Many people are familiar with Mr. Joseph- the instrumental and IB music theory teacher at Harriton.  Although not everybody has Mr. Joseph as a teacher, his cheery smile and habit of singing from his office can improve anyone’s day.  The Harriton Banner sat down with Mr. Joseph recently to learn some more about him, and his job as a music educator.

Harriton Banner: How long have you taught music to high school students?
Mr. Joseph: This is my 18th year of teaching in public schools (after a brief stint in Walt Disney World, Orlando as a ‘swing’ performer).  It is my 14th year teaching High School (I taught middle school choirs for four years, prior to getting “promoted”!)
Harriton Banner: Why did you decide to become a music teacher?
Mr. Joseph: Originally I wanted to be a plastic surgeon, but my high school band director pulled me aside in my senior year while I was applying to colleges and told me that he thought I would make a good teacher.  I think his positive words were just the right motivation for me to really decide to go into Music Education.  I loved music throughout my childhood, but never gave a thought of making a living at it until Mr. Stauffer [suggested it].
Harriton Banner: What is the best part about your job?
Mr. Joseph: I love seeing enthusiasm for music in young people.  It reminds me of myself at that age each time I witness one of my students get excited about the music they’re studying, composing, or listening to.  [However a] close second [is getting] summers off!
Harriton Banner: What would you say is the most difficult part of your job?
Mr. Joseph: There’s never enough time to make things ‘perfect’.  Most ‘good’ music is truly perfect, yet we learn (all too quickly) that perfection is almost nearly impossible most days.  It’s a tough struggle for real musicians who are taught to perform, well, perfectly.
Harriton Banner: Is teaching an instrumental class very different from teaching a musical theory class?
Mr. Joeseph: Absolutely. While I like teaching both classes, a theory class is much more traditional in nature, whereas ‘anything can happen’ in a rehearsal–more students, more noise, more ‘stuff’ to worry about.  One is highly cerebral, the other kinetic, energetic, frenetic and (some days pathetic).
Harriton Banner: When you chose music for the school ensembles, how do you decide which pieces to play?
Mr. Joeseph: I’ve taken different approaches to this over the years.  I look through my lists of musicians and try to feature my best players among the selections.  I try to vary the level of difficulty, so that even my best players are challenged while my novice players can still feel successful.  I do try very hard to mix the genres of the music so that classical and modern music can coexist within the same program–not an easy task!  I also strive to find pieces audiences will enjoy listening to as much as my students will enjoy performing them.
Harriton Banner: This year’s District 11 Band Festival is being hosted at Harriton, what exactly do you have to do to pull the whole production together?
Mr. Joseph: Hosting a fest[ival] is a huge undertaking.  We need to house, feed and rehearse over 120 high school students (and their directors) from schools throughout Montgomery and Bucks counties.  They will arrive at Harriton on Thursday morning, February 11 and will practice for 2 1/2 days.  The end result will be a concert on Saturday, Feb. 13.  Our guest conductor is Dennis Glocke from Penn State.
Harriton Banner: What are you looking forward to about the District Band Festival?
Mr. Joseph: I’m really looking forward to hearing high quality, challenging concert band repertoire being performed by some of the best musicians in our area!
Harriton Banner: I know you are very enthusiastic about ensuring that Harriton has the best Pep Band possible (during the football season).  Did you ever play in a pep band or marching band yourself?
Mr. Joseph: I did–in fact I used to be able to say that I haven’t missed a high school football game since 1984 (when I was in high school).  But the HHS pep band has certainly grown (from 6 [students] my first day at HHS to 60 this past year at some games) and I’m looking forward to continuing the development of that group.  We may lose a few games, but music is always the fun factor at the games!
Harriton Banner: What is your favorite instrument to play? Why?
Mr. Joseph: I still love to play the clarinet–I was classically trained from a very young age and studied with some of the best teachers.  I think because it has been such a part of my life for so long, I couldn’t imagine life without it.  My parents never pushed me into playing, which is probably why I stuck with it, since I wasn’t forced to do it.  I still play whenever I can.  A close second is my singing voice–I love to sing because it allows me to be me–you can’t fake real singing.  I performed in a lot of musical theatre productions throughout high school and college and professionally (directed a few too).  My freshman voice teacher (renowned opera singer Julianne Baird) was one of my fondest vocal mentors.  Another vocal coach I had in college, Paul Krieder, almost had me talked in to giving up a teaching career to sing professionally in Vegas!!  I always wonder “what if?”