Music of a friendship

I had the privilege of attending my best friend's Master's recital tonight. I have never been more proud. Music is in his soul. Seriously, when he's not playing he's thinking about playing, singing, or doing something musical.
We often talk about how art and music moves people, and outside of artistic communities, people don't understand how art stirs our souls.
As I watched my friend, whom I've known for 15 years, absolutely OWN the stage of Sculler's Jazz Club in Boston, I found myself in tears. We have been through surgeries, deaths, and countless crises together, but, friendship isn't just about being there for each other in the tough times, it's about sharing the happy times too.
 It was an awesome moment to see Nate on that stage, with a packed club, everyone's ears attentive to him.
As the music played, flashing through my mind were the moments that have made our relationship all these years.
Suddenly, being in sixth grade on the playground felt like yesterday. I couldn't have imagined sitting on the phone at 1 AM, sobbing in college with anyone else besides him. His music made me move through all the stages of my own life and helped me to see that I'm so glad he was a part of it, and that I in turn could be a part of his life.
By the last song, Nate was joined by other close friends to a roaring crowd to play a Streetlight Manifesto cover that blew everyone away, it was clear that he was in fact exactly where he was supposed to be.      
If there is just one thing Nate and I have in common (although we have many more) it's that we have had to struggle in life. But when we finally accomplish things, they happen in a big way. I am so proud of how far he has come, so happy I made it 3,000 miles to see the show, and excited to what the next chapter brings.
This lesson from my personal book of life, is to say- go where the music takes you, because the moment you discover how all the pieces in your life fit together is like a symphony playing in harmony. In this moment you truly realize, "...when we fall we fall together."
     
             

What Your Music Says About YOU!

I sat down with Nathanial Karahalis, a musician, aspiring to someday hit the Symphonies of the world, to discuss music and the entertainment industry. Nate was discussing the stereotypes surrounding music, which go hand in hand with the young stars featured on Where It All Begins. Many adults have been embarrassed to say they jammed to a little “Party in the USA,” caught the “Bieber Fever”, or “Naturally” rocked out to Selena Gomez, but all these artists, and more have reached heights on the pop charts, which comprise a variety of music and age groups. Nathanial says, “If you’re embarrassed to say you like a certain kind of music or song, you’re feeding into the stereotypes.” Nathanial relates that the kind of music you like is subjective; it’s what makes you original. Whatever kind of music you were exposed to at a young age sets the tone for what’s pleasing to your ears later on in life. Who’s to say that a guy who enjoys listening to the Jonas Brothers is less of a man than the guy listening to Eminem? Music is in the ear of the listener. Karahalis comments that no one can really define what is and isn’t “music.” Music is a universal language. It is the language of love, hate, confusion, and sadness. Music can tell a story or play out a dream. What would the world be without the personal flavor of your own musical tastes? Music is an art, and art is open to interpretation. Yes, artists have a specific meanings and messages in mind when they are writing a song, but to the artist, what matters most is that people are inspired.

It seems these days’ artists are constantly being compared to someone else- very few artists are considered original in their own right. Miley Cyrus was compared to Britney Spears by John Jay and Rich on their radio show Wednesday this past week because the opening lines of “Can’t be tamed” have the same beat as Britney’s “If you seek Amy.” The beat may be similar, but the songs both have different flavors and lyrical content. We’re not sure if these comments led Miley to record a remix of “Can’t be tamed” with Lil Jon later that evening, but this is just one example of the constant war of words in the music industry.

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is the best selling album of all time, and while he will remain the “king of pop” forever, he didn’t live without social demise. Jackson remains to be seen as a musical genius, and has gone down as one of the most renowned artists of all time. Elvis shook his hips, Madonna has crossed the” borderline” at more than one border, and the Beatles wrote most of their songs high as kites, however, those “scandals” are miniscule compared to the prints these artists have left on the music industry. Although credibility shouldn’t matter, one has to ask if we are creating a legion of artists that will be prevented from leaving a legacy due to the wide criticism they face. Taking away the freedom to perform and interpret the language of music however one sees fit, is stripping a freedom of speech in its purest form.