Why I started singing | Life as a PhD student #15

I wasn't always musical. And I probably didn't get into it for the reason you expect...

Music has always formed a large part of my YouTube output and I wanted to give it a full video to tell this story properly. Covering my parents' musical talents, my childhood influences, learning to play the cornet, the saxophone, and then starting to sing to impress a girl. I realise there's not much

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Editing done in Premiere.

Huge thanks to my supporters on Patreon: Samuel Rose, Frederic Ysewijn, Kane Thynne, Eve Dillon, Rowan Gow, Rikke Norgaard Christiansen, Daniel Martin, Matthias Loos, James Bridges, Hanna Scott, James Craig, Angela Cook, Sanaa Al Derei, Mark Anthony Magro, Maddie Sisk, Liam Farrar, Theresa Wang, Hunter Jones, Nathan Smith, Kieran Kelly, Wendover Productions, Kendra Johnson, Caitlin Louise, and Real Engineering.

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I am Simon, a fourth year PhD candidate at the University of Exeter. I upload videos on bits of science which are relevant to what I do, and sometimes just because they're really cool.

Thanks to Vlogbrothers for their sponsorship of this video. Money from the Foundation to Decrease Worldsuck contributed to equipment used in this video.

[dianabanana]

me for my classes: rarely early
me for simon's vlogs: always early
priorities.

[con_nie]

I've always been interested in music, but was a little intimidated to start getting into it. I tried teaching myself piano in high school but didn't get very far. And despite not taking any lessons for singing ever, I got into a talent show in my senior year of high school performing Valerie by Amy Winehouse. After that, all I've wanted to do was make and share music. I started off on the ukulele about a year ago, now I'm being tutored on the piano and teaching myself guitar! All the while I've been writing my own music, which is my absolute favorite thing to do.

[mallby]

damn you're really pumping these vlogs out fast, keep em coming

[Isee-vngo]

Getting notification for your vids is actually the best

[JonahSussman]

I play French horn, trumpet, and a little bit of piano. I also enjoy singing and I did tap dance for a while. I have always been a science/math person, but I love music too!
By the way, I actually found your channel through acapellascience’s William Rowan Hamilton! So I’m glad you sing, or I might not even know about your channel.

[GameGuiders]

So here's my music story. I started playing piano around age 8 and when I got to grade 5 I started to be interested in composition and had written my first piece (I looked at the piece the other day...it was so bad :D) .

After grade 5, I needed to find a new piano teacher. While searching for a teacher, I came across someone who said that while they didn't really teach piano, they could teach me composition if I was interested. So I started  having composition lessons and I quickly started enjoying them more than my piano lessons.

In Year 11 I heard about the Wells Cathedral School. I started having composition lessons there during Sixth Form and they were the highlight of my forenight.

Before I knew it, I had to pick what subject I would be doing at uni. I had to choose between music composition or maths. I really enjoyed both. After looking at the entry requirements for maths at Warwick (A*A*A*/A*A*A) verses music at a London conservatoire (EE) my mind was made up. Music composition. :)

Fast forward to today. I got a place at the Royal College of Music and come September, I'll be studying composition and I'm so glad I didn't apply for Maths. Also, If you're interested i have a couple of my compositions on my channel.

[evaFanFuruba]

Doing a PhD in music, so it's lovely to hear you telling your story :)

[somedude]

You are apparently my life role model Simon! I'm coming to the end of my own Oxford physics degree and have had a great few years singing in my college chapel choir and playing the trumpet in the university symphonic band, both of which are really lovely escapes from all the pressures of academic work :)

[KOmBos]

I got interested in music by my mother as well, she's a pianist, she used to take me to classical music concerts from very early on when I was 6. Over time I figured I wanted to play the oboe, ended up doing so for 7 years in multiple youth orchestras as well as one proper adult orchestra. Heading into middle school my mother made me audition for a music middle-Highschool, to which I was top 3 to enter, stayed there for the 3 years of middle school (Point Of reference Greece), then decided that I wanted to learn something different so I followed a rogue unplanned idea (...) without making the comment longer xD. Now I am a physics BSc in my 1st year, I don't play the oboe anymore or the guitar or piano or bass I learned how to play in middle school, but this summer I plan to pick up the piano, oboe, and guitar. You really made me want to audition for a choir again and I hopefully will do so next year. :)

Thanks for sharing your story, Simon!

[veronicachamberlain]

Hearing your musical journey was very interesting! I got started singing very young(my dad is excellent but has massive stagefright), and was in the University of Arkansas Children's Choir for a couple of years, and I really enjoyed it! Unfortunately, when I moved to where I live now, my school offered no music department whatsoever. So for the past eight years, the only singing I've been involved in is in the small choir at my church. I really do hope to get involved in some form of singing group when I go off to uni in the fall though! Thanks for the great video again!

[alexandervandijk]

The music-related parts of your vlogs are actually my favourite :) I especially enjoyed your performance of Byrd's Ave Verum in your vlog from March 9th. I am myself an 18 year old organist from the Netherlands, and have played the church organ for about 11 years now. Since 2013 I also play church services at my local (Old-Catholic) church, and work with choirs on a regular basis - it's absolutely awesome! Renaissance and Baroque music also hold a special place in my heart (Monteverdi being one of my faves.) I've just finished my exams at school, and if everything turns out alright I will be studying History at UCL starting in September. I hope to find a place as an organist in London as well, but would also like to try singing :)

[eimearg]

I love the mix of music and physics on this channel. I'm a physics undergrad and I recently joined my university choir after realising how much I missed being involved in music after leaving school where I was in two choirs and an orchestra. You're right Simon when you say about how taking a couple of hours out of your week for music can really make a difference!

[anketheron]

Yes! My musical journey started with my granny and ever since I loved music. Neither my parents are musical though... So I did piano and theory from 9 years until I left school to go to uni. I haven't played much since. Mostly because my piano is my great granny's and very false, with a cracked board.... But I love to play when a piano present's itself. Piano and Cello is my favourite music to listen to and choral music too. So keep up with the choir pieces. It is great to find other people who appreciate classical music. Thanks for your vlog ;-) PS. We had loads of Jim Reeves and Richard Clayderman tapes in the car.

[Astro_Lizard]

it was so interesting to hear you say that the cornett looked easier to you because it only had three keys. when I was deciding what instrument I wanted to play in middle school I remember being very intimidated by the trumpets/cornetts because it seemed so crazy that you could create every single note with just THREE KEYS!

I ended up choosing the alto sax and the cello (our school had a separate string orchestra as well as a full band). I continued with both for quite a few years and ended up getting pretty good at playing jazz on my sax. I beat out a senior in high school for a spot in our jazz band when I was a freshman! I had a ton of fun with it all through high school but I haven't really played much after graduating in 2012.

I still have all of my instruments with me (I literally packed my cello, my alto and soprano sax, and my keyboard in to my tiny car and drove 5000 miles so I could have them with me when I moved!).

now they serve as decoration in my dorm room and every day I tell myself that I'm going to find a place to practice but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I emailed the music department and asked if I could use their practice rooms as a non major but they said no. I think I'm going to sneak in to them anyway.. I scoped it out a while ago and it never seemed too busy and I never saw any faculty around... there always seemed to be 6 or so empty rooms at any given time so I figure if I just act like I belong there I'll be able to get away with it!

Thanks for sharing your story! Your singing is incredible for not having any lessons!

ps I'm on mobile so forgive me for any weird formatting or any grammatical errors

[luisdatreta]

Really enjoyed this vlog - I legitimately believe everyone would benefit so much if they played an instrument or tried singing at some point in their life...

I started with piano lessons as a 6 year old because my parents forced me to. Absolutely hated it but I kept playing against my will. Pretty soon my parents signed me up to the conservatoire for piano lessons alongside music theory lessons, because it was cheaper and just much better.
I ended up being taught by a fantastic piano teacher, who still remains one of my best friends to this day.

Over time I kept enjoying music more and more, and it basically became my 2nd life aside from school. I kept playing at the conservatoire until I was 18, which was when I was about to graduate highschool.

At that point I was torn between choosing to go to Uni for something science-y, or trying out a Royal Conservatory as a pianist to follow music for the rest of my life.

Ended up choosing the former - went to the UK and studied Geography, then mastered in meteorology (just last December!) and now here I am working as a meteorologist in Holland.

I still play the piano whenever I go back home for a visit. It's still there after so many years, very out of tune but going strong! Typically I just end up playing some Chopin or Bach, or maybe some laid-back Bossa Nova.
It's not the same not having lessons, but in a way I'm glad I can enjoy the piano without the stress of auditions or exams. I can just play for myself now :)

[bluebouncybubble]

started drums in year 3, stopped at end of year 6 (regrets), did cello in year 5 and 6 then stopped, start saxophone in year 7 and am still doing it now. i'm not particularly good but i totally get you on the point about helping mental health, it can be so nice to be able to completely forget everything else and focus on something totally different

[anonnemos]

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR SO LONG! Great video!! I play piano(post grade 8) but its a shame I can't play that uni if I get in for medicine. But music does make my other half and it can be frustrating but rewarding at the same time. I hope to play in more musicals. :)

[LockyDoesScience]

I'm an anatomist though actually retraining as a clinical biochemist and I started singing early and my first instrument was also the cornet. Great instrument and a good way to gage how fit you are :) love your videos one of the few things that actually keep me motivated to keep studying!

[chadspears]

I think that it is interesting that my mom and dad both are musical and have been throughout my life. But I have just started in the last year. I have always wanted to get into it but never found the time. Since January of this year I have been taking violin lessons and have been loving it. Music has made much more sense to me. I never thought that I would be able to play music, but I love it and look forward to what i will be able to do.

[loganborchard]

I'm a horn player📯! I've been playing for a couple years and I'm finishing up my junior year in high school. I love your videos. You have really sparked my interest in choir music and you've helped me decide I want to pursue physics in college. I love hearing about your research, but I think what keeps me coming back is your segments on the chapel choir!