Delving into the motivations behind the melody

For Professor of Music Katherine Baber, who holds the Alice Mozley Endowed Director’s Chair for the Salzburg Program, teaching is akin to stepping onto a stage. “Being in the classroom is like performing in a chamber ensemble, which I used to do. As an instructor, you’re working in tandem with your students to achieve a common goal--it’s like having a conversation.”

A musicologist, Baber is intrigued by questions of identity in American music, particularly how different music styles pass between subcultures and are often politicized. She is especially interested in the works of composer Leonard Bernstein, whose influence on American music she explored in her book, Leonard Bernstein and the Language of Jazz (University of Illinois Press, 2019).

Baber has taught at Redlands for the past 11 years and delights in the academic freedom the University offers. “There’s a strong liberal arts emphasis and interdisciplinary attitude towards pedagogy here that really suits me,” she observes.

Flexibility and open-mindedness are qualities that Baber encourages in students, and they respond. “My students are willing to take risks and trust each other and me in the classroom,” she observes. “They’re respectful and open-minded.”

This attitude characterizes faculty interactions as well, Baber asserts. “My colleagues are very open to collaboration and team teaching,” she says. “At Redlands, there’s a prevailing sentiment that everyone has something to contribute to a particular performance or endeavor, and that’s been really valuable to me.”