STUDENT WHO AM I RESPONSES
WHO AM I RESPONSES WITH RACHEL WOHLGEMUT, MACKENZIE STEER, AND I
January 29, 2017.
Adam Jahanghiri
WITH RACHEL:
Hi Adam,
I enjoyed learning about all the musical experiences you have had that have shaped you into the musician you are today. I have a few follow-up questions that I would like to ask, and I'm very curious about your responses!
1. Why did you start taking piano? Do you think your piano experience helped you become a better violist?
2. Were there specific music mentors who inspired you to become a teacher or to pursue music at a post-secondary level? If so, how did they inspire you?
3. Do you think there are transferable skills that you learned through sports and drama that you have applied in your music-making? If so, what are they?
4. What skills or lessons did you learn at the national music camp? Do you think it is a camp from which all musicians would benefit?
I look forward to hearing your responses!
-Rachel
Hey Rachel,
1. So to answer your first question, the reason I started to play the piano was because of my mother. She loved listening to classical songs, and I wanted to make her happy, so I asked her to find me a piano teacher so that I could have lessons. It was tough starting off as a young child, because you need a lot of patience with the piano, but kept with it and during my second year I signed up for the Kiwanis Music Festival of London, and won my very first award. After that, I have been playing the piano ever since and just finished my Grade 8 RCM. My piano experience certainly helped me know the "elements" for the viola, which definitely helped me become a better violist.
2. Yes, it was my high school music teacher Mr. Imraan Haq. He allowed me to participate in our school's chamber, and symphony orchestra for both junior and senior orchestras. The way he taught music class was outstanding. Every time we left music class, all my friends and I would have smiles on our faces from how good the class went. I wanted to be him, and teach like him. So, I decided to sign up for music education at Western, and I dont regret it one bit.
3. The two main transferable skills that I learned through sports and drama that I have applied to my music-making are confidence and leadership. Acting in front of my friends, parents, and teachers is stressful, but knowing how to reduce my stress level, and be confident really stuck to me as an individual, and so anytime I perform my music during lessons or masterclass, I just relax and play with as much confidence as I can. Leadership from being a captain for two teams, really helped me become a better section leader. I always make sure my cues are obvious and clear, and I always answer any uncertain questions about the music we violists are practicing.
4. The National Music Camp is an amazing camp from which all musicians would benefit. It ranges from, wind players to string players to piano, guitar, percussion, singing, and even dancing. Plus the food is amazing, and all the staff are well trained professors from all across Canada. There are lots of fun activates, and water events , as well as camp fires, and dances that every camper enjoys. I really enjoy this camp, because you meet new friends who are amazing musicians like yourself, and you are playing great repertoire with your instrument. Overall, I would highly recommend this camp to any musician that wants to have fun in the summer for one week.
Now your turn
After watching your video, I was amazed by the amount of hours you put in on the piano. You are going to be an awesome music educator one day. I have a couple of questions to ask you. My first question is: What made you change from playing the viola at high school to playing the trombone? My second question is: How did you start taking music seriously?
- Adam
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your detailed responses!
To answer your first question, I played viola in grades seven and eight at a French immersion school in London, and then I went to my local high school in Dorchester. My high school did not have a string program, and so since I wanted to continue to learn new instruments, I joined the band program.
My mom started me on the piano when I was 4, and she taught me up until I was 11. She enforced my daily piano practice, and I would give myself a check-mark for each piece I practiced, which gave me a sense of accomplishment. When I was 11, my mom said I could stop playing piano if I wanted to. However, at that point, it was not my mom who was my motivation, but I instead had internal motivation because I liked piano. From there, I started reaching out for other musical opportunities such as choir, orchestra, and band because I enjoyed sharing musical experiences with other people as well. I take music seriously here at Western partially because I don’t want to disappoint my piano prof, Dr. Sylvestre, and partially because I would like to reach my full potential as a pianist.
-Rachel
WITH MACKENZIE:
Hi Adam,
After watching your video I am very impressed by the variety of activities that you do.
One question I have is: how did the viola spark your interest in becoming an educator?
- Mackenzie
Hey Mackenzie,
The first day I opened my case and picked up my primary school instrument, the viola, I never would of thought I'd be majoring in it now. I first wanted to go into Kinesiology to become a gym teacher. It was half way through grade 11 at London Central that I realized I did not want to become a gym teacher, but teach music instead. I had a lot of fun with my music teacher Imraan Haq whom I had for all my years in high school, and he really changed my perspective on music, and how you can have fun teaching it to others. He is my role model, and I really wanted to be him one day, because I saw the smiles on all my friends faces whenever we were in class. It was the viola that introduced me to Mr. Haq in Central, who told me that I should do what I am great at, and enjoy doing for the rest of my life. This stuck to me, and when university applications came through, I made sure to put Music at Western University as my top choice.
Now your turn
After watching your video I was shocked with how long you were with your choir for throughout your life, yet you did not do any music at school. You must been having a lot fun, which is awesome! I have a couple of questions to ask you. The first question I have is: What was going through your mind during that gap year you had that made you end choosing music over science? The second question is: Helping children in need through music education. What brought you to choosing this amazing, career?
- Adam
Hi Adam,
You're high school teacher sounds amazing!
In response of your questions:
I initially became interested in children with disabilities because some of my close friends have disabilities, like Asperger and dyslexia.
During the gap year I decided to volunteer at an Autism Centre. I mostly supervised children ages 3-11 playing. I was astonished by the huge spectrum that autism encompasses. And it was fun to listen to the kids, they all had such unique ways of thinking.
As for what I was thinking when I choice music over science; I didn't. I flipped a coin and it landed heads for music.
- Mackenzie
January 29, 2017.
Adam Jahanghiri
WITH RACHEL:
Hi Adam,
I enjoyed learning about all the musical experiences you have had that have shaped you into the musician you are today. I have a few follow-up questions that I would like to ask, and I'm very curious about your responses!
1. Why did you start taking piano? Do you think your piano experience helped you become a better violist?
2. Were there specific music mentors who inspired you to become a teacher or to pursue music at a post-secondary level? If so, how did they inspire you?
3. Do you think there are transferable skills that you learned through sports and drama that you have applied in your music-making? If so, what are they?
4. What skills or lessons did you learn at the national music camp? Do you think it is a camp from which all musicians would benefit?
I look forward to hearing your responses!
-Rachel
Hey Rachel,
1. So to answer your first question, the reason I started to play the piano was because of my mother. She loved listening to classical songs, and I wanted to make her happy, so I asked her to find me a piano teacher so that I could have lessons. It was tough starting off as a young child, because you need a lot of patience with the piano, but kept with it and during my second year I signed up for the Kiwanis Music Festival of London, and won my very first award. After that, I have been playing the piano ever since and just finished my Grade 8 RCM. My piano experience certainly helped me know the "elements" for the viola, which definitely helped me become a better violist.
2. Yes, it was my high school music teacher Mr. Imraan Haq. He allowed me to participate in our school's chamber, and symphony orchestra for both junior and senior orchestras. The way he taught music class was outstanding. Every time we left music class, all my friends and I would have smiles on our faces from how good the class went. I wanted to be him, and teach like him. So, I decided to sign up for music education at Western, and I dont regret it one bit.
3. The two main transferable skills that I learned through sports and drama that I have applied to my music-making are confidence and leadership. Acting in front of my friends, parents, and teachers is stressful, but knowing how to reduce my stress level, and be confident really stuck to me as an individual, and so anytime I perform my music during lessons or masterclass, I just relax and play with as much confidence as I can. Leadership from being a captain for two teams, really helped me become a better section leader. I always make sure my cues are obvious and clear, and I always answer any uncertain questions about the music we violists are practicing.
4. The National Music Camp is an amazing camp from which all musicians would benefit. It ranges from, wind players to string players to piano, guitar, percussion, singing, and even dancing. Plus the food is amazing, and all the staff are well trained professors from all across Canada. There are lots of fun activates, and water events , as well as camp fires, and dances that every camper enjoys. I really enjoy this camp, because you meet new friends who are amazing musicians like yourself, and you are playing great repertoire with your instrument. Overall, I would highly recommend this camp to any musician that wants to have fun in the summer for one week.
Now your turn
After watching your video, I was amazed by the amount of hours you put in on the piano. You are going to be an awesome music educator one day. I have a couple of questions to ask you. My first question is: What made you change from playing the viola at high school to playing the trombone? My second question is: How did you start taking music seriously?
- Adam
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your detailed responses!
To answer your first question, I played viola in grades seven and eight at a French immersion school in London, and then I went to my local high school in Dorchester. My high school did not have a string program, and so since I wanted to continue to learn new instruments, I joined the band program.
My mom started me on the piano when I was 4, and she taught me up until I was 11. She enforced my daily piano practice, and I would give myself a check-mark for each piece I practiced, which gave me a sense of accomplishment. When I was 11, my mom said I could stop playing piano if I wanted to. However, at that point, it was not my mom who was my motivation, but I instead had internal motivation because I liked piano. From there, I started reaching out for other musical opportunities such as choir, orchestra, and band because I enjoyed sharing musical experiences with other people as well. I take music seriously here at Western partially because I don’t want to disappoint my piano prof, Dr. Sylvestre, and partially because I would like to reach my full potential as a pianist.
-Rachel
WITH MACKENZIE:
Hi Adam,
After watching your video I am very impressed by the variety of activities that you do.
One question I have is: how did the viola spark your interest in becoming an educator?
- Mackenzie
Hey Mackenzie,
The first day I opened my case and picked up my primary school instrument, the viola, I never would of thought I'd be majoring in it now. I first wanted to go into Kinesiology to become a gym teacher. It was half way through grade 11 at London Central that I realized I did not want to become a gym teacher, but teach music instead. I had a lot of fun with my music teacher Imraan Haq whom I had for all my years in high school, and he really changed my perspective on music, and how you can have fun teaching it to others. He is my role model, and I really wanted to be him one day, because I saw the smiles on all my friends faces whenever we were in class. It was the viola that introduced me to Mr. Haq in Central, who told me that I should do what I am great at, and enjoy doing for the rest of my life. This stuck to me, and when university applications came through, I made sure to put Music at Western University as my top choice.
Now your turn
After watching your video I was shocked with how long you were with your choir for throughout your life, yet you did not do any music at school. You must been having a lot fun, which is awesome! I have a couple of questions to ask you. The first question I have is: What was going through your mind during that gap year you had that made you end choosing music over science? The second question is: Helping children in need through music education. What brought you to choosing this amazing, career?
- Adam
Hi Adam,
You're high school teacher sounds amazing!
In response of your questions:
I initially became interested in children with disabilities because some of my close friends have disabilities, like Asperger and dyslexia.
During the gap year I decided to volunteer at an Autism Centre. I mostly supervised children ages 3-11 playing. I was astonished by the huge spectrum that autism encompasses. And it was fun to listen to the kids, they all had such unique ways of thinking.
As for what I was thinking when I choice music over science; I didn't. I flipped a coin and it landed heads for music.
- Mackenzie