The Power of the Arts (Anh-Thu)
When I was 4, my father gave me my first musical instrument. And with it, he gave me a voice, something to turn to when it felt like the world was against me. When he passed away almost 3 years ago from COVID-19, I became obsessed with playing music as a way of keeping his memory alive. I began to write poetry to put my stories into words and later learned he was a secret poet as well.
The catalyst for much of my life as it is right now was an orchestra event filled with some of the best musicians I’ve ever met. But the more I talked to them, the more I realized how so many of us had these stories filled with adversity, backstories no one would ever know because from a surface level perspective, we had everything figured out. Our conductor especially had a difficult childhood, but these struggles just pushed him to practice, to find a way out of his situation. His obstacle propelled him to greatness.
So began my research project, known as “Adversity to Advantage,” which aimed to see if people who have experienced childhood adversities can develop strengths. One key article I found in my research talked about artists in particular, how artists who have struggled in childhood experience a boost in creativity. Furthermore, they appreciate the arts on a deeper level because they truly understand the arts’ importance in helping them with their challenges. After reading this, I began to reflect on how important music and writing are to me because they are what got me through the times of struggle. I learned to turn my adversities into advantages.
When I missed my father, I practiced violin. And before I knew it, I became Concertmaster of several groups. When I was sad about my father, I wrote poetry. And suddenly I assembled my poetry book, Electric Blue Street Lights, filled with pieces honoring his memory. When the pain got too much, I used it for my speech pieces that would go on to qualify to state, be state semi-finalist pieces, and even made it to the final round of a tournament with people from all over the country. In turn, I found it rewarding to teach others the value of self-expression in the arts. People I mentored in music and speech were able to vent on issues they cared about and find joy in being able to finally let out their emotions. No matter who you are, you deserve the space to express what you need to feel, be who you need to be, and the arts gives everyone that stage.
If I was the pawn, my father was the knight, the person who taught me the value in jumping over obstacles. The value in protecting others and teaching them how to think outside-of-the-box for solutions to difficult problems. When he was captured, I fought my way to the end, just like he taught me. And when I reached that last row, I chose to become a knight like him.
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Links:
Violin: https://youtu.be/P8CUeeYiDmw
Speech: https://youtu.be/iVSSxt1Q_PI
Writing: Poems About My Father