As a teacher, I believe my main responsibility lies in guiding students as they find and strengthen their artistic voice. My goal is to cultivate each student's individual expressive ideals, using my own artistic taste and knowledge as guideposts. Instead of simply trying to help students sound the way I sound, I want to encourage them to use my ideas as a benchmark by which to judge other possibilities. I believe that this approach allows students to be involved in - and in control of - their own education and musical path. Each student is unique, and I believe individuality can be enhanced and celebrated through creative instruction. I strive to meet students wherever they are in their artistic journey. From there, we can move forward together.
I view the challenge of teaching reed making from a similar point of view. The art of oboe reed making is as diverse as the world's population of oboists. Each oboist needs a reed that suit his or her own style of playing, and should adapt their reeds depending upon their own physical needs, nuances of their instrument, and their overall concept of beauty in oboe playing. There are infinitely many variables that oboists can use to their advantage when tailoring reeds to suit themselves. I have found that shepherding students through the exploration of these variables is a never-ending but rewarding process.
~ Matt