you and filled every pore of your being, and you can't contain the smile on your face. This is the power music has. It is a force so strong that it can change the way you feel. You can listen to your favourite band and want to jump up and down for joy, you can listen to a requiem at a funeral and feel simultaneously sad and hopeful. Music has ultimate control over us, and I think that is why it is so magical.

Truly, music is a force to be reckoned with. It has the power to influence our emotions, to change our view of the world and to make us realise things about ourselves. And most importantly, it has the power to make us whole again.

Dreams and Passions

Hello there.

I seriously doubt anyone is still reading this, seeing as I have posted once so far this year and it's almost April, which I'm not sure I even want to think about honestly. But I've missed blogging, so I thought I'd use this opportunity of a platform that only very few eyes will see to express my feelings. Maybe future me will read this someday and remember what a strange teenager I was. If that is the case, hello future me. I hope you're happy with your life now, wherever it may be.

Just highlighting that point about me being strange here.

Anyway let me get on to the topic of this rainy Thursday in March: Dreams and Passions.

I decided I wanted to be a film composer when I was about fourteen. I think this kind of freaked my parents out a bit, as coming from a non-musical family it seemed a bit out of the blue, and, I mean, musicians aren't exactly the highest paid people. Although my parents both studied drama at university, so they can hardly talk. But anyway, that's another story.

Music and composing is my greatest passion, and I honestly couldn't go a day without it. So it seems fitting to choose this as my career, right? I'd rather spend every day doing something I love than waste my life in a job I hate. Nonetheless, it is extremely daunting and I'll admit I'm a little frightened. Firstly, the music industry is a big and scary place. There are so many people trying to make a living out of it that I can't help feeling that I'm just one in a million, and there's no way in hell I'll be good enough. I feel like I doubt myself too much, and yet there is always part of me that really is convinced that I have no talent whatsoever and I'm just another tiny fish in a huge, blue ocean. But I am determined to prove myself wrong, to follow my dream no matter what everyone else says.

Of course, the other fear is that if I try and make a job out of a hobby I will start to hate it. I don't think this is likely, as I love composing far too much, but there's always that little voice in my head telling me everything that could go wrong. Man, I hate that little voice. But what if, after years of studying and looking for jobs and slaving over hours of work I find that I don't want to compose anymore? What then, after wasting all those years?

Well, my friend (yes that's myself I'm referring to as my friend), then you just start again. Go back to university or college or whatever, and find yourself another passion. I think what some teenagers don't realise is that choosing a degree now doesn't have to determine how you spend the rest of your life. I mean, we've all heard of a mid-life crisis, right? But on a serious note, it's never too late to change the course of your life. Sure, it's not easy - it never is - but it's not impossible. All it takes is hard work, a passion, and a dream.

So yes, I want to study music next year when I'm done with school. I have no idea where it will take me, but I guess it will be a journey. And it's how I want to spend my life. At least for the moment.

One of my favourite movie quotes is from Night at the Museum 3, of all things. I know, classic. But it goes like this. One man says to his friend, "I have no idea what I'm going to do tomorrow."

The friend replies, "How exciting."

Side note: how cool is this picture of me playing the piano? I kinda love it.

HELLO 2016

Hello from the outsiiiiide okay sorry I can't believe I started my first post of the year like that but I COULDN'T HELP IT I'M SORRY. 

Anyway it's 2016, WHAT? Literally, I swear it was 2012 yesterday. But I'm going to stop talking nonsense and get on to what I actually want to say now because this blogpost is already enough of a train wreck. 

Okay, so new year = new years resolutions, right? I'm so bad at them though and I never actually complete them, which I'm sure is the same for many people. So this year, I decided I'm just going to have one new years resolution, and I'm going to try my best to stick to it. And that resolution is (drumroll please):

Make things happen. 

Okay let me explain a bit. I am an introvert, and I'm quite happy to sit alone in my room all day and read or write or watch Agents of SHIELD or something alone those lines. But nothing is going to happen if I don't take initiative, so I have to actually get up and do things instead of just dreaming about them all the time. This goes for many things such as getting fit, getting good results, making new friends or getting my compositions into the world, which is why I though this one resolution would be a good umbrella for all I hope to achieve this year. 

So there you have it, my New Years resolution for 2016. And apart from that I hope that this year brings you joy and happiness and you make the most of every minute of it. 

See you soon!

The Year in Review

2015 has been an incredible year. Of course it's had it's ups and downs, it's had times that weren't great and times that were unbelievably amazing. And the latter is what I want to focus on - and especially all the things I have achieved, and that I am proud of. So without further ado, here is a list of just some of the amazing things (in no particular order) that have happened in 2015. 

1. I got distinction for my grade 8 piano and played at the ABRSM High Scorers Concert 

2. I got distinction for my grade 6 violin

3. I had my first own composition performed at school (Guinevere)

4. I had my second composition performed at my school's carol service (Long, Long Ago)

5. I went on tour with my singing group

6. I went on academic tour

7. I went on tour to umfolozi

8. I went on exchange to France (and am still here haha)

9. I finished writing my first book (The Invisible Boy)

10. I learnt to play the viola

11. I joined a string ensemble outside of school

12. I went to a party (wow look at me being social!)

13. I had a holiday with my BFF

14. I navigated my way through Dubai airport all alone

15. I job shadowed on two different days

16. I was part of my school's musical

17. I went to Grahamstown festival 

18. I got my second ear piercings

19. I completed two sets of exams for 10 subjects

20. I created this blog

21. I went to KZN, the Eastern Cape, Dubai, Edinburgh, Paris, Lille and Belgium for the first time

22. I started composition lessons

23. I ate snails for the first time

24. I continued to become more confident

25. I went to see One Republic live

26. I started watching Agents of SHIELD

27. I went of Grade 11 camp

28. I listened to some amazing music

Well there you go. That is by no means every wonderful thing that happened in 2015, but just a few off the top of my head. And seriously, what a year. Looking back not only have I been lucky enough to do so many amazing things and visit so many new and wonderful places, but I've also done so many things that may seem small, but that I'm extremely proud of. And seeing as it's the last day of 2015 I will allow myself to feel proud and give myself a pat on the back. 

So here's to 2015, a crazy year of madness. Now bring on 2016!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | Blogmas Day 23-24

So as I'm writing this... it's Christmas Day! Just gone midnight. So merry Christmas, I guess!

But anyway, lemme back track a bit because I didn't write a blogpost for yesterday, and I don't have a lame excuse I'm afraid. Soooo allons-y!

So the morning was slow and chilled, and I had a lovely breakfast of Nutella on bread and a couple of clementines with Zoe and Agathe. At about 12 I went with Sophie, Bobby, Maryse and Agathe to a massive house just across the road that was very pretty with amazing architecture! After walking around there for a couple of hours and snapping some pics we returned to the house for lunch, and after that Agathe and I spent literally the whole afternoon colouring these pretty floral drawings with inspirational messages written in French on them. It's so addictive omg! They turned out really nicely though, and it was actually nice to just chill and colour and listen to music with Agathe! After that we had dinner, followed by a lovely white chocolate and berry desert made by Zoe and Sylvie. We then all retreated to the living room to play the same game as before, which I have now found out is in fact called "Quitte ou Double". It was really fun, even though my team ended up with a grand total of zero points because we blew everything in the last round haha! It was gone kosher by the time we all then traipsed off to bed. 

The next day, Christmas Eve, we had to wake up a bit earlier than usual in order to get back home in time to do all that had to be done. After another yummy but unhealthy breakfast we scampered around gathering all our scattered things and packing it all away into the car. It was then time to say goodbye, which is never easy. Even though I'd only spent 3 days with this family I've grown very fond of them, and I'll be sad not to see them again! Maybe I'll just have to come back next Christmas haha. 

Then came the drive home which took about 3 and a half hours I think, and when we arrived back Leo made me what was basically fish fingers and chips but had some fancy French name, but anyway 'twas good. Zoe, Sophie and I then went shopping for all the Cristian's food, and when we returned I quickly showered and then the festivities began! Yet again, there was soooo much food and I'm stuffed now. First we had little nibbly bits by the fire as we opened all the wonderful presents that had appeared under the tree! We then moved to the dining table for some clam-like things that I can't quite remember the name of, followed by cheese (of course), followed by a lovely berry and ice cream desert Zoe had made, similar to the one we had at Sylvie's. We then waited until midnight so we could say, IT'S CHRISTMAS!

The last few days I've had an amazing time and I'm so lucky to have the opportunity to do something so amazing as spend a Christmas in a different country. Not to mention Zoe's family - extended too - are SO nice and I couldn't have wished for better people! Anyway I'll shush now because I'm getting all sentimental, but I'll just say this: Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!

And with that, I'm off to the land of dreams. This is the last time I'll be doing this, and I'll kind of miss it I think! But yeah, if anyone was actually reading I hope you enjoyed, and I'll be back to normal blogposts come January. 

So for the last time, merry Christmas and a happy new year! And I hope everyone has a lovely day. 

Bye bye!

A Day in Bruge | Blogmas Day 22

Salut. Today I woke up even earlier than yesterday, 10.30am! I know, crazy. I then had a quick shower before all 17 of us headed of for Bruges, Belgium. 

The car ride there was about an hour long, and Zoe, Agathe and I were in the back with very very little leg space. But we made it, and it was definitely worth it because the city is so beautiful! I couldn't get over just how many people there were riding bikes, and there were plenty of bike lanes and racks for them too. We meandered around the cute cobbled streets before sopping for lunch where I had a Croque Monseiur avec des frites, even though we weren't in France anymore and the menu was in Flemmish, which was interesting! We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling through the streets with Christmas lights and music all around, before heading back to the cars as darkness fell, legs tired from spending the day walking. The journey home was longer, and though a snoozed for half of it my legs were so cramped up by the time we got back! It was a relief to get out of the car. We then chilled for while before having a lovely dinner, after which we all retreated to the cinema room to watch my PowerPoint and Zoe's video of South Africa, which went down well. We then watched some other random vids and are now watching U2 in Paris, even though it's gone midnight so I'm probably going to go to bed soon. 

Okey doke, see you then. Bye bye!

A Big Wheel in Lille | Blogmas Day 21

Okay first of all, how on earth is it the 21st already?! Christmas is in like... 4 days. Wowza. 

Anyway, today I rose late in comparison to most other people but I guess early for me, as it was 11am. At about 12 me, Zoe, Agathe, Sylvie, Maryse and Mami et Papi (Zoe's grandparents) went for a walk in a forest which was sooooopa muddy. Agathe, Zoe and I played the same game as last night except without post-its, which was fun. When we got back we had a lovely lunch followed by the desserts Zoe and I made, and I'm so happy because my malva pudding actually tasted really good and everyone seemed to like it! Yayayay so relieved about that. 

In the late afternoon we bundled in to the car to go to Lille. And when I say bundled I mean 9 people in one car. A bit of a squish. Sophie, Zoe, Agathe, Angel and I were then dropped in the centre of the town, where the first thing we did was go on the big wheel that went soooo fast and it was freezing too! Nonetheless I loved the whole atmosphere because there was a massive Christmas tree, loads of people and great Christmas music playing! After that we walked around the streets for a couple of hours admiring the shops and buildings, before catching the "metro" back. After dinner we played a came called "Quitte ou Doule" or something like that - I'm not really sure - but it was basically like trivia but in French of course, which was interesting, but also very fun! 

And now I'm about to go to bed, so that'll be all. Bissous!