Guitar Program Spotlight 2
Interview With Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy Instructor, Steven Sabet
Thomas Amoriello
Fleminton Raritan School District
tamoriel@frsd.k12.nj.us
rectors as well as to influence other districts to create new programs and make the 6 string a part of their curricu- lum. A few of the schools that have appeared in TEM- PO Magazine included Wall High School, Washington Township High School, Bergen Academy, and Bayonne High School. Today we are grateful to Steven Sabet of Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy in Elizabeth, NJ to share is expertise with our readers. Enjoy!
I Please tell us about your school and overall
music program? Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy is an open-ad-
missions public high school in Elizabeth, NJ. We offer strands in Performing, Visual, and Media Arts. Our mu- sic program offers Guitar, Choir, Piano, Band, Musical Theater, Music Theory, and Music Technology classes.
n the past we have featured many great high school guitar programs from New Jersey in an effort to bring attention to the work of their di-
own music. However, the only formal music class I had at school was music theory as guitar or music technology was not included in our music classes. I’m happy today that our music education profession is more inclusive of guitar students. I hope music technology advances in education as well. In my junior year of high school, I began private clas- sical guitar lessons because I wanted to go to college for music. Classical guitar lessons prepared me for my audi- tion and acceptance into “The Hartt School” at the Uni- versity of Hartford where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance. After graduation, I pursued a Mas- ter’s degree in Music Therapy at Florida State University and started the alternate route certification in music edu- cation to broaden my career options. About a year after completing FSU, I began teaching general K-5 music in Elizabeth, NJ.
How do the guitar family instruments fit into
your teaching? I currently teach three guitar classes. All guitar classes
are mixed levels that combine beginners with experi- enced players. I also teach two music technology classes and many students write and record their own music that feature guitar and bass as a primary musical focus.
hired at your school?
What obstacles did you face when you were first I taught general music for five years. I had limited
Please tell us about your own personal musical
background growing up and your collegiate experience? I began to play guitar at 10 years old and took private lessons outside of school. I played in high school garage bands for talent shows and took an interest in writing my
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resources and was honestly clueless the first year! How- ever, like many of us, I persevered by realizing what was working and learning from my mistakes. I started a gui- tar program during those years and taught many 4th and 5th graders to play guitar. After 5 years in that position, I was asked to take a job at the high school level to teach music technology and guitar.
MARCH 2018
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