One Hundred Pairs of Eyes

"One Hundred Pairs of Eyes"
--by Patricia M. Glynn
Awareness. An awareness that all eyes from one hundred yards of green grass are
focused on a certain point in space is what drives through my thoughts as I stand
poised. These eyes disregard the peripheral chatter of spectators, the cold wind
whistling in the night air around them, and the harshness of the white lights over the field. They focus only on this one spot before my hands and, to begin their show,
they wait for a simple motion, a mere flick of the wrist. As a tingling sensation arises in my fingertips, I lift my hands in preparation. One hundred pairs of eyes breathe
in unison across the hundred yards, and my hands descend in a practiced pattern toward that one point in space. It is that point where the hundred pairs of eyes
release their breath into their various instruments, where the music is created, and where the show begins.
This experience is one that I get to relive every Friday night while conducting the Plymouth High School marching band in its weekly half-time performance for the
football fans. While I have performed as one of the pairs of eyes, as conductor and
Senior Drum major I feel a greater part of the show than I ever did before. I feel every note and every phrase of music from every instrument, and I pull even more
music from those instruments. Their intensity is sparked from my intensity, and mine builds on theirs. The intensity is not only from the music; it comes from the
eyes. It's my eyes scanning the field, scouting for problems, and brokering
confidence that command an intensity in response. This is the greatest feeling in the
world.
As my motions become larger and larger and my left hand pushes upward, I demand
volume from the band while it crescendos toward its final notes. Building volume and drive, this music sends a tingling sensation from my fingertips through my wrists and pulsing through my body. My shoulders ache but keep driving the beat,
and my emotions are keyed up. As the brass builds and the band snaps to attention
in the last picture of the show, the percussion line pushes the music with a driving hit. Musicians and conductor alike climax with the music until reaching that same
instant in time. With a rigorous closing of my fists, the music stops, but the eyes
hold their focus, instruments poised, until a smile stretches across my face and my features relax, tingling with pent up emotion. Applause.
ANALYSIS
An essay that asks for discussion of an important extracurricular activity may be just
the place for an applicant to discuss in greater detail why participating in student government makes his or her world go' round. But as in this case, the essay may also offer an opportunity for an applicant to further describe a unique or unconventional interest. "One Hundred Pairs of Eyes" details the author's experiences as conductor of her high school football band – a position that on paper
may not carry much weight, despite its many responsibilities. Through her
description of leading one hundred musicians in the complexities of a half-time show, the reader gains unique insight into being at the helm of a marching band – a position from which few people have observed the perspective.
The author begins her essays with rich description –she is the point of focus for one
hundred sets of eyes. By personifying the eyes, the author paints a marvelous
picture of the scene. The reader can almost sense the position from which she must
be standing and the enormity of the group at her feet. But he or she is left to wonder what sort of awkward situation may be causing this unique scenario. Just as the
author creates an intense sensation of tension in the essay, the reader too holds his
or her breath in advance of the announcement that Glynn is the leader of a marching
band. As she continues, the author contrasts her experiences as conductor with those of being a performer, shedding light on the exhilaration of holding the gaze of
the hundred musicians who look to her for rhythm and tempo. And with descriptive
language in the third paragraph, the author encourages the reader to push onward, toward the finale of both the music and the essay. The passage ends with an
impressive sense of relief both for the band members and the reader.