Teacher Highlight
Dancing Along
With Cynthia Hussey
By: Kat Andrews
It's a sunny winter day(don't you
just love the SF Bay area?!), and I am smiling from ear to ear as I head
to Starland. I have an interview scheduled with Miss Cynthia
today, and I am in a hurry to get there and spend some one-on-one time
with her! She walks into Starland, and even though her arms are
full, she has a hug waiting for me.
Cynthia discovered at a young age that music held the key to her
happiness. As a young child, after watching her mother play, she
asked her parents for piano lessons at the age of five; and that, as
they say, was the start of a beautiful friendship. Her first
teacher was Marlene Olander. Over the next ten years, Mrs. Olander
not only taught her how to play the piano, but also nourished her love
of music. "She had the patience of an angel" Cynthia says about
Mrs. Olander. If not for her, Cynthia believes she would not be
teaching today. After Mrs. Olander, Cynthia continued her long
love affair with music by taking lessons from several other teachers
both privately and at Mills College in Oakland, from which she
graduated with a bachelors degree in music.
It wasn't until her
brief, yet rewarding lessons with Debbie Sietman in London, England,
that Cynthia really began to see into the depths of what music could
offer. "She really opened my eyes to whole new levels of detail
and interpretation in music," Cynthia remembers. "After all, the
notes and the timing are only half of music; interpretation is the other
half, and that is what makes it art." Learning from Ms. Sietman
took Cynthia's piano skills, and more importantly her love for playing,
to a whole other level. "It changed my life in ways I will
never forget."
Cynthia has been teaching piano lessons on and off
since she was a teenager. In fact, she just had her ten-year
anniversary at Starland at the beginning of this month! I asked
Cynthia what she loves most about teaching, and almost instantly a
sparkling, and quite contagious smile appeared on her face. "My
students!" she says without hesitation. "Music is unbelievably exciting
and complex and gorgeous, and I just love sharing the beauty of it all
with my students!" Then at a speed faster than I can write,
Cynthia tells me that her philosophy on teaching music is this:
"Teaching music is not just about teaching the instrument, but about
loving your students and expressing that love through your teaching."
Cynthia remarks that in addition to the technical and artistic aspects,
teaching music involves teaching many important life skills; like
patience, attention to detail, determination, deferring gratification,
breaking large projects into small pieces, and learning to laugh at your
mistakes. It's vital in music, and in life, to see mistakes as
just information. They teach you what to work on; they don't mean
that you are a failure. "I believe that it's not just about
learning to play the piano well, but about developing a passion for
musical knowledge and understanding, and above all else loving every
moment of the experience; that is what makes you a good musician!"
In addition to being an accomplished pianist, Cynthia is also an
in-demand composer. She composed her first piece at the age of
eight, and is well-known throughout the Bay Area for composing
19th-century inspired dance music for balls. I had the distinct
pleasure of hearing a few of her pieces, and as goose bumps cover my
arms (something that only happens when I hear amazing music!) I
was truly in awe of her talent. Cynthia has graciously extended to
me an invitation to attend a ball where her pieces will be showcased in
the future. Something tells me that, even with my not-so-graceful
dancing skills, it will be a night to remember!
Q&A With Cynthia
Hussey
KA: What is your favorite color?
CH: PURPLE!
KA: What is
something about you that few people know?
CH: I actually love heavy
metal music!
KA: What hobbies do you have outside of music?
CH:
Anything and everything that allows me to be creative! I love
designing and sewing costumes and ball gowns, choreographing dances,
making lace and Chinese knotwork and of course last but certainly not
least DANCING! I love dancing! Especially Irish Ceili,
English Country, Vintage Ballroom, Lindy-Hop, and Contra Dancing.
I also love volunteering at the Dickens Fair where I get to dance with
the visitors at Mr. Fezziwig's warehouse. (Spreading the love of
dancing!)
KA: Where have you performed?
CH: I used to play dinner
music at a hotel while I was in school! I also play at recitals
from time to time.
KA: What is your favorite dessert?
CH: I can
only choose one?!
KA: no of course not!
CH: Well they are just all
so yummy! I am quite fond of quality milk chocolate, especially
with creamy Hazelnut, and anything sweet with Saffron, Cardamon, Peanut
Butter, or Coconut.
KA: So, tell me about the tiaras? Are you a
real princess?
CH: I just love wearing them; they make me happy!
In fact, I wish more people would wear one! Everyone is a princess
or a prince. I just wear my tiara on the outside!
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