Last Friday, J Percussion was very proud to see four students – Yuliana Chen, Chloe Christofan, Kerrie Liang and Jennifer Lin – receive their AMusA award with distinction at the annual AMEB Diploma Ceremony. Since a young age, I have always wondered how I would feel when receiving my diploma: Would I feel accomplished? Would I feel qualified? However, upon receiving my award, I realised that I felt oddly renewed, as if I understood that my work was not done. We often associate diplomas with ideas of completion and the end of one’s journey, yet our percussionists have continued to work hard even after finishing their recitals last year. So, I set out to ask my fellow diplomates the big question: What does this diploma mean to you?
Yuliana:
Personally, achieving my diploma has always been a significant goal and milestone in my music career. It feels like all of my hard work has paid off, and it is very exciting to see everything come together.
Chloe:
Receiving my diploma was such an exciting and proud moment for me, as it is a recognition of all the hard work I’ve done to get to this point in percussion. It makes me so happy to know that I reached the goal I worked towards and can continue to grow in my playing.
Jennifer:
Getting my diploma basically means I’m qualified to do what I love doing, teaching. In terms of my long-term music journey, this diploma serves as a reminder that all those years of practising past dinnertime and getting nagged at has paid off. Basically, I now have physical proof of my 13-year-long milestone and am ready to step into my next journey as a teacher (Big shoutout to Paul by the way for the numerous ‘therapy’ sessions we’ve had and guiding me through occasion periods of hell).
For me, this diploma signifies the start of a new chapter. As I flip over the last page of my basic technical journey, I am eager to leap into new exploration – more specifically, I am excited to discover myself artistically. No longer bound to scales and studies, I can dive headfirst into a world of phrasing and hidden details that aren’t written on the page.
As I begin my new journey, I believe it is important to reflect on the experiences that have brought me to this point today. Music is a very intricate art: it is through the smallest of details our stories come alive through sound. This process, however, is not always so straightforward and has definitely made for some tough days in the practice room (you know, those days when nothing seems to feel quite right). I spoke to Jennifer about how her experience has shaped her musical journey:
Although I am proud of myself for achieving my long-term goal, it must be said that the journey has been a rough one. There were times where I was thrown pieces of music that I did not comprehend and there were times where I physically could not give justice to the piece of music. Other times, it was less of the music itself and more of the toxic, perfectionist mentality I had developed that left me quite exhausted. These invigorating times saw immense personal growth and development that could not be explored at school nor at home, and for that I am grateful for the past 13 years practically living at JPMS.
Like Jennifer, it was from those difficult times, I learned the most about myself. On days that I didn’t feel like showing up, I proved myself wrong and found how just how disciplined I could be. At every competition loss, when I picked myself back up, I found out how just how courageous I could be. It is through those hardships I found validation within myself, not just from the trophies that I was winning – and this self-discovery is what has pushed me to live more boldly. It has prompted me to audition for orchestras, not focussing on whether I got in on not, but that I gave it a go. It has allowed me to create my own universe through music – a place to escape to when the burden of reality becomes too harsh. These are the experiences that I take forth into the next chapter.
So, I guess that leads to the question of the day: Is the diploma a signal of the beginning or the end?
I believe it is both. While it is hard to say goodbye to this chapter of technical growth, I am excited to head into a period of emotional flourish – a personal Renaissance if some sort. Like my fellow diplomates have said, last Friday’s celebration was not only a celebration of how our past efforts have paid off but an induction into a new journey forward. On this journey, I aim to explore my identity as a musician and deliver meaningful stories, and I hope you all will come along for the ride.
Our students have worked very hard and delivered a powerful performance to celebrate the traditional Taiwanese spirit. We are honoured to work with such a diverse group of students at our school and are proud to see them use music to share their culture with the world! 
Instagram @percussion.australia to see our drummers behind the scenes!