Teaching Philosophy

TEACHING: SYNERGY: (n). The working together of two things to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effort.

Jon Boen TeachingWhy teach? It’s about giving back. Each student is a Rubix cube, and I am given the responsibility of solving the puzzle. My teaching experience spans over 30 years at the college level-3 years at Northern Illinois University, 27 years at DePaul University, and now at Northwestern University.

I began to develop a synergic teaching style at DePaul with Greg Flint, and later refined it with Oto Carillo. I believe in the team approach, which fosters open feedback between teachers for problem solving and the development of the individual, which is beneficial for students and teachers alike.

I am currently teaching collaboratively with Gail Williams, where I rotate through the entire studio every 3 weeks, teach a weekly orchestral excerpt class, and coach several chamber ensembles.

It is a fantastic experience being part of the Northwestern team, where students come first!

Boen and Student