The Teacher Who Changed My Life
And why the greatest lessons we learn through music aren't always about music.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I've been thinking about the people who have shaped my life. And there's one person in particular who comes to mind: my music teacher and mentor, Dan Moore.
I first met Dan when I was eight or nine years old. He was a member of our church, and after I'd been taking piano lessons for a few years, I started studying with him instead.
Now, here's the funny thing: I eventually stopped playing piano, switched to trumpet, and then fell in love with guitar. I had different teachers for all of those instruments.
But of all the teachers I've studied with over the years, Dan probably had the greatest influence on the musician (and teacher) I would eventually become.
And it had surprisingly little to do with piano.
Fourteen People Playing One Piano
When I was a freshman in high school, Dan invited me to join our church's bell choir.
If you've never seen a bell choir, imagine 14 people playing one giant piano, except everybody is responsible for just two or three notes, and the keyboard is spread across several tables!
You have to listen, count carefully, and work together. If one person plays at the wrong time, everybody knows it!
Before joining, I struggled with reading music while playing. I often had to memorize pieces because I couldn't read the notes quickly enough. However, bell choir forced me to develop those skills, and suddenly rhythms and counting started making sense.
More importantly, for the first time, I discovered how much fun making music with other people could be.
I played the big bass bells alongside two guys named Doug and Don. We joked around, laughed, and became great friends. Doug eventually invited me onto his sailboat racing team, and Don helped me get a job working for him with the Baltimore Ravens broadcasting crew!
What started as a musical group became friendships and opportunities that extended far beyond music.
And Dan was right in the middle of it all.
He was patient, encouraging, and absolutely hilarious. Originally from North Carolina, he had that unmistakable Southern charm and a collection of expressions like "smooth as hen's teeth" and "hold the back page!"
Whenever somebody made a mistake, he'd laugh with us rather than lecture us.
He made learning music something we looked forward to.
Finding My Voice
A few years later, Dan encouraged me to join the church choir.
I already sang in my rock band, but I didn't know much about singing harmony. I wasn't even sure what voice part I was!
Dan helped me discover that I was a tenor, sat beside me in choir, and taught me how to sing my part while listening to everyone around me.
I learned by watching, listening, and imitating him.
To this day, people sometimes tell me they can hear Dan in my singing voice.
Later, when I was studying music in college, Dan suggested I take private voice lessons with him.
My first thought was, "I already know how to sing. Why do I need lessons?!"
Boy, was I wrong!
Over the next few years, he taught me vocal technique, breath support, pronunciation, and even how to sing opera in different languages.
But the most important thing he taught me wasn't about singing at all.
When Music Became More Than Notes
For much of my life, I'd approached music almost like a technical exercise.
Play the correct notes. Keep the right rhythm. Play faster. Get better.
But during one summer of lessons with Dan, something finally clicked.
I was working on the hymn O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go. I'd been through a difficult season personally, and suddenly the words meant something to me in a way they hadn't before.
For the first time, I wasn't just singing notes.
I was expressing something I actually felt.
Dan helped me understand that music isn't simply about making the correct sounds. It's about communicating something human through those sounds.
When I returned to college that fall, my guitar teacher, Zane, noticed the difference immediately.
He looked at me and asked, "What happened?!"
Suddenly, I was expressing myself through the guitar in ways I never had before.
And it all started with a voice lesson.
The Lessons That Stay With Us
Dan passed away in 2013.
I wish I could tell him today just how much his encouragement, patience, humor, and mentorship shaped my life.
In many ways, I'm following in his footsteps.
I now direct the same bell choir Dan invited me to join all those years ago. Just as he invited me, I've invited my own students to join the bell choir to experience the same musical growth and community that I did.
I still use some of his expressions when teaching. I regularly tell my voice students to "put a little more 'ah' in it," just like Dan used to tell me.
I even wore his cross necklace every day until my son Daniel started trying to pull it off whenever I picked him up!!!
But his greatest legacy isn't a necklace, a funny expression, or even the musical skills he taught me.
It's the example he set.
Dan didn't just teach me music. He invited me into a community, helped me discover abilities I didn't know I had, and showed me what it looks like to invest in another person's life.
That's what we hope to do every day at Lutherville Music School.
And it's what we encourage our students to do for one another, too.
Because the best way to honor someone who helped you grow is to turn around and help somebody else.
So this Thanksgiving, I'd encourage you to think about two questions:
Who was your Dan Moore?
And perhaps even more importantly...
Who might you be a Dan Moore to?
Open Mic — November 6th!
Our next Open Mic Night is Friday, November 6th at 7:00 PM!
Open Mic is one of our favorite ways for students to encourage one another, build confidence, and share their music with our community.
Whether it's your first performance or your fiftieth, we'd love to see you there!
Sign up to perform at Open Mic!
WinterFest Is Coming — December 10th–13th!
It's almost time for one of our favorite traditions of the year!
Our annual WinterFest recitals take place December 10th–13th, and we can't wait to celebrate everything our students have accomplished.
WinterFest is about more than giving a great performance. It's about families cheering each other on, students supporting their friends, and teachers celebrating the progress they've watched throughout the year.
Registration is open, and performance slots are first come, first served! If your family needs a particular day or time, we encourage you to register as soon as possible.
Not sure what to perform? Talk with your teacher and start preparing now!
There's Nothing Like Playing in a Band!
One of the biggest lessons I learned from Dan was that making music with other people can change your life.
That's exactly why our band program is such an important part of what we do at LMS.
Students don't just learn songs. They learn to listen, collaborate, encourage each other, make friends, and work toward something bigger than themselves.
We still have openings in our current band session! We're especially looking for guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, and vocalists who want to experience the fun of playing music with others.
Whether you've never played in a band before or you're ready for your next musical adventure, we'd love to help you find the right group!
Interested? Just let your teacher or the front desk know!
Thankful for Our LMS Community
As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to take a moment to thank our incredible teachers, students, parents, and families.
To our teachers: Thank you for investing in your students, encouraging them through challenges, and being the kind of mentors who can make a lifelong difference.
To our parents: Thank you for the countless rides to lessons, the encouragement at home, and the time and resources you invest in your children's musical education.
And to our students: Thank you for your enthusiasm, your creativity, and the way you encourage and inspire one another.
We're grateful to be part of your lives.
A quick holiday scheduling reminder: As we approach Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, please check with your individual teacher about their teaching schedule. If your family will be traveling or unavailable for lessons, be sure to communicate that with your teacher as well so everyone can plan accordingly.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your family's musical journey. It's a privilege to watch our students grow, not just as musicians, but as friends, mentors, and people who understand the importance of encouraging one another.
Have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
-Drew
