By Madison Narian
Ludwig van Beethoven once said, “Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend.” In this quote, Beethoven--a famous German composer and pianist--explains to us how music is more than just a sound that is made when one presses a piano key, or when one places their bow on the string of a cello. Music shows us something grander than individuals; it brings us together and encourages us to find the core of ourselves where the deepest, most powerful sentiments and adventure exist. Music is a part of each and every one of our lives. Whether it's the passionate desire to become a professional musician, or as simple as hearing your favorite song in the aisles of the grocery store, music has an integral role in all of our lives. However, music is not an isolated journey, as Beethoven stated; it's the key to bringing us together as a community. In Nyack High School, we are very fortunate to have a large, well-rounded music department full of teachers and staff eager to help students achieve all of their musical goals and cultivate their love of music. Recently, the Nyack School District has added a new member to our musical team, Dr. Andy Bhasin.
Dr. Bhasin started as Nyack High School’s orchestra teacher just this year. It has only been a few weeks but the impact he has already made on students is remarkable. Dr. Bhasin initially began his musical journey in the second grade when he started playing the piano, but he was never really passionate about it. The following year, when Dr. Bhasin was in the third grade, he attended a recital to see his brother perform. This concert featured children of various ages playing what Dr. Bhasin described as “movie music,” such as Star Wars and Beauty and the Beast. It was then that Dr. Bhasin had the revelation that he could do that. In Dr. Bhasin's words, he thought that “If they could do it, I could do it.” This is what first inspired him to start playing the violin. At this point however, music was just a hobby; it wasn't until later on in his childhood, when Dr. Bhasin's parents sent him to a music camp, that he decided music would be the focus of his life.
When Dr. Bhasin was in the 9th grade, he met a teacher who revealed to him that music could become more than an avocation, it could be a career. This set him down a path to major in music and pursue the career as a musician. In high school, Dr. Bhasin became a private music teacher where he helped others achieve their music goals. After high school, Dr. Bhasin majored in Violin Performance and earned his Undergraduate Degree, Masters Degree and Doctoral Degree. While he was in college, Dr. Bhasin had interrupted his private teachings to focus on his studies. After stopping, he found that he genuinely missed teaching music and decided to get his Ambassadors Degree in Education. Since graduating from college, Dr. Bhasin has performed in countless concerts as well as taught in many schools in the Northern-Westchester, Queens and Long Island areas.
It’s also worth emphasizing that even before Dr. Bhasin knew he wanted to be a professional musician, music has always been an elemental part in his life. Growing up in the 90’s Dr. Bhasin had come to love popular bands from the 80’s and 90’s including Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, Bright Eyes, The Stokes, Death Cab for Cutie and many more. He also greatly enjoys salsa music and has even performed salsa dances on a few occasions.
Dr. Bhasin is not only affecting our school, but our entire community. Even outside of school hours, he continues to bring music to our community by directing the Symphony Orchestra at Fordham University and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, where he shows others how to bring heart into every performance. When he teaches, he demonstrates one of the most important skills he has learned: the ability to recover after every wrong note. In his classroom, Dr. Bhasin not only teaches his students music, but how to build problem-solving skills, to work as a team, to effectively learn independently and to develop the resilience to be able to brush off mistakes and continue to make progress towards their objectives. By teaching students this way, he shows them the version of music that Beethoven saw: not just the sound that is made, but the echoes that sound makes deep inside of our hearts.
Thank you Dr. Bhasin for all you have done to create an ebullient classroom, and welcome to our Nyack community!