The “Stage Door” is no different than the “Classroom Door”
Fundamentals of Music (MUS111) students take “Center Stage” in their first Major Music Exam during the 3rd week of September. Dr. Tom Moncrief, Department of Music part-time music faculty member wore his concert tuxedo to illustrate how similar the “performance” in the classroom was to the “performance” in the Concert Hall. The word “performance” is used in many contexts, such as a student’s’ “performance” in the class and a musician’s “performance” in concert. This use of the same word is deliberate, because one must take the same attitudes and work ethics for maximum achievement in both.
When learners can directly relate experiences/learning from one discipline to the next, their cognitive thinking skills increase and we are able to solve problems faster. When one applies this direct relationship to anything that is presented in front of them, they will soon reap the “ovations” for their accomplishment. As a student, Moncrief performed at a very high level in music courses and struggled in disciplines outside music (Science and Math). However, a revelation came to him that because of his strength in music, he was approaching the music courses differently than the core academic courses. When he was able to approach the “classroom door” with the same attitudes and discipline as the “stage door,” success in all areas began to come readily available.
