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Piscioneri
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[Lifestyle]

LeePiscioneri:MusicistheFoodofLoveandEducation

Travelingacrosstheworld,LeePiscionerihasspreadhisloveofmusicaroundtheworld
(courtesySeoulInternationalSchoolwebsite)

WhenShakespearesDukeOrsinoexclaimedIfmusicbethefoodoflove,playon!heseemed
tobewritingathesisstatementforthelifeofLeePiscioneri,whoselifehasbeendefinedby
musicanditsconnectiontopassion.Amanwithaninternationalmind,Mr.Piscionerihasbeen
liketheJohnnyAppleseedofmusic,spreadinghispassionandhelpingstudentsacrosstheglobe.
However,therewasatimewhenhecouldntsing,afactthatfewofhiscurrentstudentswould
believe.

Musicwashispassionasachild.Iwasobsessedbyit,hesays,smiling.Hewouldbuyrecords
andsingalongwiththem,withhisparentssupport.

Butthen,somethingchanged.Hewasnineyearsold,athisfirstaudition,attemptingtobecome
oneoftheMunchkinsinaperformanceof
WizardofOz
atSmithCollege.There,herealizedthat
lovedidnottranslateintoperformance.AskedtosingDingDong,theWitchisDead,he
encounteredaproblem.

Ibegantosing,andnosongwouldcomeout,hesays.Standingonthestage,deeply
embarrassed,hedecidedhewouldntsingpubliclyagain,havinglosttheabilitytoexpresshis
passion.

Nineyearslater,however,throughhisinterestinchoirmusic,hemetthechoirdirectorofhis
highschool,JohnMaggs,whoheardhimsingandrecognizedhisskill.Mr.Maggswouldnt
accepthisstudentsreluctanceandforcedhimtosingregularly.


Hewasthefirstpersonwhoenabledmetogetthevoiceout,Mr.Pisconeriremembers.After
that,therewasnothingelseIwantedtodobuttolearntoplayaninstrumentsoIcouldsingwith
it.

Sittinginhisclassroom,Mr.Piscioneriseemssoateasethatitisimpossibletoimaginehim
strugglingwithconfidence.Music,hesays,savedhimandgavehimthecertaintyhehadlost,
leadinghimfromtentativelysingingtobuyingaguitarandplayinghistreasuredBeatlessongs.

Upongraduation,heresolvedtobecomeateacherandinspireothersasMr.Maggshadinspired
him.Hedecidedtoexploretheworld,andso,in1989,guitarinhand,heboardedaplaneto
Istanbulforhisfirstteachingposition.

IdreamedaboutgoingtotwoplaceswhenIwasakid,hesays.ConstantinopleinTurkey,and
Montevideo.Theyjustsoundedexotic.

InTurkey,Mr.Piscionerirealizedthathisloveofmusicdidnothavetoremainprivate.Teaching
in
TarabyaKemalAtaturkHighSchool
,hefeltthattheTurkishadministratorsdidnotvalue
foreignteachersroles,onlyemphasizinggrammarinstruction.Mr.Piscioneri,however,thought
thattherewasmoretoteachingthanthat,andbegantakinghisguitarintoclasses.

Iwouldfindsongswhenwewereworkingoncertainkindsoftenses.Whenweweredoingthe
conditionalsenses,IbroughtinifIhadahammer,Iwould,ifIcould,Iwould,andfindthose
kindsofphrases.Thekidslovedit.Theyhadneverseenanythinglikeit.

Yearslater,whenhemetaformerstudentinParis,hewasamazedthatshehadrememberedthe
songs,eventhosehehadforgotten.Herealizedthatmusicdidnotjusthavethepowertogive
onepleasure,butcouldinspirestudents.Hisfutureseemedclearer:totravel,toteachandtosing
whereverandhoweverhecould.

FollowinghistwoyearsinTurkey,hethenmovedtoMalta,thesmallindependent
MediterraneanstatesouthofSicily.Fromthere,hetraveledtoMonterrey,Mexico,andthento
hisotherdreamdestination,Montevideo,Uruguay,stayingfortwoyearsateachsite.Eachplace
haditsownindividualcharmsanditsownmusictoenrichandinspirehisplayingandsinging,
bothinandoutoftheclassroom.Eachalsoallowedhimtoindulgehisloveoftravelandhis
excitementatdiscoveringnewplaces.

Iamacitizenoftheworld,hesayscomfortably.IwasopentogoinganywhereImadeagood
connection.

Desiringmorestability,Mr.PiscioneriheadedtoManila,wherehewouldstayforfiveyears.
Duringthattime,hemetafellowteacher,JeanCandolPiscioneri,whoalsoplayedguitarand
sharedhismusicalpassion.Again,hediscoveredthatmusichadmorevaluethanexpressionor
eventeaching.

Askedabouttheirconnection,hereflectsthatmusiciansshareabond,givingthegiftofmusic
toeachother.

Thisbondgrewstronger,leadingthetwotomarryafewyearslater(andMs.Candoltotakehis
name).TheyleftthePhilippinesandmovedtoKorea,takingteachingpositionsatSISwhere
bothhavetaughtforfouryears.

Asaseventhgradesocialstudiesteacher,Mr.Piscioneristilluseshismusicalbackgroundto
inspirehisstudentsandmakehistoryreal.

WhenItaughtUSHistory,Ididaunitonsongsofprotestandwouldperformsomeofthe
songs.Ifyourelookingatfolkmusicandprotestmusic,thefactthatIcanplaythesongsand
haveapassionforithelpstobringhistoryalive.

Mr.Piscioneridoesnotconfinehisplayingtohistoryclasses.Hehasalsobeeninstrumentalin
bringingmusicintothecurriculumthroughhisSchoolofRockelective,builtaroundthe
suggestionoforganizationsliketheChildrensMusicWorkshopthatstudentsbenefitmorefrom
musicinstructionthanothercourses.

Youneedthearts.Alotofschoolsarecuttingtheirartsprograms.Theydontseetheprofit
marginintheend.Thefactis,theprofitmargincomesfrompeoplecreatingworldsthatother
peoplewanttolivein.Theresplentyofprofitinartistspursuingtheirart.

Inthisway,Mr.Piscionerihasexpressedhisownvoiceaswellasencouragingthevoicesof
others.ChloeChung(9)litupwhenaskedabouttheprogram,admittingthatMr.Piscioneri,like
hisownmentor25yearsago,hadinspiredherduringguitarlessons.

Iamreallythankfulforthefactthatheshowedushispassion,shesaid.Iwasoriginally
scared,buthisencouragementlaidthefoundationformeandalotofotherstudentstoexplore
ourcuriositiesinthefield.

ItisnotsurprisingthatMr.Piscioneriisabletocommunicatethispassion.Musicseemstorunin
hisblood.HisfatherwasanexpertharmonicaplayerandtaughtMr.Piscioneritoplayattheage
often.

Myfatherjusthadapassionformusic.Ijustwatchedhimandhowmuchhelovedit.

Mr.Piscionerifollowshisfathersexample.Heteacheshisdaughter,Anna(2),theguitar,and
hopesshewillbecomfortablewiththeinstrumentinafewyears.Towardtheendofone
interview,Annatuggedonhislegtograbhisattention.Mr.Piscionerismiled.

Iwanttoplayinabandwithher,hesaid.Shesverytalented.

Anna,facescrunchingupinterror,stronglyprotested.

No,Imnot!

Mr.Piscioneriwouldhavesaidthesamethingwhenhewashisdaughtersage.Now,however,
hisvoiceisstrong,anditseemslikelythatherswillbetoo,justasthemanystudentsacrosseight
countriesand25yearshaveseentheirvoicesstrengthenedbyhisleadership.Withhispassionfor
adventure,travelandsong,hehascontinuedtosing,inonewayoranother,andspreadhisvoice,
connectingstudentswiththeirstudiesandensuringthatthey,too,willhavethestrengthtokeep
singing.

http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/factsandstatistics/