Jamie Reeves

My teaching philosophy centers around inspiring student musicians to pursue artistic goals of the highest standards, while equipping each student with the tools necessary to confidently perform beyond their realized potential. Whether working as an ensemble conductor or as a teacher and mentor of conductors, my goal is to leave my students fully prepared continue their studies in a graduate program or to enter the work force as a professional musician.

When conducting a student orchestra, I rehearse in a way that teaches the fundamental orchestral playing techniques that are used by major professional orchestras. These fundamental techniques involve a chamber-music style of ensemble playing in which all musicians in the ensemble are encouraged to proactively participate in the rehearsal process. The conductor, section players, principal players, and soloists are all involved in working towards a cohesive interpretation of the repertoire. Great attention is given to the details of articulation, bow-stroke, intonation, and phrasing. I tailor the rehearsal process to accommodate the student orchestra environment allowing time for the musicians to be fully prepared for a professional level performance. Each rehearsal cycle consists of a combination of sectional and full orchestra rehearsals, allowing for the ensemble to work efficiently on the challenges specific to each section. I also collaborate with my faculty colleagues to coach sectionals and sit in on rehearsals to share their expertise with orchestra students. Not only is the information from the applied faculty invaluable to the students, this kind of collaboration can contribute towards a positive culture across the department for both students and faculty.

As a teacher and mentor of student conductors, I use a combination of group and individual instruction which gives a small studio of conductors the opportunity to develop and practice their own skills, and to learn by observing their colleagues. Weekly group sessions in musicianship, conducting technique, and rehearsal planning are effective in developing the skillset each young conductor will need to be successful in the profession. I also allow time for individual lessons with each conducting student, whether they are beginners or more advanced graduate students, which allows me to tailor my teaching to each student’s individual needs. Lastly, I facilitate a number of supervised conducting opportunities, followed by video review sessions to further support my students as they proceed with the task of rehearsing and conducting their own rehearsals and performances.