Beth Denisch, Professor

"Being 'in the moment' in the classroom is one of the most exciting things about teaching. Each classroom, each class, each day is different. I get to know my students as individuals and as a group throughout the semester. From one semester to the next, it's never going to be the same again; I'm going to have different students, so I'll present the material differently. How students respond influences how I respond, and every day I'm working off of them. Improvisation is a very big part of teaching. And when I see that light bulb go off in a student's head, it makes my day."

"One of the unique things about Berklee is that the students who are into classical music—traditional and contemporary—are also skilled at popular musics. So there's less judgment and more acceptance of all different types of music, which is so important as a student searches to find his or her personal style."

"My job as a faculty member is to teach students new skills and how to access resources that will help them find their own voices. Through exposure to new musics, and through modeling and experimentation, students experience which materials, styles, and techniques resonate within them and they then 'make it their own.' I think Berklee students have more of an opportunity to do that than students of other schools where they may be exposed to less varied styles of music. The classical music program at Berklee is strong and vibrant. I hope that I inspire the students as much as they inspire me."