In late August, Mr. Matt McLean arrived at Choate. As a full-time faculty member of the Arts Department, he teaches music theory and jazz history. He also directs Wind Ensemble, previously led by Marshal Brownford, now departed part-time music instructor, and Jazz Ensemble, previously led by Phil Ventre.
Since childhood, Mr. McLean has been surrounded by music, and he has always had opportunities to expand his connections with other musicians. Before starting his career as a jazz saxophonist, he spent years studying composition, and he played music with his family. Mr. McLean lived in Brooklyn for twenty years, where he met, in his words, “countless wonderful musicians and teachers”
McLean always knew he wanted to share his musical knowledge with others. For two decades, he worked as a full-time teacher at TREI in New York City. He said, “I have been in many different types of music classrooms and worked with ensembles of every kind. At Choate, my main goal is to bring a progressive, student-centered approach to my teaching that leads to outstanding results for my students, both in classrooms and in rehearsals.”
Mr. McLean added, “With the instrumental ensembles, I want my students to feel a part of something special, and inspired to make strong contributions to the group.” Mr. McLean believes that music performances are about personal discovery, and that when the ensembles have a strong sense of community and purpose, their members get more out of the experience. “With my music elective classes, I seek to help each student cultivate his or her own personal connection to music. My philosophy is that students learn best when they are given the experience of creating something unique,” he said.
Kicking off the year in a new school with new people, Mr. McLean and his family members are excited to be part of Choate and “have found everyone to be warm and welcoming.” Students and faculty, as well as the smaller PMAC community, are thrilled to have Mr. McLean as a full-time music faculty member. Some have speculated that he may eventually fill more positions in the music department.
