Hannah Eger is the current student teacher for Band Director, Eric Ryan.
Eger attended Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon where she earned her Associates in Music before transferring to Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) where she is currently enrolled.
Eger discussed how her college experience has impacted her life thus far.
“When I transferred to PLU, it was there that I really just kind of fell into my own and started being really involved with the music program,” Eger said. “At Skagit, I was immensely involved in the music program; jazz and choir and concert music, piano, various private lessons but I had all my [general education classes] to do so that took away time. Being at PLU and just really getting to focus on music classes, on method classes, on education classes and really learning that pedagogical aspect of music eucation was just the best.”
Eger explained how vital her friends proved in making her college experience worthwhile.
“We cried together, we laughed together, made mistakes on performances together, practiced together–I mean everything was together. And to just have that built in support system within that music department program and those teachers just guiding us that whole way was really one of the most amazing experiences I think I could have had,” Eger said. “One of the best parts of college was meeting those people and having those experiences.”
Music has been a great passion of Eger’s since an early age.
Eger recalled the moment that she realized that teaching was the profession she would pursue.
“I had always played piano. I was just always really into music as a little kid; dancing all the time and clapping and singing at the top of my lungs to Disney songs and country music. And then for whatever reason, the moment I entered high school it was ‘I like music. I like teaching. I will be a music teacher.’ It just made logical sense and I have never waved from that,” Eger said.
Eger aspires to work as a high school band teacher in the future and spoke on the most rewarding aspect of teaching from her experience at PHS.
“I think anytime I get to work with students and get them to experience musical beauty [is rewarding]. It is not just teaching them the notes, it is not just getting up there and waving my arms, hoping they are watching me and following me. It is those moments when they play a chord and they know and they get it and you cannot explain it” Eger said. “If at some point in a student’s day they can experience some sort of beauty, I have done my job. The best part of teaching are those moments.”