On Teaching

In transition — I’ve left Lewisburg, PA, and I’m settling into my first semester at New England Conservatory in Boston.

I’m no longer teaching six days a week, having had to leave my studio in Lewisburg. I miss all of my wonderful students with their great questions and attitudes. I loved being one-on-one with each of them, getting to know them, and watching them make progress. Luckily, about ten students are continuing with me online so we can keep learning together from a distance (no matter how much I tried to convince them to find an in-person teacher). I’m grateful for this.

Leaving Lewisburg marks the end of a three-and-a-half-year chapter. While I’ve been teaching for about ten years, this concentrated stretch became a crucible for learning how to teach. Some weeks I taught 35+ lessons, but I averaged a steady 20–25 per week. That pace forced me to confront my own shortcomings relentlessly. I wouldn’t have had it any other way: even the thought of not serving a student well propelled me to find ways to be more effective. Don’t get me wrong — I feel genuinely talented as a teacher, and part of that is my ability to connect with and care for my students. Most days I was inspired and excited to share music as I understood it, hoping to light a spark or fan the flame of a passionate student.

Even so, I fell into my fair share of “ruts.” These ruts were marked by a lack of enthusiasm or laziness in communicating ideas. Sure, sometimes I was just plain tired from being busy, but there was a deeper lesson: when I coasted, it was because I’d stopped tending to the craft of teaching, relying on autopilot — “I’m pretty good at this thing” (famous last words).

I’ve learned that in music — or anything else — passion must be actively cultivated. The craft must constantly be developed. One cannot expect to coast. I believe artists exist in every domain, not just music or painting. Don’t become bored.

“Inspiration is like showering: it doesn’t last forever, and that’s why we recommend it daily.”

This will be a lesson I’ll have to relearn many times in my life.

Soon I’ll begin teaching online, which will be a learning curve for both me and my students. I aim to become very good at this. As a teacher, I crave knowing I’m providing value and that my students are growing from our time together.

Summer 2025 Recital

2024 Jazz Vocal Camp