Stepping out of her comfort zone to try something she'd only ever imagined is nothing new for EXPLO instructor Rachel, whose passion for music helps her make connections as an educator and mentor.
I’ll always love how music connects people. Through chamber music, I realized I really value connections with other humans. Teaching is an amazing way to connect with students and see the impact you're having on their lives.
Music is a form of communication that transcends other forms of communication. Growing up, I felt like I wasn’t very good with words or at telling people how I was feeling. But when I’m playing the violin, everything comes naturally. How I was feeling would manifest in how I played my violin. I’m from a very musical community, so I had many professional musicians as role models and mentors. My violin teacher, in particular, was not just a teacher but a friend, mentor, life coach, and the person who knows me best. The fact that she had that much influence on me and that we had that level of intimacy developed in a relationship really leaves a footprint and made violin that much more important.
Singing is an incredibly vulnerable thing to do; your voice is so personal. I loved singing always but kind of kept it at arms length. In college I auditioned for a choir with a world-class conductor, and they accepted me on the spot! It was an interesting journey because I expected to feel like an outsider or be at a disadvantage from the other singers, but I found that as an instrumentalist I had a great background in reading music and sight reading that a lot of vocalists didn’t have. It was a really empowering experience to realize I walked in on a whim and to see what came of it.
Sabrina Polin