WHS’S NEW ORCHESTRA LEADER IS A MUSICAL RENA
By Marisa Kendall/ Townsman Correspondent

Wellesley Townsman, MA
Nov 2 2006

Wellesley High School’s new orchestra teacher arrived with a resume
packed with both professional and teaching experience.

Jeffrey Howard conducts Wellesley High’s orchestra during the morning
and holds private violin lessons after school. In between, Howard also
teaches classes in violin, music appreciation and music education at
Bridgewater State and Westfield state colleges.

Currently in his first year at WHS, Howard came to Wellesley from
a teaching position at the University of Texas in Arlington. "I’m
enjoying working here very much," he said.

Howard is impressed by the "tradition" of education visible in
Wellesley, he said, and by the fact that the school’s orchestra
students "really want to be there." Their dedication and energy
create an inspiring atmosphere, he said, because "they all sincerely
love music."

Howard can also attribute this atmosphere to his own love of music,
both as a teacher and a professional musician. He has substituted
in the Boston Symphony, been Concord Orchestra concert master and
preformed all over the world, in places including Prague, Budapest and
Vienna. Currently Howard plays violin in the "Kassian-Howard Duo" with
his wife, Anna Soukiassian, who accompanies him on the piano. Because
Soukiassian is Armenian, the duet incorporates Armenian music into
its classical and chamber music repertoire, Howard said. Soukiassian
is also a music teacher, and teaches at Philips Academy and gives
private lessons. The duet performs regularly across the U.S., and
has a recital scheduled for Nov. 12 in Montreal.

Though the Kassian-Howard Duo has been performing together for nine
years, "there’s always a certain amount of nerves in anticipation
of doing your best," Howard said. The stress eases with practice, he
added, but a portion will still be there. "The challenge of performing
in front of people [is the] ultimate challenge of realizing your
musical potential," Howard said.

Howard practices with his wife for two hours a day on top of a busy
teaching schedule, but he said the two obligations complement each
other more than they conflict. "The more I teach, the better my solo
playing gets," he said. His students make him aware of the way he does
things, Howard said, which helps him determine how he can improve
his technique and, ultimately, his playing. Helping students find
their musical voice has, in turn, helped him find his own, Howard
said. Performing has also helped to build his musical skill and make
him a better teacher, he said.

Howard has always wanted to teach and perform simultaneously, and
neither interest ever outweighed the other, he said. His father was an
elementary school teacher for 42 years, Howard said, and teaching was
in the family. Following this tradition, Howard first started teaching
music lessons during high school, and he has now been teaching full
time for 15 years. Music was an early interest as well, and as a
child he also took piano lessons. Now he plays some viola on top of
the violin.

The worlds of teaching and performing connect for Howard most
noticeably in his students, who are also some of his biggest fans. He
has a "devoted group of students" who attend all his local concerts,
he said. "[They] love seeing their teacher perform."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress