Why We Teach Music

This is the gray time of the year in Washington state.  We are grateful for the sunny days, but sometimes they are few and far between. This year there are so many other problems weighing on our lives. Nothing seems to be “normal.” However, there are many ways for us to find the strength to continue on.
This week I received a wonderful note from a former student dating back to my first teaching experience. This woman is now retired having parented her own children, worked in ICU as a nurse and served as a city council member. She was writing to thank me for all of the “life” lessons I taught her.  It was important to her to share with me how much music and the striving for excellence helped her throughout her career life. It is notes like these that make teaching worthwhile. She absolutely made my day. We all need that boost every so often in our lives!

 I truly enjoy hearing from students whose lives I have touched in some way. There is a special bond that is formed in a student-teacher relationship. I have the pleasure of watching them grow, not just musically but into young adults.

 As the poem says, I do not expect you to become professional musicians, unless you absolutely love nothing more than music. However, the intrinsic values that music teaches you far outweigh just the weekly lesson assignment. Students, keep working hard at your music studies! You will be surprised how much it will aid you throughout your life!