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Bill Pierce, Chair
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"Playing with Art Blakey's and Tony Williams's bands, I really felt a part of a jazz lineage. And I was able to play with them long enough to be part of a living, growing organism. Over a period of time playing with the same people, the music morphs into something more than the composer may have intended. It develops into more than the sum of its parts. Because of that experience, I can convey to students the significance of a group concept, a band concept. Music is a source of communication between people, regardless of whether you want to be a star or not."
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"I tell students to try to have a long-range goal of five years, a shorter-range goal of a year, and then we start breaking it down to what we want to do by next week. And of course, what are we going to do today? Then we can jot down some short notes, and look at it every few weeks and evaluate. The plan can always be altered over time. I always tell them that if they more than double their age, I'm still older than they are, so they have so much time on this planet! Don't worry about the time pressure. Things need to cook at their own rate. As long as you're enjoying the moment—that's it, stop there. Have a generalized plan, but you can reevaluate at any point. Take the pressure off. Enjoy what you're doing."
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Jackie Beard, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"Times have changed a lot, and the music industry has changed a lot, but if you're a really well-rounded player, the industry and the times can continue to change as much as they want to; you'll be fine. My personal musical passion is within the jazz idiom, be it mainstream or straight-ahead; however, being well rounded and versatile is what allows me to play a rap gig with a back-beat track and smoke it. The skills are always applicable."
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George Garzone, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"If you're going to play free, it's up to you. You got it. I'm not going to yell directions to the ensemble or the soloists as they play. You got it. If the music stops and you're flailing, that's your problem. It's up to you to pick it up and make it happen. That happens to everyone; the music comes to a settling point and now it's up to someone to pick the ball up and go with it."
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Dino Govoni, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"A good saxophonist, first and foremost, has to have a tremendous sound. Without a great sound, there is only noise. Secondarily, he or she needs a strong command of the instrument. The saxophone is a great instrument for demonstrating speed and dexterity. The saxophone is also one of the most expressive instruments. It probably resembles the human voice most closely in flexibility and nuance, as well as the personality of the sound. Every saxophonist has a personal sound."
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Jeff Harrington, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"Years of performing have taught me a lot about what it takes to prepare and practice for a successful performance. That includes everything from dealing with bizarre sound systems to understanding how to blend with players I've never played with before. In addition to practicing, hands-on experience (on-the-job-training) is the only way to develop as a musician and to ultimately arrive at the consistency we all strive for."
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Barbara LaFitte, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"The possibilities for the oboist at Berklee are endless. My students tend to be more open-minded to the possibilities. They are not afraid to experiment with different repertoire, or to think 'outside of the Bachs.' They can study and transcribe works by jazz oboists such as Paul McCandless, Jean-Luc Fillon, and Nancy Rumbel. This variety keeps both myself and my students open-minded and willing to explore all musical genres."
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Shannon LeClaire, Associate Professor
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"Berklee's phenomenal for a few reasons. One, at no other school are you going to get this choice of teachers. Two, students are always jamming, in ensembles and after-school sessions, because there are so many students here. And three, the theory and ear training here is really applicable, whereas at a normal college, the program is classical theory. While it's great background, it doesn't really apply. Here you learn it on your horn and you can use it immediately, and that's a good thing."
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Fred Lipsius, Associate Professor
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"I teach private instruction for saxophone, focusing on getting a good sound, reading, and improvisation. Sometimes a lesson turns out to be more like a counseling session. Students are always going through stress, family problems, anxiety, etc. So we just talk. . . . I try to be a good listener. One problem some individuals have is how to use their time wisely in order to accomplish their goals/dreams. A suggestion I've given is to write down on a piece of paper a plan for the week, month, or semester. I think this is very helpful for kids who are scattered or lack discipline. I tell them that I have to make choices every day, too. It's all about priorities in one's life and making good choices."
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Andy McGhee, Professor Emeritus
DEPARTMENT : Woodwind Department"I teach my students that if you accept a job, regardless of what kind of job it is, you must play your best. Working with Lionel Hampton, I remember one incident in the Metropole—we had about 10 people, and Lionel was playing like he was playing for 10,000. And, being young, I thought, 'Why the hell is he working that hard?' But in the six years I was with him, I learned that once you hit the bandstand, you play as well as you can."
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