Photo credit: Dr. Lisa Caravan. Shared with permission.
Last week was so full of teaching inspiration! It was a dream come true to speak about pedagogy with string performance students at the Eastman School of Music (mobile users, click through to your browser to view the photos). Eastman’s performance majors (both graduate and undergrad students) already had so much insight into teaching and it was such a privilege to spend time with them! Many thanks to Dr. Lisa Caravan and Eastman’s Music Teaching & Learning Department for sponsoring my visit. It was especially exciting to hear that Dr. Caravan and her students headed to ROCMusic to teach immediately following our class together! If you haven’t heard of ROCMusic, click this link and check it out!
It was incredible to speak with musicians, professors, administrators, and teachers before and after the lecture. One band director introduced herself to me before the lecture and mentioned that she has been teaching band for 34 years. Of course, my immediate thought was, “my goodness, I’d love to listen to YOU here tonight too!”
One thing that brings us together as teachers (regardless of whether we teach middle-school brass, conservatory violin, or collegiate physics!) is that deepening our understanding of Growth Obstacles (musical, technical, or academic challenges that, given appropriately, spur development) and Hindrance Obstacles (matters of circumstance that stall progress and strike students unevenly) helps students reach their highest goals. Last week really lit a fire under me to continue collaborating with performers, educators, and administrators in support of students and their families!
There is the distinct feeling that Rochester is full of possibilities for becoming Ever Better. And yes, I’ll be carrying that spirit with me back to my Houston lessons! Together, we are persistent and resilient in our pursuit of self-betterment through collaboration, literature, music, theater, science, medicine, technology, and history.
Many thanks to Dean Mary Ann Mavrinac (vice provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean of the University of Rochester Libraries), Ashlee Huff, and Matt Cook for arranging this visit, and to the River Campus Libraries for hosting my trip.
PS — How fitting that on the day of the lecture, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra performed for Rochester public school students! Note the school bus parked right by Eastman. 😉 When children see artistic paths and possibilities, it furthers their own voices and artistic potential. And yes, if you look closely, you’ll see that Eastman’s crosswalk features piano keys!
Dr. Kathleen Baynes, Lauren Haley, and Herbert Smith at WXXI Photo credit: Robert J. Braden
As you’ll hear in our conversation, Herb’s enthusiasm for music bubbles over into literally EVERYTHING he says. Listening to Herb, you’ll definitely have an extra spring in your step when you head into the practice room! I would totally have been a trumpet player had Herb been my teacher. Come to think of it, maybe it’s not too late!
Dr. Kathleen Baynes’ warmth and her emphasis on helping families develop self-esteem and soft skills in young musicians made we want to reach across the table to give her a high-five every time she spoke. Y’all, I learned so much and just KNOW I’ll be quoting Dr. Baynes going forward! PS — She has two young musicians (ages 8 and 10) at home!
Many thanks to Dean Mary Ann Mavrinac (Vice Provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean of the University of Rochester Libraries), Ashlee Huff, and Matt Cook at the UR, to Evan Dawson and Megan Mack at WXXI, and to Hebert Smith and Dr. Kathleen Baynes. Photo credit: Robert J. Braden
It’s an honor to share this month’s Eastman IML Spotlight interview! Mobile users, click through to your browser to follow this link and read about balancing performance and education, advice to aspiring writers, and the inspiration behind Kids Aren’t Lazy!
So much of Eastman is reflected in Kids Aren’t Lazy and in my own studio. I was fortunate to belong to three ESM studios: Phillip Ying’s, Zvi Zeitlin’s, and Oleh Krysa’s. Phillip Ying shared with me the joy of chamber music. Zvi Zeitlin saw more potential in me than I saw in myself and invested so much in my development as a violinist. I will always be grateful for his determination. Oleh Krysa leads a studio full of kindness, friendship, and musical excellence, all while covering so much incredible repertoire! I also had a fabulous mentor at the University of Rochester, Russell Peck. I took every English class he offered while I was studying at Eastman. He and his wife, Ruth Peck (a pianist) showed me that music and academics (writing, especially!) are hugely synergistic.
Ms. Haley as quoted in the Eastman School of Music’s Institute for Music Leadership (IML) Spotlight
The Rochester Cello Society and the Hochstein School of Music and Dance announce Strategies for Parents of Instrumentalists, a special event with Lauren Haley on Saturday, October 5th from 1:15 – 2:45 pm at the Hochstein School in Rochester, NY. All are welcome to attend this free workshop, which will include an intermission.
From Sandra Halleran, Founder of the Rochester Cello Society:
“The Rochester Cello Society and the Hochstein School of Music and Dance welcome Lauren Haley, renown author of Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation and Talent through Music. Lauren will give a session to Rochester’s parents of instrumentalists. Any parent who wants to learn strategies for supporting their young musician is welcome. Topics will include: the power of parents (and effective communication), developing practice routines that *really* stick, and helping young musicians and their families prepare for peak performance (competitions, auditions, etc!)
This workshop is FREE and will take place in the Hochstein Recital Hall.”
Many thanks to Michael Hagerty and News 88.7 FM KUHF (Houston Public Media) for the interview and article about Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music! You can catch the interview, which aired today at 12:50 and 7:50 pm, at this link: http://bit.ly/2Yg10Hk
Join in on the conversation and let us know what you think!
It was amazing to meet everyone this past Saturday at the River Oaks Bookstore! We’re looking forward to hearing how everyone gets on reading Kids Aren’t Lazy: Developing Motivation & Talent Through Music! Mobile users, click through to view the photos from Saturday’s book signing. Stay tuned to hear about our upcoming spring events! Photos & Design: Albertine Wang
In other news, click HERE to check out a list of brilliant Eastman alumni who have been nominated for Grammy Awards! You can catch the Grammys this Sunday, February 10th.
“Time and time again, Eastman has availed itself as one of the top conservatories in the world. You don’t have to look too deeply into the school to see why. The faculty rate among the very best around the globe. You can take a look at any department and see what makes this school so incredibly amazing. . . . What we especially like about the school is its close-knit relationship to the University of Rochester, one of the premiere research universities in the country. Eastman is exceptionally difficult to get into . . . but for those who want the balance of an incredible education with musicians on par with those studying at schools such as Juilliard, you cannot beat the Eastman experience.“
LAUREN HALEY STUDIOS 
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