What an honor it was to serve as a guest lecturer at the Ohio University School of Music on October 17-18, 2011. This experience meant so much to me, as OU is my alma mater. It was my first time on campus since graduation in June of 1996!
So much has changed, but the atmosphere and vibe is still the same. I realized how much I missed it! Being on campus brought back some wonderful memories!
It was very fun visiting and catching up with OU faculty and staff! I also had the opportunity to meet faculty that were not teaching when I was there, most notably Elizabeth Braun, director of the Athens Community Music School.
It was fascinating speaking to a group of freshman music majors, as I could remember sitting in the same classroom back in the fall of 1992. I always wonder what specific person or event(s) help convince young music students to pursue music education as a career.
It was not without some sadness that I made the visit to Athens. One of my biggest life regrets was not heading down to Athens earlier to visit my wonderful violin teacher, Howard Beebe. Mr. Beebe was a mentor and educator who made a life-changing difference in my life. I would not be where I am to day without his guidance and confidence in my abilities. Mr. Beebe passed away on December 30, 2010.