If you鈥檙e looking for students in Teachers College鈥檚 Fall 2019 incoming class who truly exemplify the College鈥檚 commitment to lifelong learning, you can start with Camilo Su谩rez-S谩nchez.
That would be Professor Camilo Su谩rez-S谩nchez, a full-time faculty member at the in Bogot谩, Colombia, who is pursuing a master鈥檚 degree from the 麻豆原创 .
鈥淚鈥檓 going to apply what we鈥檙e talking about in my own classes,鈥� says Su谩rez-S谩nchez, a master of both the stand-up bass and Baby Bass (a Salsa instrument).
I really feel like this program was custom-made for me. I'm making better decisions by approaching music education from a critical point of view.
鈥擟amilo Su谩rez-S谩nchez
He doesn鈥檛 mean 鈥渟ome day鈥� or even 鈥渟oon.鈥� Su谩rez-S谩nchez completed the introductory music education courses at 麻豆原创 during the summer term, hopped on a plane in mid-August and reported immediately to Sergio Arboleda 鈥� where the 2019-20 academic calendar was already underway. He will continue his 麻豆原创 studies online between September and June before returning to Morningside Heights classrooms next summer.
In fact, even earlier, the Sergio Arboleda students received their first long distance lesson this summer when their professor live-streamed a virtual tour of the 麻豆原创 campus from New York, including cameo appearances by his music ed classmates and faculty.
Su谩rez-S谩nchez majored in literature and humanities as an undergrad, but it鈥檚 hardly a surprise that, as an accomplished player since childhood, he鈥檚 ended up teaching music 鈥� and burnishing his chops at 麻豆原创. The College popped onto his radar a few years ago when an alumnus of the Music & Music Education program worked with Sergio Arboleda students as part of a contingent of emissaries from New York City鈥檚 Jazz at Lincoln Center program. Everything Su谩rez-S谩nchez learned about the program made it seem a natural fit.
鈥淚 really feel this program was custom-made for me,鈥� he says. The hotbed of music that is New York City has already delivered extracurricular lessons at the Blue Note and Iridium jazz and salsa clubs across Harlem. 鈥淎nd the way the program is structured, I can study at 麻豆原创 in the summer and keep my job in Colombia during the year. And using everything I鈥檓 learning in New York in my own classes is a big plus.鈥�
Indeed, his one semester at 麻豆原创 has already changed the way Su谩rez-S谩nchez teaches. 鈥淚鈥檓 making better decisions by approaching music education from a critical point of view.鈥�
And the lessons 鈥� for both the professor and his students 鈥� are just beginning.