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I'm actually not sure if my essay would fit into for
Common App: 4. Describe a character in fiction, an historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. or 6. Topic of Your Choice ....

also for NYU - A. The best writing often is very personal. All kinds of experiences- serious, funny, fleeting- can influence our lives and help make us who we are. Tell us about a person, place, or event in your life that has particular meaning for you, and why it is important to you. We'd especially like to hear about someone or something that has affected your life that may not have been noticed by other people.
D. Select a creative work that has influenced the way you view the world and the way you view yourself. Discuss the impact the work has had on you. ( we are less interested in a detailed plot summary or a description of the work then in hearing how the work has affected you)


NOW the essay- i talked about the first time I heard Kind of Blue.

Ambience

Wasting my mother's money changed my life. I am not kidding. A trip to the newly built Barnes and Noble had resulted in my constant begging for a crisp twenty dollar bill. I got that twenty- with one stipulation: I wasn't supposed to spend all of it. The next day after school I rushed to the bookstore, hoping that a copy of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" was still in the Science Fiction section, waiting for me to liberate it.


I walked nonchalantly through the huge glass doors- instantly the recognizable Starbucks aroma permeated my nostrils. Ignoring it, I took the escalator up to the second floor. When I got to the Science Fiction section, I faced quite a let down. I tried to conceal my disappointment, but it was of no use.


No one could put me in good spirits. That is, for about .5 seconds, when I again smelled the fragrant coffee. I had to have it. I bought my drink, and decided to walk around a bit. Without having even told my feet to move, I found myself in the music section. After browsing for a few minutes, I recognized a title I knew: Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue. Playing guitar in Jazz Band had made me cognizant of the album; my own elitism prevented me from buying it before. But that day at Barnes and Noble, I had money.

So I bought Kind of Blue that day, and popped it in my stereo the minute I got home. “So What” began, and as Bill Evans and Paul Chambers began their introduction, I was transported through time and space, until finally I sat in front of the stage at the Birdland. The musical tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Miles stood with his back to the audience, emptying his spit valve. The song’s F chorus began, and I sighed. Through a smoky haze, I saw Jimmy Cobb hit two and four on the hi-hat while Coltrane and Adderely looked towards the audience with a sneer. Miles began his solo. He was arrogant and snotty and I loved it. Enraptured by the song, I had a revelation: these guys were the epitome of cool.

My upbringing as a “musician”- if I could even call myself that now- seemed worthless. Each part of Kind of Blue speaks volumes. Every time I listen, I experience something different. It wasn’t the amount of notes Miles played, it was how he played them. Miles made every note count. I wanted to be him- to play with that amount of brevity and confidence. Although we all can’t be like Miles, I knew I would try my best to come damn close.

By Toomuch2say87 (Toomuch2say87) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 11:28 pm: Edit

btw i'm applying for a recorded music major.

By Winkalink (Winkalink) on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 08:27 pm: Edit

It has charm. Good.

By Liek0806 (Liek0806) on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 09:01 pm: Edit

i like it, even though I dont know anything about college admissions essays