Andrew Lee
In the summer of 2024, I joined the Center Stage Strings program at the University of Michigan — and honestly, it was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Everything about it felt different from any other camp or music event I’d been part of. The moment I arrived, I could feel the air buzzing with something — energy, passion, maybe a bit of fear too. Everyone there loved music in the same way I did, maybe even more. It wasn’t just about playing the right notes anymore. It was about understanding why the music mattered.
Each day was long — lessons, rehearsals, late-night practice sessions that seemed to blend into morning. But there was something about being surrounded by people who pushed themselves as hard as I did. It made me want to reach further, play deeper, and listen closer.
I still remember performing near the end of the program. The lights were soft, the hall quiet except for the sound of breathing and a few nervous coughs. Then I started to play. For a few minutes, everything else disappeared — the pressure, the tiredness, even the thought of the audience. It was just me and the sound.
When the last note faded, I didn’t feel relief. I felt… full. Like I had done something real, something that mattered.
Center Stage wasn’t just another camp — it was where I finally felt like I belonged, where I saw what music could truly be when it’s played with your whole heart.
