TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

I have taught theory and skills courses at McGill University, the Université de Montréal, the Eastman School of Music, and BNU-HKBU United International College (UIC) over the past nine years. At the heart of my teaching are the guiding principles of relevance, individuality, meaning, and synthesis. 

I emphasize the relevance of the course material not only to the student's musical pursuits, but also to the student's position in contemporary society. For example, in my piano sight-reading class at Eastman, I invited guest instrumentalists and vocalists to help bring my student's new skills in transposition into the real world. 

I value individuality by catering to each student's individual needs and their search for a unique voice. For example, my graduate-level keyboard skills class at McGill University consisted of music theory and conducting majors hailing from a wide range of keyboard experiences. I turned the gap in keyboard proficiency within the class from a possible obstacle into an opportunity by crafting assignments at two different levels that were linked by common musical examples. As well, I assigned team scavenger hunts, duets, and improvisation-based activities to engage all my students, while also allowing room for individual growth and discovery.         

I encourage the search for meaning, so that the study of chords extends beyond simple voice-leading. For example, I tasked my UIC students with analyzing several different harmonizations of the same chorale. The following class, we then discussed the interpretive implications of each harmonization by playing the harmonic reductions slowly, pausing at each harmony change, listening intently to each tension and resolution, so that they may "taste the harmonies." As a result, my students learned to perform the chorales, and indeed, any music that they encountered afterwards, with sharpened sensitivity and mindfulness. 

Last, I promote synthesis of theory and performance. Music is in actuality a language, and as such, consists of the same four modalities of communication as any other human language. Music analysis is like reading comprehension, musicianship is like listening comprehension, music composition is like writing, and improvisation is like speaking. The more interaction that goes on in one's brain between the different modalities, the stronger the musician has mastery over the language of music as a whole. Therefore, in my teaching, I engage my students in multiple modalities at once through activities that involve score reading (reading to speaking), playing by ear (listening to speaking), transcription/dictation (listening to writing), and arranging (reading to writing). All the while, I ensure that my students do not lose sight of the end goal of each skill: communication. 

Altogether, my students are thoroughly prepared to truly and freely speak the language of music, and in doing so, communicate the kaleidoscopic and subtle colors of the human condition.