Mentor/Talking Shop

What is a mentor?

And really, what kind of investment does a mentor need to have in a mentee?

I think some people believe that a mentor is someone who teaches a mentee... but is that enough? I have had plenty of teachers and most of them I do not consider a mentor. The only person I consider a mentor is Sandra Peter, but I have not really been in touch with her much. She encourages me and is happy to give me advice if I seek it out when I see her. I admire her ear (her sense of pitch and intonation is amazing... more so than many conductors, who can hear things if they are wacky but don't refine) and her enthusiasm. And she is smart.

But does a mentor have to do more? Or no?

I look forward to being able to mentor people someday. I would love to answer questions, to bounce back questions to them, and to explore various musical concepts with them, as well as give encouragement and advice. Maybe that is me looking forward to teaching, not mentoring. I'm not sure.

I do not know if I really believe I have a mentor than. There are conductors I can bounce questions off of, so if that is a mentor, then I am set. And maybe a little disappointed. Be that as it may, I am lucky to know some excellent conductors that I can get tidbits of knowledge from.

I seem to have very few people I can really talk shop with. In fact, I can only really think of one or two (outside of John, who I often force to have music conversations :-) ). One is my friend Austen. If I have a great rehearsal or try a new technique, if I have a revelation or want to share my love of a song, he is always happy to discuss that with me and share his own ideas. I appreciate the dialogue and I never feel judged, never have to worry if I seem dumb or unthoughtful, because the entire conversation is understood as exploratory. I always thought I would meet more people like that, especially since I am in grad school. And I really love discussing music and ideas and passions... or listening to it. But surprisingly, the people I think I will be able to have those kind of conversations with, I never do. Do you want to know what keeps me going back to ACDA? Yes, the key note speakers, yes the reading sessions, but mostly the chance that I might meet another person who is willing to have those discussions.

Don't get me wrong- I really believe that many conductors are passionate, intelligent human beings who probably enjoy those conversations. But very few of those conversations happen. Why? Maybe it's not practical to go around effusing about choral music and rehearsing.

Second semester starts again tomorrow. So does my practice sessions of conducting Belshazzar's Feast. And I will probably start score study of the Bells. I am anxious to get my Bach Cantata in the mail. I have never conduct recitatives before and look forward to doing so.