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“Sweat the petty stuff but don’t pet the sweaty stuff. Life is too short to pretend to not care. I continually ask myself: ``What is the most good I can do?” This is the personal philosophy that drives our very own, Ms. Chan.
Ms. Chan has been the orchestra teacher here at Nyack for 4 years. “My favorite thing about working at Nyack truly is the students. Shout-out to all the orchestra students of Nyack Public Schools! Throughout the pandemic, you all have been with me through thick and thin. I am happy to be able to share sides of myself, such as silly stories, challenges in my academics, and hardships in life. It makes me even more excited to watch and hear your stories about life and how much wisdom is here at Nyack High School. This makes me hopeful and excited for students I have yet to meet!”, she says.
Ms. Chan is from Trat, Thailand and emigrated to the U.S. when she was ten years old. “My journey began when I first attended elementary school in Livingston, New Jersey, after having lived in Thailand until I was ten,” she said. “I was impressed with the educational equity given to each and every student through access to free public education. This public education introduced me to the double bass and the gift of music. The early experiences my education provided me with drove my passion as a musician and educator.”
Chan is a double bassist and has performed at Carnegie Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Kodak Hall, and many more. Ms. Chan currently teaches and conducts at the College of New Jersey and Manhattan School of Music. She is also the assistant conductor of the New York Youth Symphony, a founding member of Girls Who Conduct, and a doctoral student at Columbia University. Ms. Chan attended Eastman School of Music before becoming a music teacher.
Despite her initial reluctance to teach music to small children, she developed a newfound passion for teaching by sharing her skills and love for music. “In college, I taught music to babies- ages 1 to 5 years old. When I first started, my teenage self (19 years old at the time) really thought it was going to be such a waste of time. But wow, the more I taught, the more I realized that music really does live in every single part of our lives, from the moment we were born, if not before, until we are old. Anyone and everyone can enjoy music!”
From early on, Ms. Chan understood the value in helping others. “When I was in high school, I had always known the mission of my life: to help people. To me, my career and jobs are just a vehicle to accomplish this mission to help people. I used to tutor other students, volunteer in a special-needs school, and teach music lessons in high school. The more I did it, the more I found meaning in my work and myself, even as a high school student. Most of all, I love music. I found that being a music educator allowed me to be the very best parts of myself.”
Ms. Chan is more than a hardworking woman; she’s an amazing teacher and role model to all her students. We’re more than grateful for her ability to infuse students with the same passion and love for music. Her warmth and big heart are evidenced by the strong affection many students have for her.
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