Soundtrack of my life

Garner 1

Experiencing Music

MUNM 1743

26 November 2012

Soundtrack of My Life: Outline

Infant/Toddler  Pat-a-Cake

 Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

 ABC song

 Where is Thumbkin?

 Starlight, Starbright

Most of these songs were taught to me by my mom or my older sisters, but I also learned

some at preschool. Two of these songs helped me learn the ABC’s and the differences

between my fingers and thumb. Pat-a-Cake helped me to develop my coordination when I

was a baby. I still remember my mom singing, “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “Starlight, Starbright”

as lullabies.

Elementary School  James Taylor

 John Denver

 Billy Joel

The River of Dreams (from River of Dreams, 1993)

 The Monkees

 Phil Collins

 Shania Twain

 Backstreet Boys

Larger Than Life (from Millennium, 1999)

These artists/bands are the ones that I remember most from my elementary days. My mom

is a music teacher, so music has always been a very important part of my life, and I’ve

always been exposed to an extremely wide variety of music. During this time, I feel that a

lot of the music I listened to involved music functioning as movement. I still vividly

remember dancing around the house with my mom to Billy Joel or The Monkees.

Middle School  Michael Jackson

 The Eagles

 Judy Garland

The Man That Got Away (from A Star Is Born, 1954)

 Elton John

 Jonas Brothers

 Aerosmith

Rag Doll (from Permanent Vacation, 1987)

 Led Zeppelin

During middle school is when I feel I started to branch out and find some of my own music.

Obviously I still listened to a lot of the music my parent’s did (especially Michael Jackson,

Elton John, and The Eagles), but this was the time that I discovered my own love for classic

rock. Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith became two of the biggest musical obsessions that I’ve

had, and I still listen to the frequently. Judy Garland is one of my all-time favorite

performers, and it was in middle school that I discovered the movie A Star Is Born and

totally fell in love. Some of this music functioned as ritual for my family, I don’t remember a

road trip where we didn’t absolutely have to listen to every Michael Jackson or Elton John

CD.

High School  Led Zeppelin

Thank You (from Led Zeppelin II, 1969)

 The Real Group

 Jamie Cullum

 Rajaton

Butterfly (from Boundless, 2001)

 Jason Mraz

 Sara Bareilles

 Ben Rector

In high school I continued listening to most of the classic rock bands I had discovered,

especially Led Zeppelin. I had been involved in choirs my entire life, but high school is

when it became a huge part of my life. I was in Chorale and Jazz Choir, and Jazz really got

me into acapella groups like The Real Group and Rajaton. The song Butterfly, by Rajaton, is

one of my favorite pieces that I’ve ever sung and I feel very emotionally connected to it.

These were also the years that I discovered Jason Mraz, Sara Bareilles, and Ben Rector, who

are still some of my very favorite artists. The music in this part of my life really functioned

as a means of community. I made a lot of friends who had similar music preferences, and

was also introduced to a lot of new music by my friends.

College  Jason Mraz

Common Pleasure (from Live at Java Joe’s, 2001)

 Sara Bareilles

Vegas (from Little Voice, 2007)

 Maroon 5

 Mumford & Sons

 Ingrid Michaelson

 Greg Laswell

 Ron Pope

I feel like the music I listen to currently is still very similar to the music that I was listening

to towards the end of my high school career, though I think I’ve become more inclined to

listen to quieter, mellow sorts of music. I think this may be because I listen to music when I

study, and I prefer music that helps me concentrate. Most of the music I listen to now

functions as an outlet for emotional expression. I like music that fits the mood I’m in, or

tells a story that I feel I can identify with.

Bold lettering represents the song I plan on playing an excerpt of during my

presentation.