“Crossville native returns home for dream job” |
| Crossville native returns home for dream job Posted: 18 Aug 2010 05:38 PM PDT Crossville School has a new band director this fall, and for Chris Davis, it is a sweet homecoming. Davis, a Crossville native, characterized coming back to Crossville for his first teaching position as a "dream job." "It's nice to return home to the place I grew up," Davis said. "It's an honor to have the opportunity to give back to the community that had such an impact on my early life. Plus, I know the Crossville band program. I know its quality of musicianship. I know how great the students are here. I am very excited about being the band director here." The Crossville marching band boasts 65 members in grades 7 to 12. "That makes a huge grade level difference if you think in terms of music instruction," Davis said. "That is one of the things that makes my job challenging. Besides teaching around 10 different instruments at once, I have to give instruction that is appropriate for a student who has been playing his or her instrument for six years and a student who has been playing his or her instrument for two years. That's a four-year difference. A lot of instruction can transpire in four years." On average, Davis said, the band performs at eight ballgames, four marching band competitions and two parades in addition to numerous after-school rehearsals. "No doubt, this is a great opportunity for the students. They have a lot of fun and they work hard," Davis said. "More importantly, they learn how to be disciplined, focused and they also earn how to achieve a common goal as a group. For me, that means the students will be ready for the 'real' world when they graduate. I don't think I could ask for anything better than that." Davis began his musical career playing the trumpet in high school. "It was through hard work and practice that I had the opportunity to participate in an honor band at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. It was probably one of the best band experiences of my life," Davis said. "The honor band was under the direction of Dr. David R. Holsinger, a famous band composer. It was so challenging and fun that I decided to major in music at Lee. "An interesting thing happened, however. Before I went to Lee, I went to Snead State Community College for two years. It was there I discovered classical guitar. For me, classical guitar is like having a whole symphony orchestra under my fingertips. So, when I transferred to Lee, I decided to major in music education with an emphasis on classical guitar. "I cannot tell you how much the classical guitar helps me to be a better band director. As a band director, I must be aware of how all the instruments fit together as a whole. Classical guitar helped me to listen to counter-melodies, bass lines, melodies and harmonies, all at the same time. In essence, it made me a better musician and a better conductor. "At Lee, I still played trumpet in Holsinger's wind ensemble, but I put more emphasis on classical guitar and conducting. This allowed me the time to explore other avenues of music like choral music, small instrumental performing groups, and guitar education. All of these, of course, I would love to incorporate at Crossville School." Davis hopes to make the transition to his leadership role a smooth one. "I want to make this transition as smooth as possible for the students, particularly the younger ones. They may not be ready for change, especially if they've had only one music teacher in their educational career. I want them to feel comfortable and safe. Change can come later." He plans no major changes in the program, aside from possible renovations and updates to the band room and its equipment. "Our band room is 25 years old. It is starting to show its age. Furthermore, some students are playing horns that are over 15 years old. It would be nice to be able to update a few things," he said. "I really have set some things in my life aside in order to be the best musician that I can be as well as prepare myself for my career. It is my hope that I can settle down soon, but I want to make sure that I can overcome many of the first-year challenges as a teacher and a band director. I know teaching is not an easy profession, but it is a rewarding one. It is my goal to make this a lifelong career." This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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