I am finishing up a class this semester called Introduction to Music Education.  It has been an eye opening class - nothing earth shattering for me since I have been contemplating this career choice for 20 years.  But many things have been interesting to dig into the next layer.  One of our final assignments was to write a teaching philosophy document.  This document is meant to distill the what, why, to whom sort of questions for a potential emplyer.  It was interesting to sit and put these philosophies that have been in my head for so long into words in a single document.  I'd like to share it with you.  Please feel free to leave a comment about what you think.  Here it is: 
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In a world that is hungry for new technology and greater efficiency, creative minds are an essential resource.  Creativity is where the vision of tomorrow’s technology is created and how the bridge between what exists now and what will exist tomorrow is crossed.  President Barack Obama said, “The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.”  Music education, particularly, fosters the creativity businesses and employers are seeking.  Bill Clinton stated the need for music education perfectly when he said, “Music is about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and by studying music in schools, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience the world from a new perspective.  
Since my first experience with choral music in junior high, I have wanted to teach music.  At that age, I didn’t fit into a well defined social “mold” and usually felt somewhat outcast by my peers.  The exception to this was in my choir classes.  There, I thrived.  I felt a part of something that was greater than myself.  I want to teach music to instill confidence in my students, produce high art, serve the community, and assist to shape well-rounded, creative minds that will promulgate human compassion and consonant citizenship throughout their lives.  
Music First
    I believe that all music teaching, whether it is theory, sight singing, or pedagogy should point towards creating fine art.  I teach rhythm, pitch, music literacy, expression, and structure with the goal of creating rich and beautiful music.  The role of teacher in a music classroom should be to guide students to making connections between the pedagogy and the art.  To accomplish art in music, several classroom methods will be employed.  Sectionals, for those who work better in a smaller group and an effective place for assessment.  Personal at-home practice with sight singing and theory for the individual learner.  Group instruction and singing to encourage and develop aural skills and blend.  
Community Service, Partnerships, and Involvement
I have worked with many community groups and have seen the positive effects that involved citizens can have in the community - no matter their age.  As the director of choral activities, I will always be seeking for innovative ways to safely and effectively involve the community.  Students and teachers can show how music can influence the community in positive ways.  Combining forces with local orchestras or other choirs, seeking charities that can benefit from our efforts, and showing the students opportunities for better citizenship are all elements I will foster in and out of my classroom.  This will also create a sense of comradery and student purpose within the groups as they see the results of their service to patrons and organizations.
Student Leadership and Opportunity
    As a former student of business administration, I see many growth opportunities for students as they are entrusted with elements of leadership for the musical organizations they belong to. It is important that these positions not become a popularity contest or be about who has the most friends to vote for them.  I believe that a teacher-chosen leadership team through a student submitted resume or application and an interview process are an effective way to find hidden talents of organization or leadership skills by individuals that might feel that a political type election would be fruitless.  This allows for the students to feel ownership in the program and feel responsibility for its outcome.  I also believe that students should be given opportunities for career exploration in the music field.  To this end, I will encourage student composition and conducting in a way that they will feel encouraged to develop their potential skills
Cultural Diversity and Awareness
    My music program will include units on music from cultures of the world. Students will listen to and recreate music from across the globe.  Cultural awareness and diversity sensitivity is very important to a student’s education.  This aspect of education will be strengthened as students experience music from different viewpoints and see values expressed differently both in texture and lyric.  This cultural component will be significantly enhanced if there is a prevalent or influential culture in the area where I am teaching.  Students will be given opportunity to express music that they find valuable and draw connections between the music they enjoy and historically significant music, thereby exploring history and structure of music. Shinichi Suzuki sums up how I feel about music education very well when he said, “Teaching music is not my main purpose.  I want to make good citizens.  If children hear fine music...and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline, and endurance.  They get a beautiful heart.”

Due to school and the Witness Music production of the Messiah that I have been conducting, I haven't had much time to delve into creating Christmas arrangements this year.  Here is a simplified Deck the Halls for your budding piano students and a simple recording of Away In a Manger for your Christmas season.  God bless!

Well, after 15 years of doing whatever it took to keep my grip on the merry-go-round that has been my experience with the music industry, I have decided to dive in head first to getting my music education degree.  I have enrolled at Utah Valley University and so far, so good.  I am enjoying my experience and grateful for the opportunity to be around so many great mentors and see familiar faces from other musical endeavors I have been a part of.  My first assignment in my Introduction to Music Education class was a musical bio of sorts.  I thought I'd share since it seems quite appropriate for an inaugural post of my blog here.  

I have wanted to be a music educator since cell phones were the size of bricks and before tablets or smartphones even existed.  Two years after high school, I started an Associate’s degree in Music at SLCC.  I loved composing, arranging, and conducting and had no other life-plans except to find a high school where I could teach until my arms fell off.  It took me longer than I expected to complete this degree and, in the meantime, I had gotten married, had my first child, built a home (with the accompanying mortgage) and started a growing piano service business to pay for school.   My wife, Jan, had finished her degree and started a successful career as a computer programmer.  We wanted to raise our kids with a stay-at-home parent so we were faced with a difficult decision: sell everything we had started building, move into student housing and finish up a music degree or be totally unconventional and have me stay home while she worked.  The latter seemed easier and made more sense financially so that is what we pursued.  
    I continued to work part-time around my kids’ schedules in the piano industry.  Eventually my piano business reached a point where I didn’t know what direction to take it so we decided to pursue an online degree in business administration.  While working while kids were occupied and hiring apprentices to help, I grew my piano business until the Great Recession of 2008.  We had become a full piano restoration shop specializing in refinishing and refurbishing.  My wife was tired of the paint stink (later on, I would admit that I was, too) and so we decided to let the business die and sold off many of the tools and supplies and I went back to just staying home.  Being a stay-at-home dad was a little more technical at this point as we had four kids going in four different directions.  In the dark and late hours of the night while kids were sleeping I stayed active as a composer, arranger and musician.  I even won a few competitions including the top Award of Distinction for a hymn arrangement.  I stayed active as a conductor through volunteer positions in the LDS faith until I was offered my first civic position as director of the Herriman Community Chorus.  Shortly after I took on that position I was asked to join a group called Witness Music as their Chorus Master.  I have served in many positions in that organization and now serve as the Creative Director and board member.  We put on Rob Gardner’s production titled Lamb of God and I direct the 120 voice choir and a full symphony orchestra.  It has been absolutely thrilling to be a part of this group.  Through the many friendships I have made in Witness Music, other opportunities have presented themselves including my first paid conducting gig!  
Several choir members of Witness Music work for a local charter school and insisted that I apply for the choir teacher position that was opening last year.  I was reluctant to apply because I knew that the alternate licencing process would be a difficult and long road for the school and for me.  However, out of over 100 applicants I was chosen as one of 20 who were interviewed.  I thought that was pretty cool but then I was chosen as one of five to do a teaching demo.  I was scheduled to do my demo in front of their largest class - their 80 student concert choir ranging from grades 8-11.  To make the demo even more nerve-wracking, we were not given any music to prepare for rehearsal and when I got there, the music was just cut and pasted choral lines with no accompaniment.  I  had a successful rehearsal and many kids came up and thanked me afterwards.  After this experience and, with my youngest starting kindergarten, my wife and I talked at length and decided that it was time to pursue this lifelong dream of mine to teach secondary music.  I have been waiting to be here for a long time and I am beyond excited to start.