THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS
LET ME TRAIN THEM
In the last twelve years I have had a chance to work at several institutions within the United States which gave me the opportunity to work with students of diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, different ages, and varied academic interests. This helped me develop a comprehensive approach to teaching and an ability to find an individual learning path to each student. I have taught a variety of musical subjects, including: composition, music theory, musicianship, aural skills, piano/keyboard skills, music fundamentals, introduction to music, music appreciation, and world music. Multifaceted music skills enable me not only to teach varying subjects, but also connect those disciplines via instructional practice.
My primary goal in teaching is to provide students with the necessary skills and functional tools to apply towards a lifetime of learning and practice to give back to the world through music. The passion to share my experiences from higher education, professional endeavors, and teaching will give students purpose in attaining their own musical goals.
My extensive training in the highly-developed traditions of the Armenian and Russian music schools and my doctoral studies in the United States provided me the opportunity to observe various teaching methods and learning models to equip me with a broader perspective of the study of music. This helped develop my own unique teaching approach and individualized methods which have proven to be successful in practice. Additionally, all the work in composition and performance has provided unique personal experiences that have greatly contributed to my own music instruction being multifaceted and comprehensive.
Through learning and teaching experiences I have determined that for successful teaching one needs to possess not only good knowledge, but the appropriate skills to serve various audiences. The ability to work with students of diverse backgrounds. That understanding of the needs and learning abilities of each student helps find an individualized path to the student and provide personalized assistance.
I have developed a comprehensive approach to teaching and an ability to connect various musical subjects via instructional practice. My extensive experience as a composer gives me thorough understanding of musical structure and process and enables me communicate theoretical knowledge in a comprehensive and effective way. My piano performance skills provide me with deeper perception of the instrument and its abilities and better understanding of performance technique which benefits my composition instruction. The extensive knowledge of music theory and compositional techniques make my piano instruction more comprehensive and thorough. My broad knowledge of music history compliments my instruction in music theory, composition, and piano.
Musical instruction not only provides the students with the skills, but also teaches how to apply applicable knowledge to those skills in their musical practice. Developing creative and analytical thinking among students is critical for every musician because of the following: to be able to get into the depth of each composition when performing or analyzing it, understand its compositional principles and the composer’s intentions, apply critical approaches to their own works, and create thoughtfully crafted and meaningful compositions.
One of my strongest abilities as an educator is being able to establish a genuine connection with the students and to create a nurturing and encouraging learning environment. Being caring, patient, and understanding is crucial for successful instruction. Possessing good knowledge and demonstrating strong skills in teaching is not enough to create a positive learning environment nor to evoke the desire for learning within students. Showing students that I truly care about them creates more enthusiasm for learning and a higher sense of responsibility in them, through which the learning process benefits. So many factors are necessary in shaping an effective teaching and learning model that can provide students with the functional tools and a valuable learning experience for their whole lives.