Emily MullinsJulie Bees, professor in 黑洞社区鈥檚 School of Music, sees teaching as a tremendous responsibility and an unbelievably rewarding career, and she鈥檚 seeing some of those rewards through her student鈥檚 success this year.
鈥淔or pianists, there is a tradition that鈥檚 handed down from generation to generation,鈥� says Bees. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 carrying on this tradition and doing some good in my own small way.鈥�
Bees is passing that tradition on to her students, many of whom are making names for themselves while still in college.
One such student is freshman Patrick Orr, who won the Grand Prize in the Kansas City Symphony Young Artist Competition in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in February. As the winner, Orr will perform with the Kansas City Symphony on May 24 and 25 in the 鈥淚nside Music Series鈥� for donors and patrons of the symphony.
鈥淚t was a really surreal thing for me. I think that鈥檚 the best word to describe it,鈥� says Orr.
Orr鈥檚 interest in the piano began after he watched the movie, 鈥淭he Titanic,鈥� and decided to learn how to play the hymn 鈥淣earer My God to Thee鈥� by ear with the help of his mom. Not long after that, Orr went to his first piano lesson when he was 10 years old, which he says was terrifying because he knew nothing about piano.
鈥淚 knew I wanted to play, but I didn鈥檛 know how important it would be to me,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 just knew I wanted to keep doing it.鈥�
His true awakening moment came when he played in a concerto competition for Wichita Metropolitan Music Teachers鈥� Association.
鈥淚 remember being the last one to play in the final round 鈥� I was really excited because I got to play on a really big piano in a nice hall,鈥� says Orr. 鈥淚 remember walking out onto the stage and bowing, then looking out into the audience and how amazing it felt that I would be able to share with them my passion and how much I loved the music I was working on.鈥�
That passion is what鈥檚 pushed Orr to continue to excel in piano, and it鈥檚 reflected in the way he plays.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen him focus his attention and he鈥檚 learning how to be a successful musician,鈥� says Bees. 鈥淵ou have to learn to be a problem solver, because every new piece you learn has its own set of challenges.鈥�
Orr isn鈥檛 the only successful student Bees has taught, and she believes music is an integral part of a well-rounded education.
鈥淚t takes a lot of hard work and perseverance to be a successful musician and I think the same is true to be an entrepreneur,鈥� says Bees. 鈥淲hat we鈥檝e been doing for a couple centuries fits in with what the university is doing now for the future across the broad spectrum.鈥�