Blog Archives

Music Is Not Something You Do, It's a Place You Go

7/10/2016

Music is not something you do, it's a place you go. No one is immune to the human experience. All of us will have challenges and pain and music is a prescription for a healthy escape from the gravity of life. Music creates a space that allows for us to recharge, regroup and reflect in a manner that builds us up instead of depleting us. Music heals.

I work with a group of Suzuki Violin teachers in my city (Eugene, Oregon) to create events for our students. Sunday, June 12, 2016 was our first event of the summer: a review party for our more advanced students with an ice cream bar afterwards. To say we were excited to host this party for our students was an understatement but when I woke up that morning to the indescribable horror of yet another mass shooting in our country the last thing I wanted to do was put on my happy face and assume my public role as a teacher in my community. I wanted to lay in bed, follow the unfolding news story and grieve the loss of innocent life while venting the anger that comes from the continuity of these shootings and injustices.

I am not qualified to speak on the politics and social issues that surround the circumstances of the Orlando shooting but I can share my personal experience with how music played a vital role in my life that day and I hope also for the students involved.

When the time came to meet for our Suzuki Violin review party, I left half heartedly with the shooting on the front of my mind. As soon as I arrived at our location I was able to mentally “change channels” and enter into the world of music.

I played along that day more than someone with an overuse injury like me would normally plan to do. In that hour of playing the violin, playing J.S. Bach, playing with colleagues & playing with students something transformative happened. Inside the music I was able to forget about the tragic events and elevate above the pain, anger and confusion that is part of our human experience and was provoked by the senseless shooting in Orlando that morning. It was not appropriate to bring up the tragic event with the students but inevitably some of them were aware of this recent unprecedented news story. I am confident that the music - in the form of playing the violin, playing masterworks by great composers, playing in unison with friends and playing with trusted teachers also provided a safe space for these young musicians to unconsciously process the events and was a reprieve from the gravity of this reality that is becoming all too regular in our country. Music fills many voids in our life and can provide a safe space for unconscious introspection in times like this.

0 Comments

Reflections from the School Year (2015-16)

7/10/2016

0 Comments

Scott Lake, Oregon

The school year year flew by. One week my students were walking in my studio door recharged from summer break and creating goals for the new school year and the next week we had our end of year awards ceremony and party.

One reason that I look forward to a lighter summer teaching schedule is that I am able to have the space to reflect on everything from the previous year. I try to evaluate what was successful and what I would have done different. I also think about the needs for my studio for the upcoming year and how I can create a program and curriculum structure to best support my students.

In reflecting, I also like to make a list of what made my year distinct. The time goes by so quickly that this helps me organize my memory and feel proud of my teaching. This also literally makes me slow down to create structure for the reflection process. Below is a list of events related to my music teaching that shaped my past school year.

Hosting a masterclass with a special colleague new to town as a guest teacher.
Not accepting any new students due to a reduction in studio size.
Creating a new collection called Holiday Joy! Traditional Holiday & Christmas Music for Violin (eBook) and performing our December outreach concert at a new and larger location where we reached more people.
Adding a Fiddle and Folk music component to every group class.
Writing special solos for my younger students for our group performance of Boil Them Cabbage Down.
Performing Copeland's Hoedown with my most advanced students and adding in choreographed marching to emphasize the rhythm.
Performing the Cup Song as a surprise encore at the end of a recital.
Printing S. Suzuki quotes and sharing a collection of these with each student in a hand addressed card of encouragement (available on the FREEBIES page).
Continuing the Honors Program for the second year.
Having students write feedback for each other in the solo portion of our group classes.
Having my older students pair up with my younger students in some group classes for mentorship.
Doing Bow Hold Boot Camp at the last 2 group classes of the year.
Healthiest year I can remember with almost no absences due to illness (what a blessing).
Hosting a mock audition with colleagues to help prepare my students for the local youth orchestra auditions.
Teaching many students in my studio vibrato.
Ending the year with a composer workshop for a student interested in writing music.
Creating special summer events with my local colleagues: Advanced Review Party + Ice Cream Bar and Festival in the Park.

I recommend every teacher create an annual list like this to reflect and feel proud of your work.

What are some of the highlights from your school year? Please share in the comments below.Thank you!

0 Comments

Music Is Not Something You Do, It's a Place You Go

Reflections from the School Year (2015-16)

Categories

Archives

Author