What was the most rewarding or surprising moment you experienced during your session?
“The most rewarding thing so far about presenting has been the feedback I have received from colleagues and how excited they were that a session like this was in the program. I did not even know that there were teachers in places like Nebraska and Oregon trying to learn more about Mexican music and how to better incorporate it into their programs.”
If you could distill the energy of Modern Band Summit into one piece of advice for a music teacher, what would it be?
“I think the excitement about making music with friends and not being judged or singled out—just making music and learning about music because it is FUN and one of the best feelings in the world; this is what our students should feel when they are in our classrooms. If you are excited and can’t wait to play an instrument and make music, they will be as excited, and they will understand what a powerful thing music is.”
How has presenting at Modern Band Summit refreshed or influenced how you’ll approach your own work this year?
“Presenting at Modern Band Summit is a way for me to try to raise the bar for myself and my program. It’s a way to reflect on what has worked and what has not worked for me and my students during the past couple of years. Mexican music is not our only focus, but after having presented this year, I know it will continue being a very important part of our program.”
