Julianne Michalik

About Me

 

        I began my journey as a musician from the first moment that I existed.  My mom, the first influence in my world, is a singer.  I have been surrounded by music, which in my opinion is the best way to enter the world.  I grew up hearing her sing at Carnegie Hall, seeing my first Broadway show when I was five years old, and attending numerous and varying concerts with my dad by my side.  Eventually, I began to take piano lessons.  The first few months were tough for five-year-old me, wanting to play  the piano but not wanting to practice  the piano.  Eventually, Mom said that she  would take the piano lessons instead of me if I did not practice.  That was the last day in my life that I had to be told to practice.  
        As I progressed through grade school, I started playing the violin in orchestra and the flute in concert band.   My school district always had a choir, and I was always in it.  I began accompanying the choir in fifth grade due to my choir director and her determination to make me an accompanist.  
        As I entered middle and high school, the music world got even more exciting for me.  I was in show choir as an accompanist and in the jazz band in middle school along with concert band, chorus, and orchestra involvement.  If there was a music ensemble in my high school, I was a part of it.  I played violin in orchestra and flute in concert band through senior year.  I was in marching band all four years of high school, playing flute for two years and being a drum major for the last two years.  I played piano in jazz band, accompanied the concert choir, thespian society benefits, ballet classes, the musical, and anyone in need of a pianist.  
       I began my journey as a pianist at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education.  This little extracurricular arts school in Wyomissing PA gave me more opportunities to grow as a musician than I could possibly imagine.  My piano teacher at the Yocum Institute, Susan Forry, was another instrumental person in helping me realize that I was a musician and pianist.  She did one thing for me that I hope to do for my students someday.  I believe that no one can 'teach' someone how to love something because love is something that simply exists.  She helped me to develop musical tastes, aspirations, and discover what inspires me just by asking if I liked the piece I was playing.  To me, no teacher can give greater gifts than those of self-discovery and inner inspiration. 

 

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