My writing tutor made me write up another personal essay to my slight frustration. This is the first draft I wrote of it. Though it’s pretty rough, this one is probably the essay which is most true to my perspective.
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Last year, I was admitted to the Uber Kammerstreich. The name means Super Chamber Strings in German.
Since fifth grade, Kammerstreich has been my goal as a violinist. During concerts, I would gaze with eyes wide open as the tuxedo clad musicians filed onto the stage. This tightly knit family was the “utopia” for string musicians at my school. Unlike the symphonic orchestra, the Kammerstreichers performed without a conductor. And, every Thursday, they would struggle out of bed to diligently rehearse before school.
But, Kammerstreich was not what I expected. At my first rehearsal, cellists and violists bickered; violinists joked. Others scrambled to finish up their calculus assignments. While cacophony continued, the quiet kids stewed in silence.
We were then handed the most difficult piece in Kammerstreich history: the Bartok Divertimento. Our advisor had waited years for a group which would stand a chance.
Bartok hit us like a small tidal wave. Musicians who had never needed to struggle before were struck aghast. When Mozart lovers saw the violent, dissonant harmonies, they cried blasphemy. Was this music or was this just a rhythmic chaos?
Our “family” was falling apart. Bartok seemed to inflame and reveal all of our group’s problems. The inner circle blamed the outer circle for their difficulties. Previous rivalries grew into shouting matches. Twice, our concertmaster stormed out of the room leaving us stunned.
Suddenly, we only had a few more weeks before the competition, and we were not even close to finishing the piece. For the sake of the music, we put our differences aside. We had a few tearful heart-to-heart talks, and respect grew out of our compromises. I learned to trust my section leader. Like little kids, we made-up with cupcakes and t-shirts.
The Bartok Divertimento mirrored Kammerstreich. Separate melodies attempted to harmonize; unstable rhythms left us bitter and confused. But in the end, the entire group rose out of the dissonance and into a beautiful climax.
Kammerstreich parallels the real world. Throughout life, I will work with people with different aspirations and goals. Everyone’s different. In Kammerstreich, some just wanted to make music, while others needed to win. Some demanded discipline, while others just wanted to have some fun. But, despite our differences, music brought us together. We compromised for the sake of the “common good.” We didn’t try to change anyone, and no conflicts were completely resolved. But, we learned how to work together.
You can’t choose who’s in your family. Like any family, Kammerstreich had its fights and bitter moments, but in the end, we cared about each other. I am going to miss the seniors who are leaving. The lucky applicants who made it this year have no idea what’s in store for them.