Dr. Jonathan Sayre Allen – Trombonist and Teacher

I was asked to return to the University of Iowa Arts Share day camp to teach the music section. Arts Share is a division of the University that promotes the Iowa artists, musicians, dancers, and actors in the public schools. The summer camps is two one-week sessions of day camp for children finishing kindergarten through fifth grade. The children are divided four age groups and attend several classes daily in music, movement, art, writing, and theater. The kids are a blast to work with. It has been great having some of the same kids back each year. One thing that has surprised me year after year is my ability to remember names. I have always felt that I am terrible with names, but each year I am able to memorize 80-100 names in just a few days.

I feel that I have found my niche in teaching music to the children. The format is not such that we can really teach musical concepts as some of the children have several years of private instruction and some have never held an instrument. Rather, I have chosen to integrate some geography with world music. The children do a great job learning the names of countries and understanding some of the elements that make music from the various cultures some unique to that region.

I hope to be asked back for Arts Share next year!

The University of Iowa sits on a gorgeous campus. I am so fortunate to be able to see big, full trees every day. My office is in a building that is just south of the Pentacrest, a green area surrounded by five buildings.

Along the brick to the right of the view above is this simple graffiti. Yes, it’s graffiti, but I like it.