The student-teacher relationship is one which best functions when built upon the fundamental elements of trust, diligence and hard work. The fundamental elements of this relationship are upheld both by the student’s diligence in hard work and my commitment, as their teacher, to helping them become critical thinkers within the field of music. It is my goal as an educator to work to build meaningful relationships with my students in order to equip them with the tools necessary to be able to set personal goals and reach new milestones of musicianship.

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Music is powerful in its ability to shape the lives of both the musician and the listener. This truth has propelled me to believe that music is indeed for all, regardless of who chooses to pursue it as a career path contrasted with those who choose to enjoy it as a listener. I am reminded of a quote I heard at a conducting symposium where Dr. Kevin Sedatole said, “We don’t conduct instruments, we conduct the people.” As a teacher I understand that my role is not merely to teach music concepts but to reach individual students and to instill in them the responsibilities that music presents such as trust, diligence and creativity. I seek to create a classroom environment in which the student can place their trust in me as their teacher, in the other students in their ensemble and most importantly in themselves as they take ownership of their musicianship and understand how their personal performance affects the ensemble. Diligence developed by students through commitment to the hard work that is involved in mastering an instrument will not only foster their success in music but in all areas of study. Lastly, I seek to inspire students to realize the endless creativity that music lends itself to and help them develop the boldness required to express this creativity through music making. It is through the instilment of these and other such traits that I believe music is able to shape the lives of students well beyond what they learn in the classroom. 

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Setting goals together as an ensemble is an invaluable practice in its ability to motivate students to hold each other accountable to a higher level of musicianship and is part of my approach to classroom instruction and management. While in front of an ensemble I strive to teach macro-concepts (rhythm, harmonic phrase structure, intonation and quality of tone) and encourage student ownership in discovering what micro-skills (metronome practice, interval/drone work and scales studies) are needed in personal practice to achieve the big picture goals. My teaching experiences have led me to believe that the student’s personal ownership in musicianship is central to their success. The teachers who serve as my role models are those who invest themselves both in their art as well as in their student’s success. It is one of my primary goals as a musician and teacher to consistently present myself to my students and colleagues as a professional resource invested in the music community and student success.