JAVS Summer 2026

Figure 7. Charles’s TikTok performance.

As I reflected on his message, I realized that it embodied many of the goals that inspired these projects in the first place. Charles, now a television meteorologist, was still playing viola, continuing to explore his interest in jazz, engaging with a musical community, and, perhaps most importantly, still practicing. For me, that message served

as a reminder that the most meaningful outcomes of teaching are often not immediately visible. Sometimes they emerge years later in the form of a former student who remains curious, connected, and joyful in their music making.

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