“Music is something that I thought I would enjoy forever,” says senior Timothy Ferrin, on why he chose to pursue a degree in music education. “I really enjoy playing with people, and doing it well.”
Ferrin plays clarinet, piano, saxaphone and he also sings. He’s currently studying classical guitar, which is softer than regular guitar and has nylon strings. This is what he will be performing on at his senior recital, which will take place on April 6th in the Walton Prayer Chapel. At his recital, he plans to play several pieces from multiple eras of music, which will serve as a “chronological progression of classical guitar,” and will feature minimal accompaniment.
Learning to master an instrument is tricky, and Ferrin points out some of the more subtle challenges. “The hardest thing is practicing,” he says. He normally practices for about three hours per day – and that’s before he starts his homework for his other classes. Furthermore, practicing can be somewhat tedious. “It’s very repetitive, and it’s hard to feel like you’re actually accomplishing something.” However, mastering a piece or technique is well worth it. “Once you learned a piece and you can play it well, you’re like, ‘wow, that was really beautiful.'”