First, a random thought. If I'm going to be a teacher, I need to learn to get my butt out of bed in the morning! My alarm went off an hour and a half ago so I could finish my homework and clean my room before I left for the weekend, and here it is, 8:00, and I'm still laying in bed. Just started the homework. Room probably won't get cleaned. Bah. I like sleep a little too much some days.
ANYWAYS...
Passion is an interesting concept. I think it manifests itself differently for musicians than any other discipline. I don't think I've ever heard of a really good math problem or chemistry experiment making anyone cry...When I listen to good music, my tear ducts are directly connected to my ears. It's slightly annoying sometimes. I don't mean that crying is the only way to experience a passionate encounter with music. I just think that without some degree of emotional connection to the piece, you can't really be passionate about what you're singing or playing.
There are many things about my high school choir director that I objected to, and we had the kind of relationship where I could openly question those things. These differences of opinion, shall we say, have led to some pretty interesting discussions. One of the biggest things I'm still wrestling with as a future teacher is the role that competition should play in music. Sometimes in high school, I felt as though my fellow choristers were fueled more by passion for competition than passion for the music, and as someone who felt very passionate about just the notes on the page, this was sometimes frustrating. People were dead silent in show choir rehearsal, when there was a big shiny trophy at the end of the tunnel, but in concert choir they'd sit in the back of the room and chat when they were supposed to be singing.
Then Mr. Woodin would yell. Or cry. When people were being stupid, he would get really frustrated and give a big speech about how much he loved music and teaching and how we were taking that time away from him. As a freshman it made you feel bad. As a senior, however, you kind of started to roll your eyes and block it out. I feel bad saying that now, because I know exactly where he was coming from.
I think the thing about Mr. Woodin was that he was passionate about both music and competition. There's something buried in your genetics that unfolds into a passion for music...it can be nurtured, but you're born with it. Competition, however, is something that our society brings into everyone's lives. I don't think a single person could say "I hate winning." Plenty of people can say "I hate singing." The amazing thing about Mr. Woodin was that he could combine the two passions of music and competition to create an incredible final product. I still question, and will for a very long time, whether his proportions were exactly right, but I know there was no lack of passion in his teaching.
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