Act 1: As a student at Elizabethtown Area High School, Class of 1976, I identified with the school’s colors, Blue & White. I went on to Northwestern University for two degrees, where I sang, “Hail to Purple, Hail to White! Hail to thee, Northwestern!”
Act 2: From 1982-2013, I proudly wore the Blue & Gold of Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan.
Act 3: And now I am Purple and White once more — at the Masters School, in Dobbs Ferry, New York.
I am happy to announce that I have accepted a position in the Music Department at the Masters School, a private coed day and boarding school for grades 5-12 here in Westchester County. The arts, and especially music, are critical elements in the school’s rigorous college prep program, which attracts students from across the country and from around the world. The school utilizes the Harkness Method, where everyone in the class sits at conference table, and the instructor facilitates discussion and instruction, rather than lecturing daily.
NVOT alumni Jennifer Watkins Carnevale and Jeff Carnevale are members of the faculty, and Jen is the new Music Chair. She invited me to apply for the position back in May, and now my former students are my colleagues! Jen is my new department chair, and Jeff has made a request to be my freshman faculty mentor. Talk about life coming full circle — it was exactly 20 years ago this month that Jeff began his career at NVOT as a freshman cymbal player in Marching Band.
I will be responsible for the direction of the two school orchestras and the chamber music program. I will teach one course in the freshman Humanities cycle, and manage the school’s private studio lesson and student recital programs. Although the position began as part-time, the situation has evolved over the summer, and so I am assuming a full-time position for now. After the first year, I will have the opportunity to step back to part-time if I wish. The drive from White Plains to Dobbs Ferry is only 8 miles, so I will be enjoying a much shorter commute than I did for 30 years over the Tappan Zee Bridge.
I have no classes on Mondays and Fridays (amazing, but true!), so I will have more time to devote to my Westchester Symphonic Winds, supervise a limited number of instrumental student teachers for Montclair State University, mentor some music educators here in Westchester, and still accept guest conducting opportunities as they arise. My gig list currently includes an orchestra festival in Las Vegas in March.
I retired because I wanted a change, but I still wanted to be active as a music educator. I’m thrilled that this opportunity has been realized. More than ever, I’m looking forward to Act 3!
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