My Philosophies
Respect:
Every person deserves respect. I believe that each person-- because of his/her own background, education, experiences, adversities and triumphs-- has earned respect. Each person has potential for growth in skill and character. That potential may be realized when given the opportunity to try new things without fear of failure.
Mistakes:
Mistakes are not a problem. Mistakes simply show us where there is a momentary lack of knowledge ("I don't know what note to play") or technique ("I am unable to play that note"). Therefore, mistakes are actually an opportunity to learn what not to do, so that we may try something else instead-- with enough tries, a person will discover the best way to do the job.
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is among the best in the world. When he plays his cello in concerts, he actually looks forward to making his first mistake. Once he has made that mistake, he says, he doesn't have to worry about it anymore and can just play. This tells us two things: 1) The best musicians in the world make mistakes; 2) mistakes are not a problem. See more about mistakes below.
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is among the best in the world. When he plays his cello in concerts, he actually looks forward to making his first mistake. Once he has made that mistake, he says, he doesn't have to worry about it anymore and can just play. This tells us two things: 1) The best musicians in the world make mistakes; 2) mistakes are not a problem. See more about mistakes below.
The Benefits of Music:
I believe music holds a unique place in our lives, and music classes offer unique benefits to any student:
- Participation in music activates more parts of the brain simultaneously than almost any other activity.
- Music classes give students the opportunity to gain confidence in front of others, whether in rehearsal amongst peers or in performances in front of an audience.
- Music gives students the opportunity to feel okay with making mistakes. When a note comes out in an unexpected way (a "wrong" note), nobody gets injured, the building will not fall down, and the sun will come up tomorrow. In fact, studies have shown that individuals who have received musical training are able to recover from mistakes more quickly (even in non-musical situations), and make decisions faster than non-musicians. Music provides instant feedback, to which students respond and adjust in the moment.
- Students in music class learn to work cooperatively. Only when everyone is working at their best and with others in mind does the ensemble succeed.
- Music classes bring students of different ages together. Most music classes include students from grades 8-12 in the same room. There are mutual benefits to younger and older students being together.
- Music is a different language with its own symbols and grammatical rules. Individuals who study music often find it easier to learn another language than non-musicians.
- Students learning musical repertoire are engaged in long-term planning. They receive a musical score and work in small portions at a time to learn the entire work.