TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Fundamental to success in our everyday lives is an ongoing education. In all stages of life, we must choose to live a life determined to learn from all of those around us and allow our learning to become a source of learning for others. This focused determined life becomes a transformation into a passion effectively propelling us to teach others and bridge our determination for excellence on to the next generation of musicians. Music being so fundamental in my life, overflows into my teaching with an expressed intention of sharing the joy music brings forth in our lives. I believe music has the power to speak directly to the innermost area of our being to directly impact the intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth of an individual. With music having the capacity to impact students so profoundly, it is important to realize my teaching must address them not only from the aspect of playing horn, but also as an individual desiring to become, foremost, a musician.

My job as a teacher demands more from me than simply teaching someone to play horn. Viewing each student, as the individual they are, allows an opportunity to address a myriad of life skills necessary for a productive life, not only in music but the totality of their existence interacting with others having a diversity of backgrounds. Our cultural, emotional and intellectual awareness can, collectively, come together in our common goal to create music.

The creation of music as an individual may be challenging enough, but when students come together in an ensemble there is an added layer of complexity of working with others from a diverse background of those possibly not even speaking the same language. Used in a creative manner, music can bridge these differences allowing the student musician a great opportunity for creative problem solving and critical thinking.

The practice room provides a unique laboratory for the evaluation and analysis of problems they can then address and fix in their playing. I will find my success as a teacher when each individual student has developed the necessary skills to become their “best” teacher. Until this goal is reached, each of my lessons will focus on showing them how to utilize the skill needed to solve problems and develop a healthy vocabulary necessary to critique their own playing. When this goal is accomplished, the student will discovery they now have the ability to become the creator of music rather than absorbing my creativity into their playing.

As this ability to become the “creator” takes place, each student will begin to see the many aspects of music allowing for personal creation of a musical phrase and the ability to express their individual spirit and emotional awareness in each choice they make musically. Victor Hugo said, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.”

I look forward to being the resource for each student making it possible for them to speak on a level where words are simply inadequate. Teaching students to express the inexpressible will change lives and bringing them not only personal joy but the joy of music as their lives intersect with so many others. This may be the high point, but I also acknowledge how all of this translates into other skills of time management, hard work, and perseverance, as they become a valuable contributing member of society.

While I might like to believe each student will become the greatest horn player of the next generation, they are also a part of a much larger group of people who simply play and appreciate great music. I must do more than develop the best player, but also teach this appreciation as they learn the skills necessary for rehearsal and performance and this etiquette rises above them being a member of the performing ensemble and leads to great etiquette as a member of the audience. It is important for every musician to understand the variety of styles and genres found in music, which appeal to people and realize each one demands the same level of respect. While all music might not fall into our area of desire, it is important for all musicians to learn to appreciate the creations of others. This also opens and opportunity for students to understand the history and style of music from various periods and understand the relationships to the music they play in their horn repertoire.

Finally, after commenting on how important so many things are in the training of musicians, on the most basic level I teach the horn! Their skill on the horn is the most widely assessed gage for learning and my goal is to teach the skills in the most effective way possible so students can reach their fullest potential as a horn player and become a true artist on the horn. One cannot be considered an artist when they still have inadequacies in their playing. To reach the artist level, it is important to have a balanced combination of individual lessons, section work, ensemble work and chamber music.

Students often come to lessons focused on developing skills necessary to address the next competition or symphonic concert and while this might be an initial focus, it is important for them to learn how their musical growth must include solos, excerpts, etudes, scales, transpositions, and all other technical aspects of performance.

Ultimately, I look forward to creating a chain reaction of learning by encouraging the one student to be better than I and communicate more relevance in their lives. From Bach to Beethoven to Berg, music has communicated life and relevance into lives empowering them to far greater things. I will continue the chain by empowering students who become my responsibility as teacher and more importantly as a musician.