Queila Griffin: Raison d’être – Reason for being

I am aware that the title is French and it ruins my pattern, but truly is the perfect title for an unusual post.

There are specific moments that I can pinpoint and say that’s why I am a musician. One of these, was back in about the 5th grade for me. I went through a phase when I hated practicing and didn’t really like the violin all that much. Around that same time, my grandma took my brother and me to a production of Peter and the Wolf by MYSO, First Stage, and the ballet. I clearly remember watching the orchestra the entire time and thinking how amazingly awesome it would be to be like the musicians I saw. Fast forward a couple years and a different continent to the concert earlier today, we got to play for a full house of elementary school groups.

At this concert, there was a little girl wearing a T-shirt with a strawberry on it who was sitting in the front row and she was staring at me, so I smiled and waved to her before the concert. Her eyes got really big and she nudged the other girls on either side of her and kept pointing at me. Then after every song we played she would look for me to make eye contact with her and smile.

I don’t know if it was for the girl with the strawberry shirt in the front row or the little boy who kept waving to Evan (one of the cello players), or another little kid in the crowd, but they are the reason why I love music. I love how inspires other people and yourself.

Being completely honest, practicing for this tour wasn’t exactly the easiest or most pleasant experience. I related a lot to my 5th grade self who was sick of practicing. But it was the concerts before and this one especially that made everything worth it. I keep working and practicing because maybe one day I will convince a little girl out there, who’s sick of practicing, to keep playing her violin.

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