Sara 
Drozdowski

​

 

WHO AND WHERE ARE YOU NOW AS A MUSIC EDUCATOR?

​

       I have always known in my gut that I am meant to be a music educator, albeit the obstacles along the way. I grew up being the band student who went above and beyond in my ensembles, always looking for a new challenge and new music to fall in love with. I picked repertoire for my high school band programs, I adored marching band with my heart and soul, and I was always auditioning for whatever New England honors ensembles I had the opportunity to try for. There was no doubt that music ignited a fire in me that no other discipline could, and this is how I knew that music education was the right path for me.

        The path to becoming a music educator has not always been easy; although I had so much momentum and drive coming into JMU’s music program, I struggled with finding my place. I felt like because I was a self-taught musician and didn’t have the same knowledge/skill sets as my peers, I didn’t fit in. I suffered major impostor syndrome (and surrounded myself with the wrong people), which led to me questioning whether this path was right for me, and I ultimately dropped the major and became an Independent Scholar. Within this new major, I was able to craft my own version of the music major to fit my interests; I dove into music history and global music. I thought I had figured it out, however I found that deep down, I knew I still wanted to teach music. I tried to convince myself that I could still reach that same end goal as an Independent Scholar, only to finally realize that I was robbing myself of JMU’s fantastic music education program that had everything I needed to set me up to be a music educator. 

       I am coming back into the music education program feeling more motivated than ever. I know this is the right path for me, and I am reminded every day of why I am on this path; I’ve grown to realize that everyone has their own story, some more concrete and linear than others, and everyone’s story is equally valid. I fall more in love with music and the prospect of teaching the subject every day, finding outlets to channel my interests and passion into something useful. I know how incredible it feels to be the force for students to fall in love with music the way I did when I was in their shoes.

​

​

WHO DO YOU ASPIRE TO BECOME AND WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO AS A MUSIC EDUCATOR?

​

       In terms of a basic career goal, I aspire to be a high school band director, where I would direct the wind ensembles, orchestras, and marching band. I feel as though these are all my strong suit, and growing up as an instrumentalist, I have a natural bias toward instrumental music. I would love to teach at a high school where their marching band holds a lot of pride and competes locally, as mine did; competitive marching band was a defining part of my high school career, and I want my students to have the same incredible experience I did. 

       Regardless of where I end up teaching, I want to be a shining light in my students’ lives. For many students, whether they are elementary or high school level, their music teacher is their favorite teacher at school, and they have a special relationship with them. I want my students to be excited to come to my class and be in a positive, loving, passionate environment, where they can succeed regardless of their natural musical ability, home life, or anything else outside of class. I want to be an empathetic, caring teacher while holding a high standard for my ensembles. 

       Although I’m grateful for my high school’s band program and all it offered me, there were many things I would have done differently had I been in my director’s shoes, and I hope to use that knowledge to my advantage when I become a director. I want to give students as many opportunities to shine as possible to teach them that music is a beautiful part of life. 

​

WHICH OF YOUR MUSIC EDUCATORS BEFORE UNIVERSITY MOST IMPACTED YOU IN A POSITIVE WAY, AND WHAT PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL TRAITS OF THEIRS IMPACTED YOU THE MOST?

​

       The music educator who most impacted me would be Scott Marsland, my high school’s marching band music instructor. My high school band director was often not present when we were learning music, so this instructor had a huge role in our marching band’s success. He knew how to keep the band engaged in rehearsal and be as productive as possible, all while getting us excited about the show music and music in general. This instructor was always incredibly enthusiastic in rehearsal, which rubbed off on the ensemble. He was clearly excited about teaching and had a passion for music education. He also knew how to teach, which is so important; he knew how to prioritize our learning to create the best possible product in a short period of time. He was motivational, always encouraging us to do and sound our best. I hope to be this kind of music educator for my students, pushing them to be the best version of themselves and channel their energy into a beautiful product as a group effort. 

 

 

FROM A SOCIETAL- AND COMMUNITY-BASED PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ROLE DO YOU BELIEVE MUSIC HAS TO PLAY FOR THE BETTERMENT AND ENRICHMENT OF SOCIETY?

​

       I believe music has every role to play in our everyday lives, therefore it has everything to do with the enrichment of society. Music is known to be the universal language, so it is the tie between cultures, bringing our societies together during hard times. For many cultures, music is a defining aspect of their togetherness, being part of traditions, rituals, and family events. I find it beautiful that music plays a different role in every culture across the world, and that it is fluid in its creation.

       From the perspective of a music educator, the role music plays in a student’s life can be huge. Some students will value music more than anything, finding their place within a band or orchestra program, and the program helps them to come out of their shell and be their true, authentic self. It’s a way for students to come together and bond and create something beautiful with a group, whether they are friends or not. This is why I value the opportunity to study an art; studying something that brings out the best in people is such a beautiful thing that I will never take for granted.