HANDS ON, MASK UP

Hands On Mask Up Experiential Learning Within UTSA Music

Experiential learning, as defined by Wikipedia, is the process of learning through experience while also reflecting on the actions involving your learning. The five bright students featured in this article are not only pursuing a degree in their desired concentration, they also are getting hands-on experience working at their craft. They are experiential learners in their respective fields. This article explores the struggles and successes they each experience as a

UTSA student who is earning an undergraduate degree (now virtually), while simultaneously broadening their education through opportunities that will prepare them for a rewarding future. Each individual also has a unique tie to UTSA Music, whether it be through the UTSA Spirit of San Antonio Marching Band, a student assistantship, or by simply being an exceptional music major.

Raymond Sifuentes

Senior Music Education Major (Student Teacher)

I am connected to UTSA Music through my major, which I began in the Fall of 2017, and I am also heavily involved with the Department’s Greek organizations. The most prevalent example of my own personal experiential learning has been through the teaching opportunities I have been presented with this semester. I work with both middle and high school bands, teaching sectionals and private lessons. The “experiential” portion of this comes from my adjusting to delivering online instruction. It has truly been a case of trial and error: this works, this doesn’t work, and so on. As educators, we have to be versatile in our teaching approaches, and I can certainly say that my ability to adjust has been greatly stretched. While it was necessary to find practical and appropriate ways to teach virtually, I found it more challenging to incorporate fun and excitement into my lessons. In the beginning, we had to try one method for a rehearsal, and if it didn’t work or if I felt that there was room for more effectiveness, I would change the format and try again the next day. Through experiential learning, we were able to find our “niche” within every group of students I work with. Getting placed in the educator role has given me a new level of understanding of what my own professors have had to go through. Not being able to meet for in-person instruction is frustrating, but we must be adaptable during these times.

Although it took me a bit to adjust, I can confidently say that my work ethic has improved throughout this whole experience. Self-discipline and responsibility have been the two main things keeping me going, and I feel as though my level of patience and understanding is through the roof by this point! Teaching through this pandemic will only make me a better educator in the future. My flexibility in the classroom has been tested, and I now realize that there are many different ways that you can teach one topic. I plan on incorporating a multitude of teaching strategies in my future classrooms so that I can deliver information in the most effective ways possible. I’ve learned that it is okay to feel failure now and then, just as long as you are able to pick yourself back up and grow from it the following day.

Kae Roemershauser

Senior Politics and Law Major (Spirit of San Antonio Trumpet Student Staff) This season marks my 4th consecutive season with SOSA and my third year being on trumpet music staff. I have also been in The University Band, in fanfare trumpets for commencement, and in the spring pep band for 3 years. When I applied to be on student staff, I was not confident that I could teach music to a 40+ trumpet

section. But Professor Ellis saw something in me that I didn’t, and pushed me to learn how to teach. That first year as music stuff, I was extremely nervous and uncertain in my ability to help create a solid trumpet section. But with the guidance of Alejandro Martinez (a wonderful music major and fellow trumpet music staff member), I learned to guide others.

Politics (from learning about politics to doing politics to teaching others about politics) has been a passion of mine since freshman year of college. I attended my first women’s march and volunteered on my first campaign (a city council race) all in the spring semester of my freshman year (Spring 2018). Since then, I started a chapter of IGNITE National, a nonpartisan organization all about helping women and other underrepresented groups find their political voice, at UTSA. I went to the IGNITE National conference in Washington DC summer 2018. I also became a Volunteer Deputized Voter Registrar in Bexar County in Spring of 2018 and have registered hundreds of students since then. In Fall of 2019, I was an intern at MOVE Texas, where I was able to speak at a youth climate rally and speak to the mayor about important sustainable changes we should make in San Antonio. In February of 2020, I was hired as an Account Specialist at VIVA Politics, a political consulting firm that manages and runs multiple local races every year. Since being hired, I have helped run 8 different local races and have 5 candidates in this upcoming election! I never really thought me getting involved in politics and campaigns would lead me to being a student voice for civic engagement. But getting involved in the community and learning how to challenge authority accidentally gained myself some attention at the university. I’ve sat on a panel for student leaders in civic engagement at the UTSA Civic Engagement Summit in 2018. I serve on the President Student Advisory Council as the representative for the College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

The skills of patience, thinking quickly on your feet, managing emotions, and coming up with creative solutions are all things I learned on the difficult road of music education. All of these things have directly helped me become a campaign manager at 21. Thank you professor Ellis and Professor Steiner for taking a chance on me. I never thought I could teach music, but leading the SOSA trumpets these past 3 years in music has made me an infinitely better person and leader.

Anna Schulte

Senior Music Education Major (Music Librarian)

I am connected to UTSA music in that I am a postbacc music major and I am also the UTSA Music Librarian and have been for 3 years now. I feel that UTSA Music really excels in experiential learning. Most everything we do, especially in the education classes, is really hands-on, and a lot of learning by doing. I think specifically of Dr. Dill’s classes where we all are allowed to get up in front of the class and teach practice lessons to our peers as if they were elementary students. Or to Dr. Muhn’s choral conducting classes, where every day we are up and moving and conducting real music as our classmates sing. I cannot explain how beneficial it is to not just learn from lectures, but to actually get up and do what we will be doing in our future careers. I also feel I get some added benefits in experiential learning in my job as music librarian. I get a glimpse into the role of the directors that I otherwise wouldn’t see, in programming and purchasing, as well as all the organizational and inventorying aspects of keeping a music catalogue that I will need as a future director.

UTSA Music is a community unlike anything I would have expected. I cannot express how grateful I am to have professors and peers who truly care about you, who constantly encourage you, and always want the best for you and want you to succeed. I wish we could all be together in person, but the community spirit lives on, and it will be a wonderful day when we can all make music together in that Recital Hall once again!

Jason Guzman

Senior Music Performance Major (Graphic Designer) I am connected to UTSA Music through SOSA, in which I participated during the 7th and 9th seasons, as well as being the current graphic designer for the department. Designing for the department was definitely experiential learning for me, I didn’t know much about graphic design when I started but through trial and error… and YouTube tutorials, I have found what works for

me and what doesn’t. These learning experiences have benefitted me a great amount in the professional world, it has opened doors for me that I would have never seen such as designing for a new music company and a world-class drum corps. What I want to do, eventually, is record performances of chamber music and solos. Being a designer for the department has definitely given me some necessary skills into doing so. Having these skills even opens doors to working with different musicians to promote or record their music.

Being a part of UTSA Music has given me opportunities I thought I would never have. I have grown as a performer and expanded my creativity into different art forms here.

Rebekah Alegria

Junior Communications/ Public Relations Major (PR Assistant)

I am tethered to UTSA Music through SOSA, in which I was a member of during my freshman year as well as this current season where I am serving as a student staff member for the piccolo section. I am also the PR Assistant for the UTSA Department of Music, where I edit and write for the department’s monthly opus, while also managing the social media platforms. When I first saw the advertisement looking for a new Public Relations assistant in the music building, I knew this job was destined for me. UTSA Music has given me friendships, opportunities, and memories that I will forever be grateful for, so what better of an organization to be a part of and employed by? I have been the PR Assistant since March of 2020, when the global pandemic was officially announced. Virtually learning my experiential learning PR job has been quite the challenge; the zoom meetings, constant email conversations, and virtual knowledge has consumed most of my life! But I can honestly say that this job is preparing me immensely for my future desired career as a PR Manager for a company of the likes of Google. I have learned time management, PR Management, the importance of image, how to communicate properly along with the etiquette that comes with it, and how to collaboratively work as a team with Jason Guzman and Cindy Solis. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be the PR Assistant for such an amazing department and for all that they continue to do for us students.

“Most everything we do, especially in the education classes, is really hands-on, and a lot of learning by doing.”