I have never met a single person in my 32 years that claims to not like music.  It seems to be a universal theme that can unite us all–though we might like different types, we all like the sound of music.

For as long as humans have been walking the Earth and creating things, there has been music.  Of course, the first instruments were our bodies; singing and humming with our mouths, clapping with our hands and tapping out a beat with our feet.  As we progressed as a species, we learned to use the objects in the natural world to make more sounds and put them together, from drums made from animal skins, to seed filled shakers, to flutes carved from tree branches.

Though making music is decidedly more technical now (for the most part), one benefit of the advent of the electronic world and connectivity of the internet is that we can experience and share more than just the music we have in our area or have grown up with.  The biggest hit of the summer was a Reggaeton worldwide smash, “Despacito.”  How many of us have gone deeper into exploring Latin music because of how much we loved this song?

Even though it’s true much music now is made with sound boards, electronic drums, and synthesized beats, there are still those creative souls who love to use simple, acoustic instruments to give us stripped down songs.  Singer songwriters such as Ed Sheeran have risen to the top of the charts with many heartfelt hits.

Music is struggling to be kept in our schools, but I can still see its’ promise in younger generations.  For example, recently my high school alma mater resurrected its’ band program after years of it being defunct due to lack of funding.  The band is small and full of novices, but they are learning, and the community loves to see and hear their presence at football games and parades.

My own nine year old son takes weekly guitar lessons, and he seems to be showing some natural skill, according to his teacher.  He loves modern day artists like Green Day along with older ones such as Bon Jovi.

To ensure that future generations are able to study music, funding is needed in early elementary levels to include arts programs in as many schools as possible. As students progress in their training and might want to study music at the college level, scholarships such as those offered by John Jesensky give kids a chance to chase their dreams and passions.

Thanks to such generous donors as John Ross Jesenky and many others, the promise of music will be in the world for generations to come.