1. Composition: Dr.Grant offers composition lessons to all levels of musicians. All styles of music are encouraged. In the lessons the student will learn how to properly communicate and notate their ideas. The goal of the lessons will be to eventually record a performance of their work with the help of a professional musician. It is generally encouraged to continue with lessons for two months in order to secure a performance of their work.
2. Music Theory: For those students interested in music theory, music theory and score analysis lessons are also offered. In the theory lessons students will work on voice leading, harmonic progressions, score analysis with Roman numerals and chorale writing in the style of Bach. More advanced concepts such as Shenkerian analysis are available for more advanced students.
My teaching philosophy:
Throughout my educational career I have had a handful of teachers who have had a profound influence on my life. Each one of these teachers was particularly inspirational and memorable because they conveyed an intense passion for the subject they were teaching. I can remember vividly a former Biology instructor of mine frequently jumping up and down out of pure excitement when he was explaining certain subjects. The passion that this Biology instructor conveyed through his teaching opened my eyes to worlds that I never knew and seemingly never would have known. He inspired me to think critically about the environment we live in and most importantly this teacher instilled in me a passion for what he himself was deeply passionate about. Since becoming a teacher this idea of conveying passion has been at the center of my teaching beliefs. I myself want to communicate the love and passion I have for music. I want the students to understand the beauty of everything they learn and to know the value of what they learn when applying it in the professional world.
One of the most important steps a teacher can make in inspiring passion in their students is to promote a healthy environment for creativity. It is my strong belief that in the musical education system it is invaluable for students to utilize what they are learning in a creative way. For example, when I teach students certain harmonic principles, such as the use of secondary dominants or augmented sixth chords, I go beyond simple four part harmonic exercises and figured bass. I ask them to write their own music that demonstrates their understanding of the subject. This then inspires the students to go beyond what they often deem as tedious exercises to then use their imagination.
Another important step a teacher can make is to promote active participation in the classroom. I think it is important for the students to know that they are involved. To facilitate this I often teach by proposing questions instead of feeding them continuous information. This then challenges the students to reflect on what they have learned and also to think about subjects that are new in an independent and critical manner. I also ask students to perform. This could range from playing compositions they have written, playing simple harmonic exercises or singing a part in a four-voice chorale. All of these activities strengthen the student’s knowledge of the subject but also gives them the opportunity to perform in front of others, something that is extremely valuable as a blossoming musician.
The participatory environment also gives the teacher the opportunity to learn from their students. As a teacher learning from and listening to my students is extremely valuable in helping to continually improve my ability to inspire and challenge. It is my strong belief that as long as I continue to listen carefully to and learn from my students I will grow as an educator, but also as a musician.
Lastly, one of the most important components of teaching is to present different perspectives. I believe that in order to foster an independent, critical mind in a student they should be presented with different views and ideas on a specific subject. In music theory and composition particularly, there are vastly different approaches to analysis, counterpoint and form. Teaching more than one of these approaches then will give the student the opportunity to choose which is more beneficial to them.
Throughout my educational career I have had a handful of teachers who have had a profound influence on my life. Each one of these teachers was particularly inspirational and memorable because they conveyed an intense passion for the subject they were teaching. I can remember vividly a former Biology instructor of mine frequently jumping up and down out of pure excitement when he was explaining certain subjects. The passion that this Biology instructor conveyed through his teaching opened my eyes to worlds that I never knew and seemingly never would have known. He inspired me to think critically about the environment we live in and most importantly this teacher instilled in me a passion for what he himself was deeply passionate about. Since becoming a teacher this idea of conveying passion has been at the center of my teaching beliefs. I myself want to communicate the love and passion I have for music. I want the students to understand the beauty of everything they learn and to know the value of what they learn when applying it in the professional world.
One of the most important steps a teacher can make in inspiring passion in their students is to promote a healthy environment for creativity. It is my strong belief that in the musical education system it is invaluable for students to utilize what they are learning in a creative way. For example, when I teach students certain harmonic principles, such as the use of secondary dominants or augmented sixth chords, I go beyond simple four part harmonic exercises and figured bass. I ask them to write their own music that demonstrates their understanding of the subject. This then inspires the students to go beyond what they often deem as tedious exercises to then use their imagination.
Another important step a teacher can make is to promote active participation in the classroom. I think it is important for the students to know that they are involved. To facilitate this I often teach by proposing questions instead of feeding them continuous information. This then challenges the students to reflect on what they have learned and also to think about subjects that are new in an independent and critical manner. I also ask students to perform. This could range from playing compositions they have written, playing simple harmonic exercises or singing a part in a four-voice chorale. All of these activities strengthen the student’s knowledge of the subject but also gives them the opportunity to perform in front of others, something that is extremely valuable as a blossoming musician.
The participatory environment also gives the teacher the opportunity to learn from their students. As a teacher learning from and listening to my students is extremely valuable in helping to continually improve my ability to inspire and challenge. It is my strong belief that as long as I continue to listen carefully to and learn from my students I will grow as an educator, but also as a musician.
Lastly, one of the most important components of teaching is to present different perspectives. I believe that in order to foster an independent, critical mind in a student they should be presented with different views and ideas on a specific subject. In music theory and composition particularly, there are vastly different approaches to analysis, counterpoint and form. Teaching more than one of these approaches then will give the student the opportunity to choose which is more beneficial to them.
