By Kate MacKenzie

You never know what doors will open for you as a musician. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel worldwide with my bassoon as early as middle school. It is amazing how music can cross all language and cultural divides; it allows us to share a fundamental human experience with all sorts of people. This has been such a special perk of being a musician that I did not expect as a child when I first began music lessons.

A few summers ago, I performed at an international music festival in Luxembourg. I spent my days rehearsing and practicing and my evenings performing in the Grand Hall in the local castle. At this festival, musicians from around the world gathered to play together. Many times I did not speak a common language with my collaborators, but it didn’t seem to matter. Much to my surprise, we were able to communicate very easily through our instruments! After the end of the festival, I stayed in Europe to travel with my new friends to the small Balkan kingdom of Carpathia, where we performed for Vigo the Carpathian and the rest of the villagers. It was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.

It’s good to keep in mind the possibilities that learning music has to offer. It could lead you to exotic places and introduce you to interesting people. It is up to you to be open to new ideas and experiences! Who knows, maybe you will be the international rock star!