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Bachelor Degree: Salem State University
Finalist of Reading Community Singers Award
Boston University Tanglewood Institute participant
Finalist of Reading Community Singers Award
Boston University Tanglewood Institute participant
2016 - 2020 Presidential Arts Scholarship
Hello! My name is Adam S., I am a professional saxophonist and avid music educator who works primarily in the North Shore area. After starting on flute in the fourth grade, I fell in love with the saxophone and pursued it while I attended Salem State University. While attending Salem State University, I received the Presidential Arts Scholarship for four years in a row, as well as receiving both the Student Artistic Development and Creativity Award in Music. It was because of this grant that I was able to attend the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for Saxophone Performance, where I took lessons and studied with some of the North Shore's greatest saxophonists, such as Ken Radnofsky and Jennifer Bill. For several years in a row, I have attended the Massachusetts Music Educators Association conference and took a variety of different masterclasses centered around education and musicianship. In the future, I would like to return to college to get a Master's Degree in Music Education, and continue to take inspiration from the music educators before me.
My experience teaching started as early as being a junior in high school. I was very interested in being drum major, as well as conducting, and a situation came up where I was able to teach a high school band for a month while we were waiting for a full time position to be filled. In college, I took a minor in education specifically focusing on secondary education. I was a mentor for several first year music students, as well as a tutor for Music Theory, History (Baroque - Modern day), Ear Training and piano, as well as having private lesson students. I was also hired to teach saxophone in marching band at Beverly High School. After college, I continued to have students and accepted a long term substitute position teaching middle school general music, which was turned into a full time position teaching K-5 general music.
For me, I always like to do a mix of what is fundamentally good to do as well as do what the students want. You will find in younger kids that it is very easy for them to lose motivation. Something I've learned through teaching elementary is that students love being given autonomy in their education, and it motivates them to continue. For beginning students, I like to start on Essential elements. Especially during COVID, having the additional technology to help them is a very good resource. In the past, my intermediate and advanced students have used the Rubank method books, being supplemented level appropriate repertoire. As someone who comes from Lynn, where funding for students is low, my teaching philosophy has always been that I believe that any student of any age or socioeconomic status should have the right to music education. I want to give all my students an equal chance to succeed no matter what.
I believe that fundamentals are the basis of a great music education. Reading skills, playing skills, and ear training are all extremely important to learning music. For me, seeing the development of a student over time and seeing them meet their goals is one of the best feelings in the world. That is why, in my instruction, I try to set realistic and reasonable goals for each skill level to hit that are more defined than state standards. I also believe that one of the most important aspects of education in general, is building the socioemotional relationship with students. Students should be comfortable in their own space.