Thought for the Week - March 29, 2010

The artist is not a special kind of man, but every man is a special kind of artist.

- A.K. Coomaraswamy

Thought for the Week - March 22, 2010

Yeah, so, about that missing in action thing... Sorry again. I don't know what happened to last week! How about a post everyday this week to make up for it? ;o) That sounds good to me, I've kinda missed the blogosphere!

Anyway, without further ado, here is your thought for the week:

"Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and spirit. No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the for of our politics or the expression of our love and our faith, music proves: We are the same."

- John Denver

Thought for the Week - March 14, 2010

Note: I'm moving "Thought for the Week" to Sunday, so that I can do other posts on Monday. Now you'll get to "see" me four times a week!

... and, yes, this thought references the saxophone, but it applies to any instrument!

"Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn."

- Charlie Parker

Thought for the Week - March 8, 2010

Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman. 

- Ludwig van Beethoven 

Thought for the Week - March 1, 2010

We know an age more vividly through its music than through its historians.

- Rosanne Ambrose-Brown

Thought for the Week - February 22, 2010

"Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other; because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul."

- Plato

Thought for the Week - February 15, 2010

"The things I learned from my experience in music in school are discipline, perseverance, dependability, composure, courage and pride in results. . . Not a bad preparation for the workforce!”

- Gregory Anrig

What have you learned from your own music education? What things do you hope to teach your students through music?

Thought for the Week - February 8, 2010

Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.

-Shinichi Suzuki

What is your purpose in teaching? How do you communicate it to your students?

Why I Do What I Do

It's been an interesting last few months to say the least, trying to fast-forward my way through my Bachelor's degree in order to earn my Master's degree, changing degree programs several times, gaining students, losing students, almost quitting teaching...

And then, suddenly things settled out, and I had a revelation of sorts.

Teaching privately is hard work, but I've realized in the last few weeks that I wouldn't give it up for the world. There are so many moments when I love my job:

- When I get the joy of seeing student's faces light up when they learn to express their creativity in new ways.

- When students work for WEEKS to master one technique and it finally clicks.

- When my students collect their weekly stickers on the cover of their assignment notebook and insist on counting them each week to "find out how many lessons they've had" and then recount the stories of lessons past.

- When the drama classes and clubs that I've spent weeks with - painstakingly auditioning, casting, teaching, coaching, directing, pleading with to PLEASE learn their lines, and to stay focused for just a FEW more rehearsals - take their final bows, and I have to work hard not to let the tears flow because I'm just that proud of them.

Those are the moments when I realize that it's worth it. Those are the moments that every scheduling problem, frustration with lack of practice and feeling that I am not a suitable teacher melt away, and I remember why I do what I do.

Why do you teach?

Thought For the Week of April 19

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."

-Pablo Picasso

This week (and beyond) how can we encourage artistry in our students? How can we prevent smothering the creativity that our students were born with?

Sorry for the "retro-post." I wrote this in advance and then forgot to hit "post" on Sunday... and again on Monday. I'm going to pretend like I didn't, and post it with Sunday's date. You won't tell, will you?

Thoughts for the Week of April 12

This weeks quote theme is about being in the moment and enjoying the present - one of the best (and maybe one of the worst) things about the performing arts.

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Music is one of the best ways to enjoy the present.  It's not much fun to look forward to hearing music or to remember what a song sounded like last week, but music right now absorbs you and places you in the present moment.  

~Sonnett Branche

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What I love about theatre is that it disappears as it happens. 

~Lusia Strus