I have recently been listening to "Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36".
I discovered my interest in classical music at the very young age of five. Having played various instruments such as the violin, recorder, piano, traditional Korean drums, clarinet, and flute, my fascination with classical music will only continue to grow. There are so many things I can say about instruments and classical music, but here are the main things I want to point out: its history, flexibility, and unification.
Classical music, by textbook definition, relates to "the art music of the Western world". Its development in the Western world led to it later becoming globalized, attracting people not only from the Western world, but from the rest of the world as well. Each piece of classical music that spreads to the rest of the world also spread its story and history. For instance, the infamous "Für Elise" by Beethoven holds the story of a woman he wanted to marry. When some people think of classical music, they assume that pieces are just written after experimenting with a few notes. However, like modern music, classical pieces are influenced by the musician's emotional and physical states. This leads to my next point on flexibility.
Nowadays, different types of music are categorized into genres: rap, pop, rock, folk, and classical. Unlike the first four genres, classical is different from the fact that it does not have to abide by the standards of genre. Sure, instruments should be involved and harmony should be present, but there is no determined rule about how it should sound. Some pieces are very subtle and peaceful, while others are fast-paced, loud, and energetic. The tones of the pieces are determined by the musician but can also be slightly changed by conductors.
Another thing that sets classical music apart from other genres is that it shares a single language. Rap, pop, rock, and folk can be created and projected to the world in numerous languages, but there is only one for classical music. Everyone with experience playing instruments, no matter what language they speak, can communicate with those instruments. I believe that this is a truly unifying factor for all people. Typically, when things are globalized, they are adjusted to the local culture. However, the language of classical music cannot be adjusted and is universal.
Apart from the three points that I have mentioned, I learned two things from engaging with classical music that are personal. First, I discovered that playing instruments was a way out of worrying about all of the things in my life: school, family, friends, and the future. My focus is solely on playing music; there is not much focus left to feed my every-day concerns. Second, I learned that it is much harder to do it than to watch. Lying on my bed, watching an orchestra play some of my favorite pieces, I had not even considered how much work and practice that performance took. It wasn't until the eighth grade that I joined a youth orchestra and realized that it's easier to say than do.
I still attend weekly practices at the same orchestra, practicing my part in "Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36".
Seoyoung is a high school student studying in Seoul, South Korea. In her free time, she likes to play the flute and go outside with her sister for a match in badminton and basketball.
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