About Me
A native of southeast Pennsylvania, Dr. Ian Rode is a professional trumpet player and music educator currently living in Omaha, Nebraska. He has performed with various ensembles throughout the United States including the New Mexico Philharmonic, New Mexico Bach Society, Sante Fe Symphony, the Grammy nominated trumpet ensemble Tromba Mundi, and Camerata Philadelphia in their nine-concert tour of China in 2011.
Also active as a teacher, Ian currently serves as artist faculty for the Omaha Conservatory of Music where he maintains a private studio and teaches in local schools. Prior to living in Omaha, he also coached college, high school and middle school students in both Indiana and New Mexico.
Ian recently completed a Doctor of Music at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He also holds a Masters of Arts in Music Performance degree from the University of New Mexico as well as a Bachelors in Music Performance degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He has been incredibly fortunate to study with Joey Tartell, Dr. John Marchiando, Dr. Jean-Christophe Dobrzelewksi, and Dr. Kris Kwapis.
Trumpets
Bach Stradivarius 190S37 Bb
Bach C180SL229CC "Chicago" C
Yamaha YTR-9830 Custom Piccolo Trumpet
Mouthpieces
Bach 3C (#27 Throat #10 Backbore)
Bach 3C (#25 Throat #10 Backbore)
Bach 7E (#27 Throat #117 Backbore)
Teaching Philosophy
Music has an inherent ability....
to directly speak and move people in a way that other mediums cannot hope to match. As an instrumental performer and teacher, I am fortunate to not only experience this incredible aspect of music on a daily basis but also feel the joy of witnessing students at all levels share this connection. I see the act of teaching as serving as a guide and resource that helps students develop and grow into independence and prepares them for entering a professional field. Ultimately, nothing would make me happier than seeing my students become my colleagues or succeed in another profession. To best achieve this goal as a trumpet instructor, I have broken my teaching into four main components. These include developing a strong relationship and rapport with each individual student, utilizing personalized instruction based on helping each student reach their own professional aspirations, instilling a solid grasp on the fundamentals of trumpet playing, and providing a professional example through my own playing and work.
I have found through my own experiences, both as a student and from teaching, that the student-teacher relationship can have a profound impact on one’s progress. For instance, many students will respond and develop better in an environment in which they feel free to take risks without fear of negative judgement. With my own students, I achieve this space by allowing them to play through the entirety of a prepared piece without interruption and then commenting on the positive aspects of the performance before then discussing the areas which require improvement. Establishing this environment also provides me with a good opportunity to assess the particular learning styles of each student. For example, while teaching a beginning student in Bloomington, Indiana on how to increase her range, learning that she already played a string instrument led me to use an aural learning style by suggesting she sing the pitches first and then listen as her body matched them.
I vividly remember Joey Tartell, trumpet professor at Indiana University, opening my first lesson with him with the question, “When you graduate, if you get to choose exactly what you get to do, what would that be?” After hearing my answer, he then told me what actions I needed to start taking and what we would incorporate into my lessons so that I could reach my goals. I have adopted this exact approach with my own students because it informs me of each of their own individual professional objectives and allows me to then personalize the materials I use, such as music and repertoire, in my lessons to directly address those ambitions. It also helps to further strengthen my relationship with them and their trust in me as it reinforces my dedication to their interests. Even for my students that may not have an answer yet, this approach can help begin the discussion on where they may want their life to lead. Lastly, from many of my student’s perspectives, this approach not only helps to motivate them by focusing on their interests but also keeps them engaged on the long term goal of what their hard work can lead to.
Imparting a strong command over the fundamentals of trumpet playing represents another major element of my teaching. Regardless of what styles or genres of music a student eventually chooses to focus on, having the ability to easily navigate around the instrument or any technical challenges will serve as an invaluable asset. For my approach, the term fundamentals refers to having a good and appropriate sound over the entire range of the instrument, flexibility to freely move around on the instrument, clear articulation on beginnings of notes, and finger coordination with the valves. Therefore, part of every lesson will focus on at least one or more of these areas through technical as well as their applications within a musical context. This grasp on fundamentals will also help each student in their development towards having the ability to self-diagnosis and correct any problems they may encounter after leaving my teaching.
Actively performing and setting a professional example represents a final component of my teaching philosophy. I strongly believe that allowing students to see you perform can not only motivate and inspire them but also validate that what they learn in private lessons works within the professional world. While teaching and coaching in Albuquerque, for example, I would always invite my students whenever I subbed with the New Mexico Philharmonic or other professional ensembles. Additionally, actively performing lets me meet new musicians which expands my network and resources for teaching and introduces me to new ideas and concepts that I can then implement with my students.
Recent Performances:
CONTACT ME
Ian Rode is available for lessons, masterclasses, recitals, and solo appearances across the United States!
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