What is your favorite piece of music to play? To listen to? The wonderful thing about the violin is that it has such an expansive repertoire, I can’t choose! I love playing chamber music, especially the chamber works of Schubert and Brahms. For listening, I really enjoy the sense of drama that concertos have. One of my favorite things to do is to listen to a bunch of artists play the same piece and think about the ways that they approach the piece differently.
What was your favorite thing about growing up in your neighborhood? Although I lived in Waipahu, both of my parents worked in town and I went to elementary school and spent most of my free time in Mānoa. My friends and I would bike around Mānoa most days after school and during the summer. Some of my fondest memories are the adventures and shenanigans we would get up to.
What is one of the most important pieces of advice that you were given as a musician or teacher? One of the most important things that my teacher Kathryn Lucktenberg emphasized was the idea of a “golden path” that all musicians are on throughout our lives. The techniques we learn or pieces we perform are not static, unrelated goals. Rather, they are steps we take to gain a deeper understanding of music and its connection to our lives. This opened my eyes as a musician and it is also something that is important in my teaching.
What is your philosophy of teaching? It’s really important to me that my students know that music is for everyone. Regardless of background, learning style, or ability, people can grow and find joy with music in their lives. In addition to developing discipline, collaborative, and critical thinking skills, studying music also builds self-expression and confidence. I try to help my students connect to the pieces they are learning as well as help them develop the technical and theoretical skills needed for them to fully express themselves while performing.
How do you motivate your students to practice and excel at their craft? From personal experience as a student, I always found that the best motivation was being able to connect something I was working on to a bigger picture. I think that this works with my students as well: whenever my students learn a new technique, scale, or etude, I try to connect it to one of the pieces that they are playing and this helps them be focused and motivated when they practice.
You’re awarded an unlimited amount of dollars to plan your dream vacation. Where would you go and why? I went skiing for the first time last year and it was one of the most amazing experiences that I’ve ever had. My dream vacation would be a very extended ski trip with my family and friends.
What advice do you have for the young aspiring musicians of the next generation? In addition to building your technique and repertoire, go out and experience music, art, and other creative outlets as much as you can. Go to concerts of different genres, visit art museums, read/listen to poetry, and go out dancing with your friends. It might be difficult to do some of these things right now because of COVID-19, but people have been finding many different ways to do these things online. There are so many ways that a person can be expressive, and experiencing those different ways helps us grow as musicians and artists.
Mr. Shaver and his students at Radford High School