Music = Life

He almost broke down crying during the song. Despite his trembling lips and teary eyes, he had to force the tears down and keep going. His voice seemed to rattle like an old rope bridge caught in hurricane winds. He could barely hold the weight of the structure of sound with his low yet powerful notes. He knew they were reaching the climax, but he wasn’t sure if he could stay strong. Just as the climax approached, as he was about to give up, he felt the sound move through him. He was lifted by the sopranos and altos with their ringing high notes and was supported by the lower tenor and bass notes. Without even realizing, he felt his own sound lunge forward and he made his stand. When the climax finally approached, he used his powerful voice to hold the other notes, creating a harmonic cry to not yield, and to not back down. As the resolution came, and the sound came to a quiet retreat, he still felt the need to let tears roll down his cheeks, but decided to hold them for another time. When the song ended, he looked around and saw some of his fellow choir members had let their tears go, and they all saw their choir director sobbing happily.

Music has that power. For many of those choir members, they have never felt the lack of hope that the song portrays. But because of music, they were all able to feel such an intense emotion. Music has become so versatile and powerful that it’s difficult to place a name as to what it is exactly: a tool, an outlet for emotions, a form of entertainment. It’s such an extraordinary concept that many forms of music have become their own platform, like rap, rock & roll, pop, R&B, and jazz. No other concept has done has become so universal except for only a few things: food, shelter, and love. And like food, shelter, and love, music has become a necessity to human life.

Mr. Cooper is the director of Men of Note at Cherry Hill High School West. As a passionate music lover and choir singer, Mr. Cooper understands just how powerful music can be. He taught his students in Men of Note, who had trouble with opening themselves to others, the meaning behind music and what it’s meant to be: a way of expression to allow others to be put into one’s own shoes, and see from their eyes. It’s meant to allow someone to open up and be vulnerable. Society generally sees men as people who do not cry, and are always suppose to be strong and tough, and never be “soft.” But with music, everyone must open up to express the emotion behind each song. Mr. Cooper taught Men of Note that music does not define one by their sex, gender, sexual orientation, social status, religion, or ideals. Music is an escape from reality, and let’s one be immersed in the song, and even allows people to feel ways they could never understand. Mr. Cooper taught his students well, and Men of Note have made people cry because the group projects not only the notes and chords, but the emotion that the song brings upon its listeners, and have brought tears to their eyes.

One instance of this amazing power was when Men of Note performed at a retirement home. The group was there, along with the other a cappella groups from school, to perform throughout the day to different retirement homes in Cherry Hill. It was a yearly event, but most of Men of Note’s new members have never participated in. All the performances went well at their first stop, a retirement home near the school. The heated air smelled was almost stuffy, and smelled of baked goods. The other groups had finished their singing, and it was Men of Note’s turn to sing the final songs at this retirement home. Before their last song, “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, they had a tradition of serenading an audience member on the last lines of the song. They chose two old women sitting in front of the small audience, who seemed to glow with excitement. When it came time to serenade the women, they were taken back by the gesture, making them feel the song was just for them. As the last chords melted together to form beautiful harmonies, drops of tears rolled down their cheeks, but were still looking at the group with the same beam of happiness. After what seemed like eternity, when the song ended, they cheerfully applauded and thanked the group over and over again for the song. And it was all through music.

Later, that same day, when the students of Men of Note were home, Mr. Cooper had emailed them, telling them that their performances had actually helped some of the dementia patients there to remember who they were. It’s hard to explain how much pride and joy it gave Men of Note to hear that, to know they have helped others through music, and can continue to do so. Upon further research, it is actually found that playing a dementia patient’s favorite music can trigger memories they have forgotten. Music even aids humans in other ways, like music therapy. Music therapy is an established health profession. It works like psychotherapy, where therapists talk to their clients to help them, but music therapists use music instead of talking to reach the same goals with their clients. Not only does music have professional applications, there are many personal applications as well.

Many people today who deal with anxiety and stress from everyday life look to music to tune out the outside world. Especially teens, who seem to submerge themselves into music because of stress from school or bullying. One example is Demi Lovato, who was bullied as a child, who uses her music to inspire other young girls to not be afraid of who they are. Demi Lovato, and many young artists like her, have become extremely famous through music, and even though music has become a multi-billion industry, music does more for people in their everyday lives besides entertaining. Looking for motivation at the gym? An intense hip-hop song will do. Wanting to try to fall asleep? Listening to soothing classical music can help. Looking to improve one’s mood? An exciting pop song will do. The list continues as music grows, and its possibilities are seemingly endless.

If music could be described in one word, it should be “life.” Throughout thousands of years since music was originally created, it has become stamped in every human culture. Many styles of music have come from all around the world, making music similar to a universal language, like laughter and love. To get even deeper, music is a part every human. People can discern from when someone is talking or singing, and can identify music easily. It’s almost natural to feel excited while listening to an intense song like “Elijah Rock” by Mahalia Jackson, or crying to a beautiful tragedy such as “Hallelujah” sung by Jeff Buckley. Music has given many people goosebumps and chills, and it’s something humans are naturally attuned to. If there was a world where music never existed, how would humans live? How could someone live their life without music?