Statement of Philosophy
People,
preparation and passion are the driving factors behind all facets of my
teaching, research, creative activities and service at the
Motivation
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be
done without hope and confidence.”
–
Helen Keller (1880-1968)
Teaching
music at UTEP brings ample opportunity to motivate students. Motivation is an essential, compelling force which
I believe must be infused into the core of each and every student that walks
onto our commuter campus. For many of
these students, they are the first in their families to attend college. Perhaps some of them have not had the musical
experiences or the pre-college education that the students with whom I attended
college had. Others may need to hold
full-time jobs while studying, just in order to be in school. Whatever the challenges may be, my actions
and words reinforce as many times as possible, “You can do this. I believe in you and your ability to reach
excellence.”
The most basic teaching tools that I implement with each student seem simple enough: to help define and set clear goals and to support with assistance in reaching those goals. However, sometimes there is a break down in that system: either students do not understand the goals or have not really made them their own. This is part of the challenge in making those objectives—including the students, assimilating their thoughts, dreams and expectations into the reality of what I know they will need to become successful performers and educators. Another roadblock may occur when the students lose sight of those objectives or the faith they must have in themselves to reach them. Motivation again comes quickly to the rescue. “I believe in you and your ability to reach excellence.” Expecting positive outcomes usually rewards successful results.
Although
it is important to establish a level of high standards, I often challenge the
student to move beyond this plane and opt for even more exciting heights of
music study and excellence. In addition
to the required course work, I encourage and facilitate the chances for
additional opportunities beyond the UTEP campus. Take your music study out to other
people. Let’s broaden this circle of two
to include twenty, fifty, hundreds…Recent practical activities that follow this
sentiment include performances at local schools, outreach concerts at
retirement communities and musical collaborations with other music
organizations. I wish I could insert a
photo of the smiles on the faces of students after such a situation, and if
there were a way to measure confidence and happiness, the data would astound.
Demonstration
Being
passionate myself about the study and performance of music, I believe it is
essential for students to see their mentors demonstrating the very aspects that
we all are trying to enforce: communicating through music. As world-renowned performing cellist and
music pedagogue Janos Starker recently remarked about the numerous successful
students with whom he has worked throughout his nearly fifty years of teaching, “They are contributing to the cause.” The cause, in this case, is the performance and education of
classical music. Every course offered at
the UTEP Department of Music asks students to join in the intellectual,
artistic and innovative study of music and all that it entails. How can I not ask the same from myself? By requiring from myself the very same things
I require from my students—to engage with people, to be prepared and to play or
teach with passion—they are learning about continuing education beyond the
degrees offered at UTEP. Music and
education become a life long pursuit instead of a semester’s study.
Facilitation of Progressive Momentum
One
of the most exciting concepts connecting people within this discipline is
facilitating relationships amongst the students. They are encouraged to work together and to
mentor each other. In the field of
music, as I’m sure it is in every other area of study or work, there is too
much separation, in my opinion. We
musicians are stereotypically famous for our backstabbing, undercutting and
dishonest ways of working with each other.
Not to say that there is not any level of friendly competition amongst
the students, I purposely force students to interact in scholarly and
performance projects together in order to reaffirm the sense of community. By viewing a peer successfully completing (or
perhaps not successfully completing) various activities in music, we sometimes
learn more quickly. Under the auspices
of unity, the students are overwhelmingly supportive of each other as a
result.
The
music curriculum is organized so that progressive
momentum is “built-in.” However, I believe that an advancing incline in regard to
difficulty and length of assigned repertoire, course objectives and leadership
responsibilities within my studio help prepare students for what lies beyond
UTEP.
Substantiation of Students’ Decisions
A
former student whose progress was detained for a bit—due to many reasons, but
mainly because of an unanticipated new baby daughter—returned to my studio
after several years. Right after the baby
was born, this student had realized that music was not to be her defined goal
but that she excelled in the realm of business management. Although the times leading up to that
decision were not easy ones for our teacher and student relationship—as I grabbed
for my tools of motivation, demonstration and facilitation—it was the best
choice for her. I never thought twice
about supporting this student even after she had decided to change programs. However, what I think she recalls the most in
her studies with me were the aspects of passion and people, as defined in this
philosophy. One day as she returned to
my studio years later and asked if she could speak with me for a brief moment,
her eyes welled with tears as she quietly confessed, “I never meant to let you down.” After disguising my own
shock, I reassured her that she never let me down, that I was very proud of her
achievements and that her struggles were not in vein. After our conversation she left empowered,
for all of the steps she took trying to be successful in music will always
assist her in life. This is
the power and strength of music and in what I firmly
believe and try to pass on to others.
Music connects people, engages one to always be prepared and emphasizes
passion as a means of life.