How do Menolly's actions contribute to the book's climax in the novel, Dragonsong?

Everything Menolly does during her adventures—fleeing her home when her father forbids her to "tune" at all, using her skills and intelligence to survive in a cave along the seacoast, finding baby fire lizards who surprise her by appreciating her songs—leads to the climax when the Masterharper of Pern accepts her as his apprentice. He chooses her even though, as she gasps in wonder, "But I'm a girl."