We have a lot of incredible people teaching for our programs, and while our students get to work with them every week, we know that our wider community might not know them!
Our featured teacher for November, Emily Senchuk, wears many hats in Elemental Music - more than you might know! Many may recognize Emily through her work as our Bergmann Project Program Director, or her work coaching in Elemental Band. She is also our Director of Operations, and is an integral part of Elemental Music’s core administrative team. Really, Emily is one of our unsung heroes. We are so excited for you to learn a little bit more about her and the many things she does to keep the music happening in our programs!
EM: You hold so many roles with Elemental Music. Can you talk a little bit about what you do for the organization in all of those various capacities?
ES: My involvement with Elemental Music began in 2014 as the clarinet and saxophone coach in Elemental Band. My husband Peter was already coaching low brass for the group at that time, so I was familiar with the program and was thrilled to become a part of it!
In 2017 I joined the director team by taking on a new Director of Operations position and later that year the Director of the Bergmann Project position. As Director of Operations I support the organization and our directors with anything needed to help our programs run smoothly. My work includes everything from coordinating concerts to payroll.
As Director of the Bergmann Project, I oversee and coordinate our amazing staff of 18 private teachers and 70 students that are part of this program. The students receive year round private lessons as well as participate in a yearly recital and evaluations, so my job includes anything that is needed to make all of this happen.
EM: With so many different responsibilities, what is your favorite role in EM?
ES: It’s hard to say what my favorite role in EM is as they all have their pluses and minuses. Often a big part of my job is email and spreadsheets which is definitely not my favorite! But on our concert days I see that all my hard work allows our students and teachers to shine and create beautiful music together. It’s so wonderful both as a teacher and as an administrator to be part of something that impacts young musicians in our community so positively, which is my favorite part of working for EM in all of my roles.
EM: You play a lot of different instruments! How did you get started in music, and when did you start exploring beyond just your original instrument? Do you have a favorite instrument to play?
ES: I started playing the flute when I was 9 years old. No one in my family was particularly musical but for some reason I decided that I really wanted to play the flute and begged my parents to start me with lessons. Luckily they obliged and that was the beginning of my musical studies. My high school had a fantastic jazz band and as soon as I heard them perform I wanted to play saxophone, so I added clarinet and saxophone to my studies at that point. I also studied piano and sang in choir throughout my school years and into college. I have spent some time playing and studying double reed instruments too - oboe and bassoon, but flute, clarinet and saxophone were the three instruments that have stuck with me and are what I play and teach most now.
EM: Do you have a favorite instrument to play?
ES: It’s hard to pick a favorite, flute has been with me the longest, but I do really enjoy the unique capabilities and personalities of all three instruments.
EM: Like many of our teachers, you're a professional musician as well as a teacher. What inspired you to include music education as part of your career rather than only performance?
ES: I think teaching has always been something that has been part of my career goals no matter what profession I chose. There are many teachers in my family from preschool to college level and so education is something that I truly value. As a music student in college I began teaching private lessons and it seemed very natural that I would continue to teach in any way that I could along with performing. I think that teaching others really helps me to think about my own evolution as a musician and actually makes me a better performer. For me the two paths have always gone hand in hand and I truly enjoy both teaching and performing equally.
EM: You also work as a music coach for SMMUSD. Do you find that teaching in SMMUSD gives you any insights when you teach for our programs, too, or vice versa?
ES: I’m very privileged to be able to coach in the SMMUSD music program along with my work with Elemental Music. The SMMUSD music program provides an amazing opportunity for students to access high quality music education throughout all of their school years. Many of our EM students are SMMUSD students and the structure and standards of their programs at school definitely tie in with our EM programs. It’s insightful for me to see how our goals of quality music education are aligned and helps me to understand how our EM programs can better support our shared students on their musical journey.
EM: What is one of your favorite musical memories?
ES: The first Elemental Band concert of the 2018-19 school year is definitely one of my favorite musical memories. My son Koli was able to start participating in Elemental Band as a percussionist, and since my husband Peter conducts the group and I was playing as a coach in the clarinet section, we had our first concert performance together as a family!
EM: If you could give our students one piece of advice, musical or otherwise, what would it be?
ES: I would tell them to always work hard and strive to do their best at whatever they choose to pursue in life. Studying music gives us a lot of joy but it also teaches us how to persevere and be disciplined. Even if you don’t succeed at something right away, keep practicing and working until you accomplish what you set out to do. Great success often comes after some failures, so never give up on yourself!