To my music teachers, past, present and future:
Boy we've been through a lot together, haven't we? It seems like so long ago that I walked into my instrument fitting, a little nervous and a little excited, but mainly curious. There were so many different things to try! Granted, I didn't stick with my first instrument (Clarinet and trumpet are the same thing, right?) but I suppose that you can't win them all.
In middle school you taught me the fundamentals of music, but, more importantly, you taught me how important being in an ensemble was. Through music you began to show me the world of John Phillip Sousa, Robert W Smith, and so many more. These songs may have been simple, but through them my eyes began to open to something much bigger.
You also encouraged me to make friends--to create bonds with the people in my section and, when necessary, challenge the people sitting between my friends just to get seated closer to your friends. Of course this also forced you to practice so that you could actually win the challenge. You might have gotten annoyed by having me by my friends, fearing that nothing would get done, or that I wouldn't learn anything, but the exact opposite happened. Just like Pavlov and his dogs, I began to associate my brass trumpet with the fun and excitement that being near my friends and the music brought.
It wasn't until high school and college that you really began to show me what music was all about. With Holsinger, Ticheli, and Whitacre you showed me how to put passion into my music. You showed me what it was to truly love music and how to use that gift to benefit others, convey a message or emotion, or anything else that I wanted to do. You also taught me about passion. You showed me that no matter what you were passionate about, if you did it to the best of your ability then you would flourish.
Not only did you teach me about music, but somehow you managed to teach me about life. Through practice you taught me the patience that comes from never getting too hard on yourself when you make a mistake. You also taught me never to give up when something seems impossibly hard or impossibly fast. You taught me to slow it down, take a breath, and eventually let my speed back up to tempo. You taught me that it's okay to not be perfect at everything, that sometimes we make mistakes, and that there's always another rehearsal, another concert, another chance to prove yourself. You also taught me about teamwork. Even if I was the best instrumentalist in the world, I was nothing without my counterparts in the band--my counterparts in life.
In all my years of music you all gave me so much. Which each song conducted, each lesson taught, you poured out a piece of yourself. For that I will be forever grateful. You taught me more about myself and about life than I ever would have guessed during my instrument fitting. You taught me that sometimes a few notes on a page can say more than the most eloquently written speech could ever do. Thank you for everything that you taught me, everything that you continue to teach me, and everything that you will teach me. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem to you, it means the world to me.
Sincerely,
Your Former/Current/Future Student
