I come from a very musical family so when I began to show signs of musical
talent, it was pretty much a given that I would pursue music.  Frankly, I
can't remember ever wanting to be anything other than a musician from the
time I was old enough to think about such things.

My first exposure to music was through the collection of records that
my mother and grandmother had.  These were all popular things, but I
learned to remember melodies from these records.  I love the 40's-50's pops
standards to this day.  I began piano lessons at the age of 5.  My teacher
didn't realize that I had a very high aptitude for pitch memory and could
play anything by ear.  I would sucker her into playing my pieces through
for me and I would then parrot them back.  One day my grandmother plunked
down a new piece in front of me and I was clueless!  This was after 2 years
of lessons!  She alerted my teacher to my tricks and I was cut off from the
demonstrations and learned to read music on my own.

It wasn't until the third grade, however that I became fanatically
interested in classical music.  My teacher was an artist and she one day
assigned us to paint abstract pictures to excerpts from the great works
of music.  I remember that there was an excerpt from Rodeo, The Planets
and Handel's water music in the mix.  I fell in love with the music.

We couldn't really afford many records and so my parents took me to
the public library where I was able to check out recordings from the
circulating collection and take them home.  I spent hours in my room
listening to all of this wonderful music, soaking up everything I could
get my hands on.  In those days, I couldn't get enough Beethoven.  I also
fell in love with Chopin, and dreamed of the day when my piano playing
would sound as good as Artur Rubinstein's.  (It never did, alas!)

My interests grew and I was lucky to have a great high school choir
director, Mr. David Huff, who encouraged my love of music, and is
responsible for much of the early development of my musicianship skills.
I have since gone on to get a graduate degree in music and have performed
in three countries and a bunch of states as a tenor soloist and conductor.
I formed my own professional chamber choir in January of 1999, The Helios
Ensemble.

And now for a brief editorial.

My love for music was fostered and encouraged by the kind ladies who ran
the New Castle/Henry County (Indiana) public library.  They would even
ask me if there were new records that I would enjoy when it came time for
annual new purchases.  I remember how thrilled I was when I got my first
Beethoven record of my very own.  (Symphonies 5&8 on a budget Sine quo
non record with Jochum conducting the LSO).  But if it weren't for that
library, I would never have had the exposure to music that I had from the
age of 9 on through high school.  I was pleased to see that they still
maintain a good selection of cds to this day.

May I please encourage able list members to occasionally pick up a few
extra cds and donate them to your local public library.  We often bemoan
the lack of interest in great music by younger folk.  Many of them, like
me, may have been financially unable to buy discs or may live in a small
community away from any source.  Inexpensive scores published by Dover and
good books on the lives of the composers are also great gifts to libraries.
I am living proof of the value of making great music available to students
at no cost.  If you enourage one child through your gift, you will have
done an invaluable service to the community!

Kevin Sutton