Maine Motif Issue 3, Vol. II (Spring 2018) | Page 17

Building A Lasting Lineage Through Mentorship By David Schumacher More than two decades after graduation, I still try to grab a drink with my middle and high school jazz band director Dick Rabideau when I’m back home in Plattsburgh, NY. I was privileged to have many great music teachers, but Dick was the first to expose me to the music that would shape the rest of my life. Even as a young student there was something unique not only about how we played jazz, but how we learned it. As my own students returned to share their experiences, sit in on rehearsals, or ask for guidance, a subconscious thought became reality for me. It’s all about the relationships. More than the 1 st place finishes and outstanding musicianship awards, the gold medals, or the spots in District and All-State ensembles my students earned, it was going to be the student- teacher and peer relationships that truly held lasting meaning and significance. They would sustain my own sanity and longevity in this field, but would also provide the paramount formative influence on my students. At Pentucket, these relationships have been key to perpetuate a cycle of mentorship: A method of learning long admired in the jazz tradition, but sometimes overlooked in the hyper-academic settings into which jazz education has been assimilated. Under the premise of strong mentorship, I asked a mix of former students to articulate their thoughts on what distinguished our program, how it prepared them for “real” life, and what continues to bring them back for concerts, rehearsals, and advice. I was struck and humbled by the consistency of their impressions. Many of their thoughts served as confirmation of the approaches I trusted to be effective, and had learned as a student myself. Speaking the Truth “Y’all sound like s&$#. You need to practice!” Those were the first words I, and my fellow classmates at Michigan State University, heard from jazz master Branford Marsalis after hearing us perform on the first day of his residency back in the mid 90’s. You can imagine our indignation, but as isolated university students we simply had no perspective. Turns out he didn’t really mean it. He thought we were on the right track –