'Conversations with Vermont Music Educators' Podcast Episode One featuring Andy Gagnon
I’m very excited to announce I have started a podcast titled “Conversations with Vermont Music Educators”. This started out as a project for a graduate school class, but I hope to turn it into a regular occurrence as I see a lot of value in the premise: talking with Vermont music educators about pedagogy, the future of music education and more.
For the first episode I was fortunate to be joined by my good friend Andy Gagnon. Here is a Spotify link to the episode for you to check it out, it is about 7 minutes long and includes some original music I have yet to release from my ‘Playing With My Friends’ project.
Here is a transcript of the episode:
Welcome to the very first episode of the ‘Conversations with Vermont Music Educators’ podcast. My name is Matt Davide and I’m a musician, music educator and composer based outside of Burlington. Thank you for checking this maiden voyage out into the podcast universe.
Full disclosure, what you’re about to hear for the 6 or 7 minutes is a project for a graduate school class, Intermediate and Advance Applications of Technology in Music Education with Dr. Jim Frankel.
The concept for this is exactly what it sounds like: ‘Conversations with Vermont Music Educators’. I like to think that most things we do in the Green Mountain State are unique and special and my goal is to talk to some of our awesome Music Educators to reflect, learn, and discuss the ever changing landscape of music education.
If you are a current or former music teacher and are interested in being interviewed for the show, or know someone who would be a good candidate, please send me a message via the ‘contact’ tab on my website mattdavidemusic.com. Don’t forget about the “e” at the end of Davide.
I’m very excited for our first guest ever, the amazing Andy Gagnon. Andy is a percussionist, composer, and educator based in northern Vermont. He has been an instrumental and general music teacher for the public schools in Stowe for the last eight years.
Hey Andy. How are you doing?
I’m doing well all things considered. We’re wrapping up a busy year at school and are lined up for another one.
Are there any fun or notable things happening with you right now?
My big education related project right now is launching a jazz festival for the north east music district here in Vermont, which is set to happen this November.
Cool-my district, Winooski Valley, has a jazz festival for both middle and high school students that has been one of the highlights of my school year.
What is some of the favorite music you’ve played, or activities you’ve done with your students recently?
We’ve been working on a jazz show for our final concert this year, which has been fun. It’s cool to see students engaging with different types of music and learning about themselves through that.
I teach a few classes that really lean into the concept of project based learning where students develop the curriculum, then execute it. It’s wild to talk with students who are in school about how school works, and how it doesn’t work. I like teaching those courses because I get to pass on some of the most impactful knowledge I received from my teachers back in the day.
That sounds awesome. What changes do you predict will happen in music education in the future?
I think we’re seeing the age of the renaissance kid coming to a breaking point. Especially in smaller schools, the same group of students are asked to participate in every class, club, and extra curricular, and they just can’t do it all. I think the adults involved in education are either going to need to work collaboratively to figure out how to be realistic about our expectations for students, or we’re going to see a lot of programs take a serious hit or fold all together because the kids are getting so burned out.
I can definitely see that coming. How has your teaching shifted since the pandemic?
The most obvious thing is that students are a year or two behind in their musical skill development, so we’ve needed to dial back the difficulty of the music we’re working with. The social-emotional impact of the pandemic has made me double down on prioritizing students getting life lessons and support over any musical product we may be trying to produce.
What brings you joy outside of teaching music?
I enjoy spending time with the people I love, and I enjoy creating things, whether it’s music, films, plays, or even just a good story.
What advice do you have for someone early in their music teaching career?
It’s good to take advice from folks who have been in the teaching game longer than you have. It’s also good to trust yourself and be true to your style of teaching. You can simultaneously know that you have a lot to learn and be truly great at what you do.
Lastly, any final thoughts?
If you’re a music teacher and you’re listening to this, I want to personally thank you for everything that you’ve done and continue to do to keep music alive for our young people.
Well said Andy and thank you for joining us for our first episode.
If you want to read the transcript of this interview or check out some other cool stuff you can head over to my website, mattdavidemusic.com, and as always, don’t forget the “e” at the end of Davide.
I hope you enjoyed the show and that you’ll check out the next episode of Conversations with Vermont Music Educators. My name is Matt Davide, shoutout to Andy Gagnon for being our first guest as well as the crew for our theme music, a currently untitled and unreleased tune from my pandemic recording project ‘Playing With My Friends’. The musicians on the track are Chris Hawthorn, Matt Dolliver, Jesse Metzler, Rob Compa, Mike Fried, Craig Myers and Dan Ryan, sound mixing by Chris Hawthorn and composed by Matt Davide.
This is being recorded in early May of 2023, good luck to all of the teachers out there to finish out your year. You’ve got this!
