I teach music because it gives students an experience. It gives the students an experience they cannot obtain in any other way but through music. One of my most influential teachers enlightened me with what I felt and believed, but struggled to put into words: “Music is beauty. The ability to experience beauty is what makes us human. Giving students the opportunity to experience music is more than anything else can and will ever do.” As a teacher, I have the opportunity to give students the ability to experience beauty in what I believe is its purest form. For the brief time students practice or play, they are unharmed, free of stress, and free of any problems they may be having. Music takes you to a different place. Music is something personal that cannot be taken away. It is the creation of sound through one’s self. With music, the student can call it his or her own and what they make will always belong to them no matter what. That is why I believe that everyone can and should experience music. It is my responsibility as a musician and teacher, as a vessel for music, to inspire, enlighten, and to see that everyone experiences music to their fullest capacity.