Rosemary Olsen

Teaching music is one of the great joys of my life! Over the years, I have enjoyed watching hundreds of students gain confidence as they acquire the skills that allow them to communicate in a universal language. Learning a musical instrument engages the brain in ways that no other discipline can. It is analytical and intuitive at the same time. It requires exquisite coordination, precise athleticism and endurance. It requires the ability to decode a unique abstract symbol system, understand form and structure, texture and balance, all the while applying the entire range of human emotion. So studying an instrument is good for the brain, but I also contend that it is good for the heart and soul. To play the piano well, you have to have a cool head and a warm heart. Beginning in medieval times, a system of notation has evolved, which now, hundreds of years later, allows us to recreate the musical genius of the classical composers we revere. And this with our own two hands! In small part, we sense their concept of beauty, we feel the depth of their sorrow, and share in the exuberance and triumph of their lives. We are inspired by them and feel a kinship to them through their music. What a gift to receive and share! I love my profession and feel it is a calling. My life is richer through the association I have had with wonderful students and colleagues.