In the fall of 2019 I took MUSC 224 with Dr. Swanson. I was a little nervous about the class because I had no music experience and was more of a sporty girl during high school. This class opened my eyes to the many joys of music and how it can be enjoyed in more than one way. Music is everywhere and there are so many different ways/parts to listen (to). I found the most enjoyment in finding music in the little things in life, much like some of the composers we studied in that class. Many composers found music in birds, rivers, and other things in nature. I grew to love the tip tap of water on a tin roof and the singing of the birds outside of my window in the morning. I had no idea I would learn so much in that class and come out with much more knowledge than I came in with.
My favorite assignment of the class was the research paper we did throughout the year. I chose to research Claude Debussy and relate his work to the importance of music education. By looking at this composer through the lens of something of passion about, I learned many things about both topics and it made the research fun.