As an aspiring music educator, I hope to create lasting change in the lives of those around me – as artists and as humans. This change could manifest in the relationships created with students, self-discovery through the collective creation of art, the memories created in and out of the concert hall, and the extra-musical lessons about time management, balance, or fulfillment. I hope that once my students leave the classroom, they will continue to think critically about the music they consume or perform and amplify marginalized voices in whatever field they pursue.
 
I believe that no part of music nor education exists within a bubble. Drawing from Naomi André’s notion of “engaged musicology” and the ideas of “edu-tainment” and “informance,” I believe that every performance is an opportunity for learning and engagement with the broader contexts of music. The same is true for every single time we engage with music, whether in rehearsals or individual practice. This begins with the repertoire we program and how we go about doing so with intention and care. In my future school, I am committed to promoting and uplifting the voices of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ composers and performers – as a gay man, this issue is particularly close to my heart.