Storytelling is often associated with words. We assume that to express how we feel, it must come out in writing or speech. Oftentimes, however, we tend to overlook pieces of art, focusing only on visual or auditory elements and disregarding their deeper meaning. We tend to ignore emotions that are told through the quiet yet powerful voices behind every music sheet, every painting, and every choreography. Everyone has a story of their own, and many start telling it through conversations or through written works: some, however, may start like mine. My story began at the age of six –- silent in words, but an awakening moment when the sound of music became my language. 

For half of my childhood, I grew up in a small school and neighborhood.  During those years, I was often labeled the “quiet one”, when in reality, I had so much to say. I often struggled to find the perfect words to express myself because I constantly feared other people’s perception of me. I feared people would judge me for the use of wrong terminology or for not understanding what I was trying to say. At the time, I didn’t have other options for expressing my feelings or for people to hear my voice. So I chose silence. 

Silence was a form of escapism until I was introduced to the piano. Soon after that, I was taught how to feel, listen, express, and talk. This instrument was not only used to project the imagery trapped in my mind, but it was also used to unleash the unexpressed emotions I didn’t know how to put into words. 

At Graded, many students choose to do an art course as an elective. Whether it’s a short film, a composition, an art piece, or a performance, all the arts displayed on campus carry a deeper meaning that represents the students’ identity and experiences, which they might otherwise not be able to share in words. Although I believe that the Art Exhibition, Graded Reels, and other events that showcase students’ work are enough to appreciate their talents, questions arise like: are the arts only seen as an elective, subsidiary to academics? This makes me wonder how subjects outside of academics are perceived by others, because they may not understand that art is just as powerful a device for storytelling and expressing one’s identity. Although these pieces displayed around campus and annual events celebrate the artistic students, artworks shouldn’t just be objects that are glanced at quickly when passing by. They should be the monuments that build upon the school’s culture. In fact, how our community values the creative side of Graded represents Graded as a whole: all unique stories told from all forty-six nationalities.

Through my own experience, being able to perceive others’ stories through art reflects how I had wished others would see my story through music and understand me as a person. I wish people had accepted my artistic form of communication, just as I hope people see art as an instrumental way to express emotions.